Over 700 studio quality samples.
The E-MU Orbit-3, released in the early 2000s, stands as the pinnacle of E-MU Systems’ specialized dance and electronica sound modules. Shifting away from the bright orange aesthetic of its predecessor, the Orbit-3 is housed in a sleek purple-faced rack unit that signals a massive leap in internal horsepower. It is built on the robust Proteus 2000 engine, which expanded the series to 128-voice polyphony and 32 MIDI channels, effectively quadrupling the performance capabilities of the original 9090 model.
At the heart of the machine is a 64 MB sound set that combines two of E-MU’s most celebrated expansion ROMs: "Techno Synth Construction Yard" and "Beat Garden." This library provides a dense collection of 1,024 presets ranging from gritty industrial textures and aggressive synth leads to "processed" acoustic loops and glitchy percussion. Unlike the generic synthesizer patches found in many modules of the era, the Orbit-3 focused heavily on "ready-to-go" sounds tailored specifically for drum and bass, techno, and ambient production.
The unit’s architecture allows for deep sound design through its Z-Plane filters—a signature E-MU technology that provides complex, morphing tonal shifts—and two independent 24-bit effects processors. Beyond static sounds, the Orbit-3 excels as a performance tool thanks to its SuperBEATS mode, which allows users to trigger and manipulate rhythmic grooves in real-time, and a highly programmable arpeggiator. With four internal slots for expansion, the unit could eventually hold up to 128 MB of samples, making it a versatile powerhouse that remains a cult favourite for producers seeking the authentic, hardware-driven grit of turn-of-the-millennium electronic music.
