Question about Emu 1820

B

bilmo

New member
Hi All. I have been doing some Guitar and bass tracks for a friend who has a home studio using Sonar 3.

Originally, I was going to get $30.00 per song for 26 demos. Better than nuthin....

Today he proposed a trade deal intead of cash. He has some stuff, soundcards, HD's etc.... that he is going to trade to a friend for a P4 2.4gig PC and an Emu 1820.

I'm supposed to get the PC and the Emu. I asked the guy if it was an Emu 1820 or an 1820m. He said he wasn't sure.

What's the difference between an 1820 and an 1820m?

Also: the PC has a SB16. my friend said It didn't matter, as ya don't need a sound card with an Emu. Apparently it uses firewire to interface with the computer without need for a sound card.

I don't know if any of that is accurate. Don't know an Emu1820 from an 1820m......and am wondering if it is a great deal for me.

Thanks for any feedback about this and about 1820's in general. What is the main differences? Thanks so much!

Bill
 
Seems to me the only difference between the two is that the 1820M has the sync card that gives you word clock, SMPTE, and MTC.

Your friend is right when saying that you'd have no need for the SB for audio purposes. The Emu specs are listed here:
http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?maincategory=754&category=754&product=2210
You'll note that you get a lot of I/O.

The 1820 goes for $400, and the 1820M goes for about $500. Only you can determine if this is a good deal for you. Can't say much about what the PC is worth, but at least now you have a yardstick to determine how much the 1820 is worth to you.
 
Thankyou

fraserhutch said:
Seems to me the only difference between the two is that the 1820M has the sync card that gives you word clock, SMPTE, and MTC.

Your friend is right when saying that you'd have no need for the SB for audio purposes. The Emu specs are listed here:
http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?maincategory=754&category=754&product=2210
You'll note that you get a lot of I/O.

The 1820 goes for $400, and the 1820M goes for about $500. Only you can determine if this is a good deal for you. Can't say much about what the PC is worth, but at least now you have a yardstick to determine how much the 1820 is worth to you.
Click to expand...

word clock, SMPTEE, and MTC.......

I don't know what any of that stuff is. Instinct tells me it pertains to MIDI.
I am not a MIDI guy. Nothing against MIDI. It' just been easier for me to use real time audio. And I'm old (48) so I think I'll stick with audio files. They make more sense to me :)

Thankyou for your response.

Yes. I have to determine whether the 'tradeout' is a good deal, or not.

The PC will include Windows XP and Sonar3. That's worth some money, but I don't know if it's Legal or Not.

'Legal' or otherwise not withstanding......I'm more concerned whether or not it's ethical.

Thanks fraser!

Bill
 
Well, word clock is for audio only, and is not midi - it is a means to sync up audio devices. If you have more than one device that deals with digital audio, it is a must to have a something like a word clock to sync them to.

SMPTE -is a means to synchronize audio and midi to video and soundtracks, etc. It is video specific in that as best I recall it deals with frames.

MTC = Midi Time Code. This is a way to synchronize two sequencers. Also used as a bridge to SMPTE codes.

Of these three, the word clock may be the most important for you.

FWIW, if the Software is not legal, it is not ethical, in my books :)

Hope this helps.
 
Greetings Fraserhutch

fraserhutch said:
Well, word clock is for audio only, and is not midi - it is a means to sync up audio devices. If you have more than one device that deals with digital audio, it is a must to have a something like a word clock to sync them to.

SMPTE -is a means to synchronize audio and midi to video and soundtracks, etc. It is video specific in that as best I recall it deals with frames.

MTC = Midi Time Code. This is a way to synchronize two sequencers. Also used as a bridge to SMPTE codes.

Of these three, the word clock may be the most important for you.

FWIW, if the Software is not legal, it is not ethical, in my books :)

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
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<<word clock is for audio only, and is not midi - it is a means to sync up audio devices. If you have more than one device that deals with digital audio, it is a must to have a something like a word clock to sync them to>>

Thanks for that info. My concept is to be as simple as modern technology allows.

By that, I mean that I will take the demos home in a bunfile (assuming that I accept the trade over American currency which I was hoping for)

LOAD said bunfiles (approximately 6 songs per CD) onto my new PC......and re-play virtually everything on every demo song in real time audio. Except the vocal track(s) which were done by a guy from Nashville. Not a 'BIGWIG' in Nashville, but a very competent vocalist.

It's a cheezy operation. The only thing remaining from the current demos will be the vocalist, and me. drums/bass/keys/electric/acoustic guitars etc....

I am hoping and perhaps deluding myself that the Sonar Software for ME is ethical because I am working directly with the songwriters.

There may or may NOT be some clause about people working together on a project that makes it ok to share the recording software.

If not, my own ethics will prevent the deal from happnin.

I'm not that 'UP' on what's kosher and what aint. What are your thoughts?

I have your first opinion right here.noted, btw...and thanks!... is it technically less reptilian if I am using the software in connection with and soley FOR the guys with the songs who need some tracks to make it sound more authentic?
 
I personally use a non-M and think it's quite good, though the M is slightly better.

It's easy to tell if you have an M or non-M, because the box will say "1820m" or "1820"

Also, the E-mus are definitely not firewire. They use their own PCI card.

Also, there's a lot of uncertainty about E-mu driver quality. Certainly not on the level of guys like RME and E-mu in terms of pure quality and stability (although I've personally had no problems, and definitely not on the leve of other sound card manufacturers in terms of features (no GSI, multi-card, poor WDM, no data digital pass through)
 
Not Firewire?

Sklathill said:
I personally use a non-M and think it's quite good, though the M is slightly better.

It's easy to tell if you have an M or non-M, because the box will say "1820m" or "1820"

Also, the E-mus are definitely not firewire. They use their own PCI card.

Also, there's a lot of uncertainty about E-mu driver quality. Certainly not on the level of guys like RME and E-mu in terms of pure quality and stability (although I've personally had no problems, and definitely not on the leve of other sound card manufacturers in terms of features (no GSI, multi-card, poor WDM, no data digital pass through)
Click to expand...

Hi. it turns out it is an1820m. The guy told me it was Firewire. if it's not firewire, what is it? and was fraser right about not needing a soundcard?

thanks!

Bill
 
bilmo said:
Hi. it turns out it is an1820m. The guy told me it was Firewire. if it's not firewire, what is it? and was fraser right about not needing a soundcard?

thanks!

Bill
Click to expand...

Actually, I wasn't going to nitpick, but it is cat5, not firewire.

The Emu *is* a sound card in and of itself, at a much higher quality than SB consumer lever cards. It will produce higher quality sound than a SB.
 
I'm confused now.........

Sklathill said:
I personally use a non-M and think it's quite good, though the M is slightly better.

It's easy to tell if you have an M or non-M, because the box will say "1820m" or "1820"

Also, the E-mus are definitely not firewire. They use their own PCI card.

Also, there's a lot of uncertainty about E-mu driver quality. Certainly not on the level of guys like RME and E-mu in terms of pure quality and stability (although I've personally had no problems, and definitely not on the leve of other sound card manufacturers in terms of features (no GSI, multi-card, poor WDM, no data digital pass through)
Click to expand...

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--EMU1820M

that link to zzounds and the info about the 1820m says it is a firewire interface. maybe you have that option if you want. I have no Idea. the photo shows the pci cards as if they are included in the deal, so I'm confused.....
 
It is a PCI sound card with a breakout box. However, it includes a firewire interface on the PCI card.

The soundcard itself is not using firewire. it just provides a firewire controller and port for other things that do.

Trust me on this. I own one. :)
 
Sklathill said:
It is a PCI sound card with a breakout box. However, it includes a firewire interface on the PCI card.

The soundcard itself is not using firewire. it just provides a firewire controller and port for other things that do.

Trust me on this. I own one. :)
Click to expand...

As do I, and it is as I said - the interface between the 1820M breakout box and the 1212 PCI card is cat5. There is a IEE 1394 (firewire) interface included on box.
 
cat5??

fraserhutch said:
As do I, and it is as I said - the interface between the 1820M breakout box and the 1212 PCI card is cat5. There is a IEE 1394 (firewire) interface included on box.
Click to expand...

I've never heard of that. Like it makes a difference right? I just wanna know which gazinta's and gazowta's I plug my cords into and commence to jammin!

Do you use the firewire interface?
 
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the 1820m and the 1212m use the same A/D converters used in Digidesign®'s flagship ProTools® HD 192 I/O interface

the 1820 doesn't
 
Sounds Good!!

slvicick said:
the 1820m and the 1212m use the same A/D converters used in Digidesign®'s flagship ProTools® HD 192 I/O interface

the 1820 doesn't
Click to expand...

I have a meeting with these 2 guys, songwriters who make up rough demos on sonar3 using band in a box, of all things.

so, I basically am commiting to re-doing all the music tracks including drums.

if they hook me up with a nice PC with plenty of horsepower and the emu 1820m, AND the software........i can do all this stuff at my own house in my own time and save gas.

both fellas marty and don, are members of the Arizona songwriters association. and hobnob with as many mucky mucks as possible. not a whole bunch in phoenix really.

but it's possible i can get a rep as a decent studio player, which I am. and get the heck out of the live gigs for awhile. we'll see..............

I may apply for food stamps next week instead :)

thanks for your feedback!

Bill
 
bilmo said:
I've never heard of that. Like it makes a difference right? I just wanna know which gazinta's and gazowta's I plug my cords into and commence to jammin!

Do you use the firewire interface?
Click to expand...

Yes, I do, for removable peripherals.

Alright, here is the lowdown:

The 1212 is a PCI card - it sits in a pci slot in your computer.
The 1820m is a breakout box that is connected to the 1212 with a cat5 cable (a special shielded one).
There is a sync daughter card card as well.
Between the 1212, sync, and 1820m, there are a number of connections, some of which will be important for you, and some less so. You've already indicated that the sync functionality (MTC, SMPTE, and word clock) will not be of interest for you. It is for me, and may be for you in the future. The firewire connection may or may not be of interest to you, where it is for me.

The 1820 and 1212 provide the basic audio I/O - mic preamps, line inputs, and midi I/O. Here is one review:
http://www.samplecraze.com/audio-tutorials/emu1820m.htm

If you have a device, for example, a firewire disk drive, you can connect it to your computer through this firewire connection. A lot of motherboards provide firewire connections, as do some consumer grade soundcards. Obviously, you can also buy a firewire card. It is, after all, just a connection into your pc.

Good luck with your project, and remeber us when you hit the big time :)
 
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