Emax Plus Digital Sampling Keyboard © 199? E-mu Systems.
The E-mu Emax Plus Digital Sampling Keyboard was an updated evolution of the Emax II platform, designed to offer improved usability, expanded sound libraries, and refined workflow features for studio and performance use. Developed by E-mu Systems, it retained the 16-bit sampling engine and analog-style filter architecture of the Emax II, while focusing on enhanced factory sounds and a more streamlined user experience. Positioned as a practical production tool, it targeted musicians who needed immediate access to high-quality sampled instruments without extensive programming.
The Emax Plus is generally considered a “refreshed” version of the Emax II rather than a completely new generation of sampler.
It maintained full compatibility with Emax II sample disks, preserving users’ existing sound libraries.
The instrument continued E-mu’s use of analog-style resonant filters, which remained a defining part of its sonic character.
It was aimed at musicians who preferred ready-to-use sounds rather than deep sample programming.
Like other E-mu samplers of the era, it was widely used in professional studios for sequencing-based production workflows.
The Emax Plus arrived during a period when Akai’s S-series was rapidly becoming dominant in the sampler market.
It is less common than earlier Emax models, and often appears as a transitional or regionally branded variant in historical catalogs.
Today it is mainly of interest to collectors and archivists tracking the evolution of E-mu’s sampler lineup.