For rookies, 1 problem with PCI cards

[junplugged]

having about 7 pre's, i don't mind not having one in a usb box

 

[Reilley]

You will have the gear to make some very good home recordings with either of those cards and the DMP3. From what I gather, the 1212M probably edges out sound wise but my tech service experiences with m-audio have been very good.

Yes.......... The 1212 gets a lot of serious positive reviews about its sound, but it also gets a few more complaints, but a lot of that is software related, from what I can tell. The choice isn't perfect, because I'm not very technical, but then, I'll be using most of the default settings and doing single tracks at one time. A number of folks say something like, "The Emu is a bit of a pain, but worht it."

Then there's the story about recent 1212s being sold off because some were made using lead in the manufacturing process, and the new ones NOT using lead, and I haven't been able to get much info on that story. Some shops were selling the older ones off at $100, and zzounds.com has stopped selling the 1212 altogether, which is a bit disconcerting.

 

[dgatwood]

Then there's the story about recent 1212s being sold off because some were made using lead in the manufacturing process, and the new ones NOT using lead, and I haven't been able to get much info on that story. Some shops were selling the older ones off at $100, and zzounds.com has stopped selling the 1212 altogether, which is a bit disconcerting.

A lot of manufacturers are doing (mostly silent) revs for ROHS compliance (e.g. switching to lead-free solder). That's pretty much a "you do this or you can't sell your product in Europe" situation. If they're discounting the old ones, though, that suggests that they're probably doing some sort of feature rev while they're at it.

Oh, yeah, and they're probably also getting desperate because California (SB 20) adopted a subset of Europe's ROHS directive as law. If SB 20 applies to these products, they won't be able to sell them to about 11% of the U.S. population after January 1st, either. If they have a lot of stock in those products, they might have to rather rapidly dispose of non-compliant products this year.

 

[Reilley]

Oh is THAT what's going? Thanks. Is lead solder a problem?? Does the solder heat up when the device is operating normally?

 

[Reilley]

If they're discounting the old ones, though, that suggests that they're probably doing some sort of feature rev while they're at it.

That makes sense, but who knows?? Hmmmmm......

 

[Reilley]

Now hang on.... Wouldn't ALL interfaces/cards have soldering, and wouldn't most of it be lead??? I wonder why the 1212M got picked on.

 

[Reilley]

Hah!! The new one is called the 1212M V2, for version 2. I don't know what the updates/difference is/are.

 

[travelin travis]

lead free solder?

 

[Reilley]

"""lead free solder?"""

 

[crankypants]

Well, I'm not well informed on all the RoHS ins and outs, but I believe this all has something to do with recycling. Ultimately these regulations are designed to keep lead out of the landfills. There are different schedules for compliance depending on the class of the product.

I work in the plasma cutting industry. All of our portable units have to be lead-free fairly soon (maybe already, not sure), while our larger 'mechanized' products have until 2010 to comply. Not complying means not selling to the EU.


CP

 

[dgatwood]

Well, I'm not well informed on all the RoHS ins and outs, but I believe this all has something to do with recycling. Ultimately these regulations are designed to keep lead out of the landfills. There are different schedules for compliance depending on the class of the product.

Lead, mercury, and a few other heavy metals.... As far as California's version is concerned, they've just banned the heavy metals.

The European standard goes a lot farther, as I understand it, though I don't know precisely what else is involved. I seem to recall something about brominated flame retardants... maybe some cleansers that are used to remove solder flux during manufacturing as well.... At best, I've only half followed the various news posts on the subject....