Emu 1820m in comparison to other soundcards of its price range?

[Dyce]

My first post! But anyays back to the question. How does the Emu 1820m compare upto such soundcards as the C-tech and other multi in/out soundcards of similar price range like the delta 1010?

Just looking for some opinions or experiences before I go out and buy it.

Cheers, Dyce.

 

[Sklathill]

In its price range, the E-mus offer the absolute best in terms of input output flexibility and quality converters. However, they're not terribly far ahead of others. (The Echo 3G cards are close in terms of pure IO , for example). Their drivers are nowhere near as good as those from Echo, M-Audio, ESI, etc. because they lack things like good WDM driver (essential if you use WDM only programs like COol Edit/Adobe Audition), digital audio stream pass through to surround decoders, multi-card usage (can't do it with E-mu, can do it with practically anyone else), gigasampler support...

it provides a lot of good, but you have to make some sacrifices...and if you think you need the stuff that's being sacrificed, move along. Simple as that...

 

[Dyce]

So are you saying it won't work period with Cool edit? As thats probably the main problem I'd have if I did buy it as alot of what I record and edit is through cool edit.

What would be decent alternative cards of the same price range with decent driver support?

 

[Sklathill]

It's not that it doesn't work period... E-mu's WDM drivers (which Cool Edit uses) only allow stereo in and out, while ASIO lets yuo use all ins and outs in combinations. The vast majority of sequencer software out there uses ASIO, and E-mu comes with Cubase, but if you're sticking with Cool Edit, don't get it.

Echo makes a fine 500 dollar card. Things like the Presonus Firepod and M-Audio firewire offerings are looking impressive. There are even lower-end RME boards in the 500 dollar range, and while their IO isn't as impressive as others (at that price point...a couple hundred dollars more and their IO is fantastic...), RME drivers are arguably the very best around.