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Echo Gina 3G PCI Audio Interface

Gina3G is the third generation of our budget priced, professional quality digital audio recorder. The original Gina premiered seven years ago to critical acclaim and since then we've been perfecting the art of making high quality recording products at affordable prices. The new Gina3G brings you the best features of Gina24, but with better converters, dual mic preamps, and MIDI!! Learn More...

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Overall User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10

Individual User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10

Feature:
PCI card and cable. Software CD. Nothing else required.

Quality:
Some static coming from volume knob. but I set this to play at the same level and adjust in software and at the preamp.

Value:
Got it for $275 the first year it came out.

Desirability:
The power output knob is too close the headphones input, making it difficult to adjust with average fingers. If not for that, a 10.

Sound:
I'm into high-end audio, but only own a mid-fi system. I can compare the audio quality for two-channel for the same source music (HDCD, music DVD, etc) and cannot tell the difference. I use an Arcam Alpha9 HDCD source thorugh a Creek passive preamp (Gina plugs in here, too), via Transparent Audio 'Wave 100' speaker cables to Boston Acoustics T930 full range speakers. Now, with the Gina, I'm just as likely to pop in the CD/DVD into my PC and let that be the source! I use Guitar Rig III on this PC thru the Gina and WOW --- so many amps, so little latency (any at all?), and such great sound. It all just works and sounds awesome. I also record through it - Ibanez RG321 with DiMarzio '59s, SHure SM58 mic. Have not used the 5.1, but look forward to doing home theater through it!!

Ease of Use:
I don't recall any difficulty. Helps to read the manual, and revisit the WIndows and Echo consoles a few times if using with Tracktion, for example.

Support:
RMA'd the product for poor phantom power, and later realized it wasn't the issue. At any rate, they did it quick and shipped it back to me in good time.

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Overall:
* * * . . . . . . . 3 out of 10
Features:
* * * . . . . . . . 3 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * . . . . . . . . 2 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Support:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10

Feature:
nothing special, I don't use pure wave, if you don't use digital ins and outs it has basic features, other cards for example Maudio 410 is much better with features and routing capabilities, but this one has better preamps. Also it didn't come with the Tracktion CD, but who needs Traktion 1 if there is Traktion 3!

Quality:
box and cables look quiet solid

Value:
with the problems I have id doesn't worth it. price is pretty high.

Sound:
it has constant hiss through the rare connectors, headphones are dead quiet, its very annoying and is different to tell if its card or incoming signal hiss while recording, very annoying. but anyway the sound is nice. Preamps are very good and have good gain, even through hiss you can notice the quality of preamps, I use them for guitar direct recording and they do fine job, no noise or something.

Ease of Use:
not the easiest thing on the world, needs some experience to figure out how the console software works. ASIO doesn't work with WDM, it means that you cannot play guitar through Amplitube and listen to media player at the same time, or use Cubase and media player or even internet explorer if you already entered for example youtube dot com or something. It always reboots my computer when I answer Skype call. Sometimes when playing Quake4 the sound stops and then I can not shut down my computer. Sometimes I get dropouts and strange behavior while recording. After a week of usage media player 11 stopped working, there is no audio coming out of it, I can playback only via Media Player Classic. I pared this card with Core2Duo, Intel G965RY motherboard which according to Echo website should work without any problem, but this card gave me only problems.

Support:
i emailed support twice about my problems but still no answer, very bad!

Overall:
overall i needed stability and performance, this card gave me neither. I wouldn't buy it. I did everything to fix problems but they remain. My friend has older version of this card and it works great, don't know what's wrong with this one. Before I bought this one I searched every forum and review about this card, tried Maudio 410 for a while and decided to go for this one for its stability and performance (as others say), it was very stupid deal :(

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
love the breakoutbox, came with software, never used it. i use reason 3.0 along with recycle and adobe audition and it works flawlessly.

Quality:
built like a beast.

Value:
excellent value.

Desirability:
the gina is so sexy. my first true love.

Sound:
beautiful converters, good preamps.

Ease of Use:
if you know how to install a PCI card and connect wires, then its a breeze.

Support:
had a few questions, easy to reach, very helpful.

Overall:
i will use this product until it wears out. (if it ever does) and if it does, i will most likely purchase another one just like it, possibly in the future i will purchase an upgrade if Echo makes one.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
The accessories were the basic assembly of the equipment and it came with Traction 1. Only gripe is that it didnt come with more programs / plugins. Also Traction 1 you have to e-mail the company in order to get the activation code.

Quality:
Very nice metal case for the breakout box. Cable to computer is very strong not very flismy and the LEDs and everything works properly. Only thing wrong is Im scared when I get rough with it because the knobs look like they will pop off.

Value:
Very good price for its money.

Desirability:
Its metal and silver, cold as ice.

Sound:
Great ananlog to digital/digital to audio converters. Sound has lots of headroom to work with and is crisp and clear. Still working with it and experimenting with microphone positions but hasn't failed to do its job. Preamps also work like a charm and have no humming like other interfaces face.

Ease of Use:
Took me all 20 minutes to hook up. Unplug computer put card, put drivers, reconnect blah blah easy peezy lemon squeezy.

Support:
Great Product = Good Support havent had to contact them yet.

Overall:
Very good interface, a bunch of I/O's. Could've used more things, samples and maybe something else in it.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10

Feature:
Midi, ADAT, mic pres and 6 line outs... what more do you want for this price?

Quality:
Works as promised. Sound is good, no problems with the pres or converters.

Value:
Not much hight qualiity sound cards with this feature set at this price, so this is a great deal.

Desirability:
It looks cool and it's compact.

Sound:
Sounds clean and clear

Support:
haven't used them. But drivers are easy to obtain from the website.

Overall:
This has bene used to replace 828 mk2 that just is too easy to break (firewire ports), so a PCI solution was the only choice. Definitely sounds as good if not a little cleaner, but half the cost and we didn't need so many inputs and outputs anyway, just a reliable sound card that can get the job done. The midi is a nice addition, as it saves another midi device.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10

Feature:
Nice internal mic preamps, phantom power, headphones and powered off the PCI bus. Cable clutter is now minimal.

Quality:
Very well made. Sturdy metal case. Heavy, shielded cable. Trim and headphone pots feel heavy duty.

Value:
A tad pricy for my tastes but it's offset by the features and sound.

Sound:
Very clean sound with lots of headroom on input. I was using a 20-bit Layla and it definitely sounds better. Cleaner and hotter.

Support:
Excellent staff at Echo.

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