Lexicon Core2 for $199

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ninja

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Am considering the Core2 for my DA sound card. Any feedback from knowledgeable folkses? How does it compare with the Delta 44 for the same price(the Core2 has S/PDIF in/out apparently), etc? Is it worth doubling my investment for an Aardvark Direct Pro LX6 or Frontier Design Dakota, I mean, would I really be getting twice the value? Just starting out.
 
I've read of a few problems with the Core 2, not sure if they were ever resolved or not. May be why they are blowing them out at $199 though.

With the AMD or VIA chipsets you may be better off with the delta products. Not sure if the Aardvark cards work on the AMD/VIA chipset. Email them.
 
Hi ! Just want to ask for an advice and opinion regarding what's your choice if your going to have this option. 1. Going to buy a Mackie VLZ 12 pro and Layla 20 soundcard or just rather buy a stand alone digital/ analog recorder such as Yamaha M8 or Tascam 4 track cassette recorder MK III i guess.

I do have my set-up already i just want to add some machine for my home recording.

My set up:

Fostex FD8
Pentium III 800 256MB ram
SOYO with Via chipset
Darla 24 soundcard

Any reply will be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Choy
 
Interesting input, but nobody mentioned that if he's really stuck on buying the Lexicon Core 2, then Guitar Center has the package for $179.99 during March.

Twenty bucks is twenty bucks.
 
choy,

Take 2 steps back from the monitor, extend your right arm and slap yourself silly, for even considering a standalone unit when you have a more than adequate pc.

I would go with the Layla automatically, and the Mackie has some pretty decent preamps or so I hear.
 
I have a Core 2 card and it is fine for what I do.
What it WON'T do: lots of multichannel simultaneous recording. I record acoustic music on Cool Edit Pro and we track one instrument at a time to allow the maximum amount of noise reduction etc on each track. The only problem I have had was that once I had to reinstall the drivers. That never happens with other stuff, right?
I bought it because there was a 2-3 month waiting list for Darla & Gina cards -- but since I was just starting out I didn't need a card that was smarter than I am anyway. Lexicon has given me prompt and useful support. The Core 2 is not a 'bells & whistles' card, either, which was another plus for me. 'Bells & whistles' soon become 'why won't this damn thing boot up?'
J
 
I too have the Core 2, but since Lexicon has decided to discontinue it, I wouldn't recommend getting it. I'm about to get a Layla soon too.
 
I would be very wary of the Core 2, on the surface it is a great sounding deal, but 2 of my friend had major problems with them and returned them. I dont know why anyone would want a Layla, it is over priced and there are better priced and better sounding soundcards available....
 
ET, what do you mean by "major problems"? That's kind of a general statement. Specify what you're talking about. I'm not a rooter for Lexicon, but my Core 2 works fine and they are available for a couple of bills, much less than the competition. There are so many issues that arise not from the quality of the hardware but from the ability of the user to learn how to use it (I know: I own several Olympic medals in Slow Learning) that a blanket statement isn't very useful
Please expand -- I'd like to hear about this.
John
 
If the Core2 is being discontinued, then the chances of it having WDM drivers developed for it are nil... so think about it before buying one.
 
Thanks everyone, but since I e-mailed Lexicon to find out if the Core2 was compatible with my Athlon system and they took nearly a week to write back, I went ahead and bought an Aardvark 24/96. After some problems getting it up and running (which I'm still not sure what was wrong), it's worked out well for me. Since it has mic pres and phantom power and comes bundled with Cakewalk 9, I can even put off getting a mixer for a little while at least until my needs (and hopefully abilities) increase. This'll give me more time to recover from the five bills it set me back. A close friend convinced me to go the extra bucks and get a card I'll grow into instead of one I'll need to replace in a year. Anyway, another factor in my decision was the fact that at Mars Music, where I bought the Aardvark, the guy in the audio department told me that the Core2 they had on the shelf had been sold 4 or 5 times. He claimed it crashes systems for breakfast, although I see there are some Core2 users out there who have had better luck. Still, that was enough for me.
 
Ninja, speaking as a satisfied user of Core 2 I still think you made the right choice. I have been researching this whole question and I have concluded that what a newbie like me needs may be different from someone who wants to grow into it, in your felicitous phrase, needs.
Of course, none of us would base our judgement on what a commissioned salesman said ;). Still, the Aardvark looks superior in a lot of ways but is also more expensive than the Core 2.
Lexicon offers an Athlon compliant download, by the way.
I kind of suspect that the whole question is similar to the "my Chevy 6 will beat your Ford flathead" debate that I heard in my junior high years, but even so if some recorders are able to score a Core 2 for a low price I guess Darwin has been vindicated.
My playing/recording partner is going for the Aardvaark, and more power to him. But just because the Core 2 is not fashionable doesn't mean it's a bad card.
In fact, I think it sounds killer.
J
 
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