The Inevitable Doom of the Transoniq HackerWritten 1999/06/17
In November of 1999, Ensoniq owners everywhere will see the last of
a great resource.
That resource is an independent newsletter called Transoniq Hacker
which began way back in 1985 as a sort of support group for users of the
old Mirage sampler. As the Ensoniq line of products grew over the years,
more and more users turned to the humble publication for valueable
information on their machines on subjects ranging from maintenance to
patch design to third-party sounds and products.
The Hacker is largely comprised of articles by a dedicated list of
contributors; Craig Anderton (who can be spotted in the odd issue of
Keyboard Magazine); Sam Mims (sound designer extraordinaire and founder of
Syntaur Productions); software wizards Garth Hjelte and Gary Giebler;
Ensoniq insider Eric Montgomery; "Answer Czar" Pat Finnigan; dreaded music
critic Steve Vincent of "Basement Tapes" fame; industrial musician Tom
Shear (whose articles are always accompanied by that wonderfully cheesy
photo of himself); and many others both professionals and hobbyists alike.
Regular features included "HackerPatches", parameters and
modifications of sounds for many different boards, various tutorial
articles dealing with basic and advanced techniques, reviews of music by
Ensoniq users, the Interface where readers readers post queries about
various problems, speculations, and rumors to Pat Finnigan (that's why
he's called the Answer Czar!), and the latest news in the world of Ensoniq
on the front page of each issue.
And it was on the front page of the January 1998 issue that the
beginning of the end was announced: Ensoniq would soon be acquired by
Creative Technology Ltd., best known as the makers of Sound Blaster
soundcards. Later that summer Ensoniq merged with E-Mu, the prominent
sampler company also owned by Creative. That fall it was announced that
the newly-formed E-Mu/Ensoniq would no longer distribute leaflets for
Transoniq Hacker with their products, as Ensoniq had done in the past.
This was the primary source of advertisement for TH, without which the
great tradition of an independent Ensoniq users forum could not continue.
To make matters worse, E-Mu/Ensoniq said it would no longer provide
technical support for their many discontinued products, some as recent as
the TS-10/12 and ASR-10/88 series.
But, to use an old cliche, it ain't over 'til it's over.
Subscriptions to the remaining articles can still be had, the Answer Czar
is still answering at the Interface, and third parties will continue to
help users with parts and sounds long after the Hacker expires.
You can find information about all of the above at this URL:
www.transoniq.com
One last thing. It is rumored that Pat Finnigan will setup a new
version of the Web-based Interface after the current one goes down.
Perhaps the fate of the Transoniq Hacker isn't a cold grave, but
reincarnation...
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