Released in 1984, the Emulator II (EII) was E-mu's second eight-bit sampler. It improved upon the original by using companding digital-to-analog converters and a 27.7 kHz sample rate, along with resonant analog filters. The EII offered enhanced real-time control, with pricing at US$7,995 for a regular model and $9,995 for the "plus" version. Though expensive, it was considered a value compared to the Fairlight CMI Series II, which cost $30,000 and it was one of the first widely used samplers in music production.

The Emulator II's distinctive sound came from its DPCM mu-255 companding and analog output stages featuring SSM2045 24 dB/oct low-pass resonant filters.

Several OEM and third-party libraries were developed, including orchestral sounds. Many samples were sourced from more expensive workstations, such as the Fairlight. Notable samples include the Shakuhachi flute used by Peter Gabriel and Enigma, and the Marcato Strings in the Pet Shop Boys' "West End Girls".

Notable musicians who used the Emulator II in the 1980s included Stevie Wonder, Depeche Mode, New Order, David Bowie, Vangelis, and Jean-Michel Jarre.

The device was also prominent in film scores, including Terminator 2: Judgment Day, several Michael Kamen films, and John Carpenter's 1980s movies. It even made a comedic appearance in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, where the character uses it to play illness-simulating sounds.