Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

Hi,

I'm from Germany, and I managed to get probably the last E-MU XL-7
box sold in a store in this country. ;-)) I've tried five different
music stores and only the last shop had one left. Can't believe it.

1) No more XL-7 any more? :-(( Such a great box for no one else 
   anymore, never? Why?

Ok, now to my main question:

2) what's the difference between the XL-7 and a virtual-analogue
   synthesizer like, let's say, the Virus C?

Let's compare:

You have four oscillators (layers) per preset. -> like a Virus C

You can choose four basic analogue waveforms: sine, saw, pulse and 
triangle (and more) -> like a Virus C

You can attach two envelopes per oscillator -> the Virus C has got
ADSTR-Envelopes

You can attach two LFOs per oscillator -> the Virus C has got 3 LFOs

You can attach a filter out of many per oscillator -> the Virus has
got 2 filters per oscillator

The only thing I miss ist FM.
3) Does someone of you know how I can simulate FM on the XL-7?

I've got my unit today, listened to the preset patterns and songs,
which are not bad, but also not good. The sound enginge of that beast
can do so much more. Unforunately, the patterns are somewhat ugly,
too.

Never mind, I've played around with the preset voices and their pre-
set audition patterns. Let's take preset 0501 (syn: SweetDream),
choose this and listen to its pattern (audition). Nice, isn't it?

So, then I've stepped into the "preset editor" and saw that there are
only two oscillators used. So I chose 'wav: saw' for the 3. oscilla-
tor. Fine detuned O1 -5 cent, O2 0 cent, and O3 +5 cent. Then I've
found a filter (don't know its name anymore, sorry) that makes the 
saw oscillator sound like a bell. Then I chose for oscillator 2 a-
nother waveform (wav: sin) instead of the preset one. Played a little
around with the filter and chorus settings, and voilà: a very nice
and beefy bell-like sound made only of analogue waveforms. Chose
a panning delay with chorus as FXB, and... Listen yourself. ;-))

Editing sounds is so easy on that beast. I can't understand why
someone doesn't like sound editing that way.

Now, if I look at what I've done: what, the heck, is the difference
between my XL-7 and the Virus C of my grandpa? ;-))

I've played around with the VST-Synths of FruityLoops but they sound
so tiny and need so much effects to sound a little bit well that's 
no compare to the XL-7.

Guys, what do we have here? I mean, there's a pad preset: "pad: Ark
Deko". I only press one key of the pads, and it sounds like if I'm 
pressing a whole chord.

All this with 128-voice polyphony...


Sorry for my bad English, many thanks in advance, cheers and peace,
Uri