Two mic preamps. Inserts for outboard effects. DTS surround sound through coaxial S/PDIF.
56 People rated this product : 7 out of 10
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17 People wrote reviews |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 8 out of 10
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Feature:
Basically, it's a home recording studio in a box. Add a program like Ableton Live (a semi-functional version is included) and you are set for hours of DIY audio joy. You can't multitrack a whole band playing at once but you weren't planning to, were you?
The good stuff:
*The ability to mix your computer's output and the direct monitoring signal together in your headphones. Super-cool.
*Good, noise-free performance with the condenser mic.
*Phantom power direct from your computer.
*Inserts! Joy! Adds flexibility when recording - don't let your harware effects go to waste.
The bad stuff:
*Recording with a computer in the room means there's a bit of unwanted noise - not M-Audio's fault, but worth considering.
*No hope of getting more than four signals at once into the box at a time.
Quality:
a) The Neutrik XLR connectors look like they might snap off, so I'm planning to leave the mic cable plugged in all the time.
b) Using XP (SP2, Pent4, Asus m/board) the drivers are a bit buggy. It doesn't affect the device or any audio programs though, just the included config. software.
c)The headphone output and preamps all seem to produce very low signals. Not that annoying, but a problem that should have been fixed.
Value:
If you're a beginner this box will let you do some amazing things. It's not professional quality, but the sound is fine and the price is low.
Desirability:
Yeah, it looks sweet. Stick it on a laptop and go DJing.
Sound:
I'm not a pro and don't know good quality when I hear it, but if you're considering buying this you're probably the same. IMHO, it sounds fine, and will work for recording condenser mics, instruments, samplers, etc. and also for live PC based performance (DJing, samples, theatre sound and so on).
Ease of Use:
It pays to read the manual, and the manuals for your software.
Support:
There are driver updates, but they didn't fix my problem.
Overall:
This is a step on the way to having a proper studio. It's still DIY home-style, but it will give you a recording you can release on CD or play on the radio with confidence.
Submitted: 4/14/2006
Style of Music: electronica / folk / indie
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 9 out of 10
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zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us. |
Feature:
Two XLR inputs, to TRS inputs, insert ports, TRS, RCA, and S/PDIF outputs, a headphone port, phantom power, I would say this little box is fairly full-featured, especially considering the price range it is in.
Quality:
Despite being made of plastic, the product is hefty and feels solidly built. I would not worry too much if I dropped it. The only things that bug me are the small plastic switches for the A/B, pad, etc, and the iffy gain controls. Just one millimeter too far and whoa, watch out.
Value:
Given the amount of features offered, this is an excellent value.
Desirability:
The colorful design was somewhat attractive.
Sound:
The sound is clear and free from audible noise at low levels. However, at high gain levels, the noise floor begins to come up a little bit, especially if you're using it with equipment that already has a lot of intrinsic noise.
Ease of Use:
Honestly, I am not sure how so many other people managed to have so many problems. After installing the drivers and plugging the unit in, it worked perfectly. There were some recording errors at first, but increasing the latency eliminated them completely. I have been recording with Adobe Audition 3 without any further errors or hicups at all.
Support:
I haven't had to deal with support, because the product has worked almost perfectly. The information I needed to fix the aforementioned recording error was provided in the online manual.
Overall:
I expect this product to fulfill my recording needs for the foreseeable future.
Submitted: 9/19/2008
Style of Music: Classical
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1 of 1 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?
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"Thanks for clearing up my cable problem, now I know what TRS means!" - customer on November 13, 2008
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