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vanpet
Published on 01/31/09 at 08:51
I had a Tascam US-122L, 2 / O via USB, which made me proud to begin service in my home studio. I was happy, but my arsenal of equipment forced me to choose an external sound card with more inputs and outputs.
I have a limited budget (and yes, we do not win that much in education!) So I eliminated the statutory and other MOTU RME. Unfortunately, in a lower price range (+ € -300), the offer is not so enticing.
I turn therefore to the second hand market on eBay, and I came across this i88x to € 300. Well, let's be crazy, the preamps are reputable, so I rush and I bought it. In use, the characteristics of the maps are quite impressive: ADAT, SPDIF, 2inserts, 2 preamp (one for my Hi-Z guitar, cool!), And 8 inputs / outputs. Direct monitoring by input pair is practical, useful are the knob on the front, on my rack is convenient. And then the i88x is solid and pretty to look at, it does not hurt.
Downside: no separate management between phone and master output. So, it is necessary to record manually turn off the speakers! Very sucks! I'll have to buy a controller monitoring style Nano Patch for it.
UTILIZATION
The installation was laborious.
1) have the right card FireWire: a week of waiting to receive it by mail (ordered from LDLC)
2) download new drivers
3) install the new drivers: note that it does not work!
4) uninstall the drivers: crash the computer, not to re-install over it, or uninstall the old => format C: / and loss of important data (well, that's me, I forgot one folder on my desktop ...)
5) examine a few forums to see the usual problems: the trail of a CPU that automatically slow down to save energy (SpeedStep system) seems plausible. I change the settings accordingly.
6) Reinstall the whole redémarage and, oh, miracle: it works!
The manual is pretty pathetic, because there is a separate manual for MLAN and the i88x, always refer to two places at once, it's pretty annoying. Internet forums are better made!
GETTING STARTED
The drivers are not the best program in the world: the patchbay is clear like water gutter, the autoconnect know a lot of bugs, the system auto-On (which is supposed to activate the sound card automatically at boot) never holds a good status and forced to activate the card manually (in 2 clicks, but still), etc..
That said the sound system seems stable for now (after one day of use) quite stable. So I will not complain too much. Note that the WDM system for sound in windows work properly and without "pop" when switching from ASIO to WDM. I am relieved at this level.
Too bad Yamaha seems to have more or less left the system MLAN in his corner, with updates erratic and not always very well done ...
Note that I use the i88x Reaper with the software, and give an alias to each input / output is really handy! I agree!
Like I said, the implementation is a headache, but from the time it works, the slightest glitch! Low latency (2ms possible to reach, but I had a few stalls, more comfortable with 6 ms) with currently 4 simultaneous inputs.
The undoubted highlight of the card in one word: PREAMP! The two preamps are really in front of a superior quality, and € 300, I can do without a blush to the Fireface and other MIDI Motu! It's nice!
OVERALL OPINION
I put 7 / 10 to i88x because it is paradoxical with enormous strengths (preamps, ADAT, etc.). Commits blunders unlikely (headphone, drivers, installation chaotic) that scream "scam". I almost drop it, mad with despair and rage against Yamaha.
But I can confirm that the i88x is far from a scam and is 300 €, it is rather the opposite: I'm pretty sure it costs more out of the factory!
That said, in the future, I will avoid any system MLAN carefully, because despite everything, it seems too risky technology with a service does not exist, a random documentation, and that requires a precise configuration. It is therefore not ideal for the nomadic (an inconceivable to live with, for example).
I think we will retain the i88x as a dismal failure at Yamaha, because what was to be their best sound card that have been complaints and tears. I seem to be part of the "happy few" who take advantage of this cheap tumble half justified.
I have a limited budget (and yes, we do not win that much in education!) So I eliminated the statutory and other MOTU RME. Unfortunately, in a lower price range (+ € -300), the offer is not so enticing.
I turn therefore to the second hand market on eBay, and I came across this i88x to € 300. Well, let's be crazy, the preamps are reputable, so I rush and I bought it. In use, the characteristics of the maps are quite impressive: ADAT, SPDIF, 2inserts, 2 preamp (one for my Hi-Z guitar, cool!), And 8 inputs / outputs. Direct monitoring by input pair is practical, useful are the knob on the front, on my rack is convenient. And then the i88x is solid and pretty to look at, it does not hurt.
Downside: no separate management between phone and master output. So, it is necessary to record manually turn off the speakers! Very sucks! I'll have to buy a controller monitoring style Nano Patch for it.
UTILIZATION
The installation was laborious.
1) have the right card FireWire: a week of waiting to receive it by mail (ordered from LDLC)
2) download new drivers
3) install the new drivers: note that it does not work!
4) uninstall the drivers: crash the computer, not to re-install over it, or uninstall the old => format C: / and loss of important data (well, that's me, I forgot one folder on my desktop ...)
5) examine a few forums to see the usual problems: the trail of a CPU that automatically slow down to save energy (SpeedStep system) seems plausible. I change the settings accordingly.
6) Reinstall the whole redémarage and, oh, miracle: it works!
The manual is pretty pathetic, because there is a separate manual for MLAN and the i88x, always refer to two places at once, it's pretty annoying. Internet forums are better made!
GETTING STARTED
The drivers are not the best program in the world: the patchbay is clear like water gutter, the autoconnect know a lot of bugs, the system auto-On (which is supposed to activate the sound card automatically at boot) never holds a good status and forced to activate the card manually (in 2 clicks, but still), etc..
That said the sound system seems stable for now (after one day of use) quite stable. So I will not complain too much. Note that the WDM system for sound in windows work properly and without "pop" when switching from ASIO to WDM. I am relieved at this level.
Too bad Yamaha seems to have more or less left the system MLAN in his corner, with updates erratic and not always very well done ...
Note that I use the i88x Reaper with the software, and give an alias to each input / output is really handy! I agree!
Like I said, the implementation is a headache, but from the time it works, the slightest glitch! Low latency (2ms possible to reach, but I had a few stalls, more comfortable with 6 ms) with currently 4 simultaneous inputs.
The undoubted highlight of the card in one word: PREAMP! The two preamps are really in front of a superior quality, and € 300, I can do without a blush to the Fireface and other MIDI Motu! It's nice!
OVERALL OPINION
I put 7 / 10 to i88x because it is paradoxical with enormous strengths (preamps, ADAT, etc.). Commits blunders unlikely (headphone, drivers, installation chaotic) that scream "scam". I almost drop it, mad with despair and rage against Yamaha.
But I can confirm that the i88x is far from a scam and is 300 €, it is rather the opposite: I'm pretty sure it costs more out of the factory!
That said, in the future, I will avoid any system MLAN carefully, because despite everything, it seems too risky technology with a service does not exist, a random documentation, and that requires a precise configuration. It is therefore not ideal for the nomadic (an inconceivable to live with, for example).
I think we will retain the i88x as a dismal failure at Yamaha, because what was to be their best sound card that have been complaints and tears. I seem to be part of the "happy few" who take advantage of this cheap tumble half justified.