time to upgrade

C

calidus

New member
Hi there guys!

I have an Echo Mia (2 analog and 2 digital i/o - s/pdif - no midi), running on a PIII 1,2 gh. Furthermore I use Cubase, lots of plugins and a couple of outboard units.
I have a gold channel, everything I record runs through it. I plan to get more quality pres and maybe a mixer.

Now, you really got to help me:

problem: I need say 4 i/o thus, even though I only record one thing at the time, I'd like to send things in and out again, f.ex. adding outboard reverb and compression to the recorded tracks.

So please advice me a soundcard that would grant higher sonic quality and more channels. Price tag: 300-500$

A couple of models that would fit the bills:

M-Audio Omni-Studio (would I need a mixer if I get this?)
RME: which one?
Aarkvard ?
EMU, new product line?

Heeelp! :-)
 
Last edited:
calidus said:
Hi there guys!

I have an Echo Mia (2 analog and 2 digital i/o - s/pdif - no midi), running on a PIII 1,2 gh. Furthermore I use Cubase, lots of plugins and a couple of outboard units.
I have a gold channel, everything I record runs through it. I plan to get more quality pres and maybe a mixer.

Now, you really got to help me:

problem: I need say 4 i/o thus, even though I only record one thing at the time, I'd like to send things in and out again, f.ex. adding reverb and compression to the recorded tracks.

So please advice me a soundcard that would grant higher sonic quality and more channels. Price tag: 300-500$

A couple of models that would fit the bills:

M-Audio Omni-Studio (would I need a mixer if I get this?)
RME: which one?
Aarkvard ?
EMU, new product line?

Heeelp! :-)
Click to expand...

M-Audio Omni-Studio: Just get the Delta 66 if you're getting better pre's anyway. You're paying for pre's you won't really use.

RME: I don't know enough about them, other than that they are highly regarded.

Aardvark: LX6, if as you say you will be getting better pre's.

EMU: Though promising, I would wait til more is known about their quality in every day use. There's a few brave souls here that have gotten them, but I personally would recommend waiting a bit.
 
Polaris20> Sure, I do need at least two more pres and/or a mixer. I like best keeping things separate vs. all-in-one solutions, so a two channels pre like the DMP3 or (if the money isn't tight) the RNP will be the next thing I buy.

I kind of discarded the Delta serie based upon the mixed reports on their control panels. As well I don't feel the Delta serie would represent a sonic upgrade on the Echo Mia.

Also worth to mention that buying used is an option: maybe an Echo Mona or a Digi 001?
 
calidus said:
Polaris20> Sure, I do need at least two more pres and/or a mixer. I like best keeping things separate vs. all-in-one solutions, so a two channels pre like the DMP3 or (if the money isn't tight) the RNP will be the next thing I buy.

I kind of discarded the Delta serie based upon the mixed reports on their control panels. As well I don't feel the Delta serie would represent a sonic upgrade on the Echo Mia.

Also worth to mention that buying used is an option: maybe an Echo Mona or a Digi 001?
Click to expand...

I'd be careful about buying a used piece, specifically something discontinued. You never know how the previous user handled the card.
 
Mia is excellent!

I think you should stay with Echo Mia, if you don't need
more than 4 I/O!

Why?

Because neither of your alternatives give you better
audio quality. Mia AD/DA converters are one of the best
available, at least in this price category !

Only RME 9652, Echo Audio Layla24 , Delta 1010 or
Lynx Two can give you little but not much better sound
quality!

Check thses measurements of Mia:
http://audio.rightmark.org/test/echo-mia.html

How beautiful frequency curve or what ?
http://audio.rightmark.org/test/mia/echo-mia-2496.html

If you want to use external harware reverb, then
just make connections through digital spdif I/O!

M-Audio Delta 44/66 is older cards and not as good as Mia,
althought Omnistudio has great preamps!

Then if you need more than 4 I/O and maybe with preamps,
can't say anything against Aardvark Q10, but is the sound quality
better than Mia, I doubt!

I have to admit that new Emu 1820 m looks very
attractive .
 
Mace2, thank you very much for the feedback.

Using the S/pdif i/o for the effect is a great idea.

I know that the Mia has impressive specs, that's why I bought it. But.... I feel like I need 4 ins and 4 out, as well as I'm intrigued by the idea of getting the converters out of the pc.


I'm looking at the Aardvark LX6, looks like a good upgrade path. The Emu 1820m though must kick some serious ass, if we believe that SNR is revealing about the quality of the converters, man...120db! Even the M-Audio 1010 has 114db of SNR....

I feel very tempted to get either of these two....but I want to make the right decision, so I'm still open to suggestions.
 
calidus said:
Mace2, thank you very much for the feedback.

Using the S/pdif i/o for the effect is a great idea.

I know that the Mia has impressive specs, that's why I bought it. But.... I feel like I need 4 ins and 4 out, as well as I'm intrigued by the idea of getting the converters out of the pc.


I'm looking at the Aardvark LX6, looks like a good upgrade path. The Emu 1820m though must kick some serious ass, if we believe that SNR is revealing about the quality of the converters, man...120db! Even the M-Audio 1010 has 114db of SNR....

I feel very tempted to get either of these two....but I want to make the right decision, so I'm still open to suggestions.
Click to expand...

Yes, Mia is good!
I just think you better forget idea
about Aardvark LX 6 and really consider this new Emu 1820 m,
It's toatally impressive and if you choose Emulator X package,
you get massive soft sampler too and tons of sounds!

The E-MU 1820M features: Mastering-grade 24-bit, 192kHz converters - the same A/D converters used in Digidesign®'s flagship ProTools® HD I/O Interface
Flexible connectivity with 18 audio inputs and 20 outputs, 32 channels of MIDI I/O, Word Clock, SMPTE and MTC sync, plus a FireWire® port for seamless integration with your entire studio
Two premium TFPro™ mic preamps with Mic/Line/Hi-Z inputs with 40db of gain/attenuation and 48V phantom power - plug guitars, keyboards and microphones straight into your system
E-DSP 32-bit Multi-effects Processor offers you over 16 simultaneous hardware-accelerated studio-grade effects with no CPU overhead - plug-in architecture allows you to add new effects as needed
32 Channels of zero latency Hardware Mixing/ Monitoring with super-flexible virtual patchbay - no external mixer needed
Full compatibility with most popular audio/sequencer applications with ultra-low latency WDM, DirectSound® and ASIO™ 2.0 Drivers
Powerful software studio package

I/O Configuration: Two TFPro Mic/Line/Hi-Z preamps (w/48V phantom power)
Six 1/4" Balanced Inputs
Eight 1/4" Balanced Outputs
Turntable input (w/ground lug and hardware RIAA preamp)
24-bit/192kHz ADAT In/Out (switchable to S/PDIF)
24-bit/96kHz coaxial S/PDIF In/Out (switchable to AES/EBU)
24-bit/96kHz optical S/PDIF Out (switchable to AES/EBU)
Two sets of MIDI In/Out
Four stereo 1/8" Speaker Outputs (configurable from stereo to 7.1)
Stereo Headphone Output
Firewire® Interface

Sync Configuration: Word Clock In/Out
SMPTE In/Out
MTC Out

E-DSP Hardware-accelerated Effects, Mixing and Monitoring: E-MU's Digital Audio Systems feature the powerful E-DSP chipset, which features a hardware-accelerated effects processor with over 20 effects plug-ins (over 500 presets). This effects architecture is fully expandable, allowing you to add more effect plug-ins to your system as needed. E-DSP also provides zero-latency, hardware-based mixing and monitoring via the included PatchMix DSP mixer, delivering unmatched flexibility in routing audio between all of your physical and virtual (ASIO/WDM) inputs and outputs- no external mixer needed.

http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?product=2211&category=754&maincategory=754

I might sell my Echo Mia and SW1000XG and get this new
card or this 12120m !!!
 
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