All user reviews of 2/5 for the M-Audio Firewire 410

I chose it for its FireWire interface, to allow me to do sound processing for live radio (intensive use of ASIO) on an Athlon 64 3200 + with 1 GB of RAM and Windows XP Pro.

I needed to replace my old SB Audigy Platinum, which however is well dbrouille ASIO (I go down 7 ms) and allows to use all the I / O (rack + card with outputs 5 + 1)

L I end up with an audio interface "semi-pro" with 4 inputs (which in fact only two analog mono) + 10 outputs (which makes 8 analog mono). It's expensive pay when you consider that the general public on the cards, the analog outputs are gnralement the number of 6 (5.1) see 8 (7.1) as long as these cards Grente the ASIO, they are all used separately.

From the point of view esththique is quite pretty. The blue LED "power" gives a nice effect at all, pity she is so exploded ... do not place the box in his field of vision may be just dazzles with this really bright LED ...

UTILIZATION

Installation was plutt well. It's pretty simple: in particular, install the driver first, restart the box and plug the Firewire port THEN.

GETTING STARTED

It was that the plot thickens.
In use, I find that my PC loses a lot in performance! Probably to the intensive use of Firewire port .... I think nothing beats the time today, a PCI interface.
I manage to get 8 ms latency but with more cuts than my SB Audigy and a PC slowed sharply!

Also I wanted to record in a software sound coming out of another. And although there is apparently no way with these cards! Besides physically connecting an output of the card from one, simply no way to record internally what comes out of the map.
With my SB Audigy, I need only select between the "wave" and it allows me to resume its use in other applications of a fawn extremely simple and effective.

Against the driver is pretty much done with a mix of good and virtual routing capabilities that allow you to route hardware inputs and virtual outputs (used as output in the ASIO software) to any hardware output. This does not serve me much, but for other uses, may s'avrer very practical.

Oh yeah: do not try to connect anything between the SPDIF when the card is in use, a plant will do! Not very practical when you have to express several connections when using software.
I also found some shortcomings with the optical SPDIF between. I had several problem of synchronization.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 days. I admit that it was an impulse buy, and I did not realize how only 2 analog inputs, may be disabling. Prfr I have only 4 analog outputs, but two more entries!

On the other hand, I just made the exprience of a hardware audio Firewire port. I do not think this choice again because I have the distinct impression that the CPU is heavily sollicit + with a PCI interface.

Aside from the cumbersome interface, the functions of routing it offers I do not use much. (Router inputs to any output, have an auxiliary bus directly into the mixer of the card ...) It all can be done directly in a good squenceur ASIO compatible audio. So I do not see the intrt .. Prfr I see one or more of the "virtual" on which we can route any output virtual dub for a walk in between in-house without having to physically connect an output between a cable with a!

So I will certainly Sparer me to buy a card with PCI interface external box and with more of them.
For the price (I paid 350) I find that the performance is not good. But again, I think it's the Firewire interface that wants a. In addition, only two mono analog inputs are not enough.

What motivated my choice: A Quality Sound, 8 analog outputs (for live electronic music), double headphone.

Usage: Home Studio, Live act.

UTILIZATION

Quick installation, but the firewire connection as I advise you to read the instructions carefully so as not to burn the FW port.

GETTING STARTED

Shame!

M-Audio hardware is the good quality but the drivers do not follow.

Example difiant with Firewire 410: We are almost in 2008 and the drivers are not vista that the Beta version so that the system is available for technical teams + a year.
Rsultat: Many bugs are Submitted audios, especially with software like Ableton Live.

Apparently the Firewire 410 is far from being a priority at M-Audio.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years.

Most: A Quality audio, Pr-amp correct in that price range, Double headphone.
The -: Drivers mdiocres, rarely updated by M-Audio.

The quality-price ratio could be excellent if the drivers for the Firewire 410 taient meet the requirements of software operation, or M-Audio does not seem it proccuper.

With the exprience I will not repeat that choice and direct me to other solutions, especially to another brand that shows a more professional about the rigorous monitoring of these products because M-Audio is far behind ct of re l.