Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus Sampler Workstation

Ensoniq release the Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus (also shown in various publications as Ensoniq EPS-16+) in 1990.

The sampler was the next evolution of the Ensoniq 'affordable' samplers after the Ensoniq Mirage (release in 1984) and Ensoniq EPS (released in 1988) which were well regarded by the musicians that acquired them and used them in their creation.

The Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus came in two main flavours:

• 61 note, polyphonic after touch keyboard version, and

• the 2u rack mounted version

Other than the keyboard functionality the two versions provided the same sampler and playback capabilities.

As expected, each sampler increased the functionality over the previous incarnation.  The Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus move the sampling rate to 16-bit which was the same as many of the other more expensive samplers in the market at this time.

In addition to the sample rate the sampler also came with SCSI capability via an additional SCSI interface (SP-1).

The Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus was superseded by the Ensoniq ASR-10 in 1992 and most of the sample disks produced for the EPS-16 plus could be used on the ASR-10 samplers.

I purchased my first Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus in 2018.  This was an impulse buy.  I had been looking at Ensoniq samplers and to be honest was really looking for a Mirage, but they were and still are, hard to find either working or as a project in a condition I could restore for the collection.

The sampler that I purchased could only be described as a 'bag of spanners'. It was acquired via a 'friend of a friend' arrangement.  It was described as in good condition and the photos that were sent to me were obviously taken when the keyboard was in better condition to the keyboard that arrived.  Thankfully it didn't cost me very much although I did pay for it to be shipped from Italy.

I decided that I would keep the instrument to undertake a restoration project.  Then shortly after acquiring the Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus I was offered 2 job lots of disks.  Most of the disks were in the original boxes and many were still sealed.  And have remained that way until relatively recently (writing this in 2025).

So why did I have this instrument and not use it, with little content appearing on YouTube? Very simple.  I start to understand the issues that the instrument had. It's main issue was it went into a 'sleep' mode and at the time I didn't have the time to sit and diagnose the issue.  So I put the sampler into storage with the view it was a future project.  One of the biggest hurdles was acquiring a service manual that had some information in it that was useful.  The document that commonly floats around the corners of the internet is very light on useful information.

So keep tabs on this page for the progress on the restoration project and also the sounds on some of the disk sets that I have acquired like:

• Signature series: Joey Defrancesco

• Signature series:  Craig Anderton

• Signature series: Nile Rodgers

• Signature series: John Robinson

• EPS Sound Library

In early 2026 I was approached by someone who had been watching the videos on the YouTube channel.  Luckily it wasn't too far, to go and see another Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus.  This instrument was in much better condition than the bag of spanners that I had previously acquired.  But it still needed some work to be undertaken.

It is my intention to use this second Ensoniq EPS-16 Plus to diagnose and fix the first EPS-16 Plus.  If I can get the first machine working, then I might sell this on to someone else to enjoy.