Toontrack Time Machine EKX [EZkeys 2]

• Product: Time Machine EKX
• Publisher: Toontrack
• Version: 1.0.0
• Format: EKX Sound Expansion
• Requirements: EZkeys 2.1.4 or later
• Source: toontrack.com/product/time-machine-ekx

Time Machine EKX wraps 80s synth character in production-ready presets—ideal for pop writers who want vintage grit without oscillator deep dives.

Time Machine EKX: 80s Synth Muscle Without the Synth Learning Curve

Time Machine EKX is a sound expansion for Toontrack’s EZkeys 2 keyboard and songwriting platform, containing 80 presets inspired by 1980s synthesizer architecture, layered with additional sampled hardware and effects. Organized into Keys, Lead & Bass, Plucks & Bells, and Pads categories, each preset offers customizable parameters like filters, chorus, vibrato, bitcrush, and flanger, plus a global Time + Space control for delay and reverb saturation. Includes a dedicated MIDI library. Requires EZkeys 2.1.4 or higher. €89 price point. Best for pop, synthwave, new wave, ambient, and electronic production on a tight synthesis-learning curve.

Vintage Inspiration Meets Modern Pop Workflow

Time Machine doesn’t try to be a synthesizer. It’s a shortcut to 80s tone wrapped in a songwriting platform. Toontrack modeled patches from an iconic 1980s synth, then layered sampled hardware and effects into each preset, creating textures that read as warmly retro without sounding dated. The philosophy is clear: give producers instant access to the shimmer and character of 80s gear while staying focused on arrangement, composition, and production flow.

This matters because most songwriters don’t want to tweak oscillators and filters; they want the right sound loaded and ready to play. Time Machine answers that directly. Load a preset, adjust global reverb saturation, play. The MIDI library—organized identically to presets—provides melodic hooks and rhythmic starting points tailored to each sound category, accelerating composition in a genre (pop, synthwave) where speed and obviousness matter more than synthesis depth. For producers working in commercial music with tight deadlines, this is the design philosophy that wins.

Four Distinct Territories, One Coherent Voice

The 80 presets divide cleanly. Keys section delivers classic, textured sounds for harmonic backbone—think crisp, glassy tones that sit at a track’s center without fighting for attention. These anchor chord progressions and add that characteristic 80s sheen without shimmer overload. Lead & Bass houses monophonic drivers: tight, aggressive basslines with punch and drive, alongside expressive leads that sing. These are the sounds that cut through mixes and demand presence.

Plucks & Bells brings percussive brightness—character-rich layers perfect for hooks and ear-catching details. Bright, attack-forward, designed as embellishments rather than primary voices. The final category, Pads, offers warm, analog-inspired textures ideal for ambient underscore and slow-building sections. Collectively, they span from crisp and glassy to warm and lush, all executed with intentional 80s DNA.

Customization Within Constraints

Each preset includes its own control hub—not a unified parameter set, but preset-specific tweaks. One sound might offer low and high-pass filter control; another lets you blend layered hardware textures. You’ll find chorus, vibrato, pitch, envelope, flanger, bitcrush scattered across the library depending on what the patch needs. This modularity is practical (no bloated interface) but requires preset familiarity; there’s no universal “here are all your tools” moment.

The Time + Space hub sits above presets—a global delay and reverb saturation control that shapes every sound the same way. Increasing saturation adds space; it’s a quick, effective way to push sounds backward in the mix or create ambient wash without menu diving. For producers bouncing between presets and needing consistent spatial treatment, it’s intuitive.

MIDI Library: Starting Point, Not Limitation

The included MIDI collection mirrors preset organization. Keys MIDI patterns provide harmonic structures; Lead & Bass offers bassline and melodic loops; Plucks & Bells contributes rhythmic hooks; Pads supply sustaining textures. These aren’t meant as final takes—they’re starting scaffolding. EZkeys 2’s broader MIDI editing and songwriting tools (grid editor, Bandmate, playing-style replacement) let you customize, rearrange, and finesse endlessly. The Time Machine library just gives you the right initial direction for each sound category.

Not a Synthesizer, and That’s the Point

This matters: Time Machine is preset-based, not synthesis-from-scratch. You cannot dial in a custom oscillator or design from first principles. If your workflow demands deep synthesis control, this isn’t the tool—RawPrime, Serum, or dedicated synth VSTs are. Time Machine trades that flexibility for simplicity and speed. Load a sound, tweak its few exposed parameters, play. For commercial pop, synthwave, and electronic composition on deadline, that trade works. For experimental sound design, it doesn’t.

The expansion also carries EZkeys 2’s dependency. You need the core platform—a piano-centric songwriting tool first, synth host second. If you’ve invested in EZkeys 2 and work primarily in pop, synthwave, or new wave, Time Machine becomes cost-effective and workflow-aligned. If you don’t own EZkeys 2, buying it plus the expansion is a bigger commitment than grabbing a standalone synth plugin.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Instant 80s character without synthesis learning.	Requires EZkeys 2 (not standalone).
80 presets across cohesive, well-organized categories.	Preset-based only—no oscillator synthesis.
Each preset has unique, usable customization options.	Parameter depth varies wildly per preset.
Included MIDI library accelerates composition.	Limited to commercial music genres.
Time + Space global control is intuitive and effective.	Slower loading times reported on some systems.
Warm, modern take on 80s tones (not campy).	Not designed for experimental sound design.
Fits tight songwriting workflows perfectly.	Would frustrate synth-focused producers.
Affordable entry if you own EZkeys 2.	Texture blending limited compared to true synths.

FAQs

Verdict

Time Machine EKX delivers 80 presets inspired by 1980s synthesizer architecture, organized into Keys, Lead & Bass, Plucks & Bells, and Pads, with preset-specific parameters (filters, effects, texture blending) and global Time + Space delay/reverb control. MIDI library included. Requires EZkeys 2.1.4+. €89. Purpose-built for pop, synthwave, new wave, ambient, and electronic producers prioritizing songwriting workflow and instant 80s character over synthesis depth. Strong for commercial composition; limited for experimental sound design.