Having started the afternoon with an Atari ST and the sequencer 24 Pro & After isis and 40 seconds of latency in cakewalk9, I started looking for a digital audio card allows me to use anything other than noon to finalize my models. Mostly sounds more "pro" (those plug-in) than my sound card and my old expanders (Korg & Yamaha, Korg Z1 Keyboard). So I was looking for the right compromise between noon and audio with maximum compatibility and stability for my config as I use for internet, office and ... some network games défoulatoires between failures of 2 record scratching.

I first started with a re-config around an AMD XP 2000 +, MSI K7N2 motherboard and nvidia chipset (without compatibility bp), with 1 GB of RAM for loading large samples. all with either a la luna evolution € 900 (I had a 19 inch and a nvidia video card).

The choice of the luna is imposed by the price (of OCCAZ € 300), critics of the forums (I hesitated with Hoontech but some users seem to have the hassle of compatibility).

UTILIZATION

Installation no problem: you have to say that my config is rather loaded: ADSL Modem Internal, SCSI card for the scanner and zip drive 250, the PCI IDE cables for my six additional hard drives (15 GB to 40 GB for a total 180-go), DVD player and recorder. With more tools embedded on the motherboard (NIC port USB2, Firewire, 5.1 sound card ...), a pretty short bazard, which forced me to re-installed XP 3 times and install each item one by 1. But no problems directly related to the card.

Particluièrement I was surprised by the quality and professionalism of the installation of softwares de la luna (the Scope platform). after download the latest versions (60 mo ... thank you for ADSL). I have not encountered incompatibility (I really freaked out yet!) on the other hand settings (the wiring soft & hard) are a bit complicated and I spent three days on the forum Audiofanzine (where j I bought the card for that matter) and that of MaoMusique.com.

Manual: what manual? (Yes, there is one but I find the manuals too alive ... long live the forums).

GETTING STARTED

The drivers know to be forgotten and that's the main thing. Basically it runs well on most applications that I made (even the games and videoconferencing). The interface software is one of the best that I have to see even if it beating down a lot of resources when loaded, it is better to have the ram in rab.

For updates: not too much interest, as it turns super Xp point bar and delivered versions are stable and well finished.

I went in the meantime in order to use Cubase VST plug-in and there's the shock:

My config + la luna and Dsp and I can not find my hardware limitations compos: sometimes I have 10 more running VST instruments, a sampler and a dozen sounds (some as the pianos are over 150 MB), the reverb, compressor, flanger, equalizer vst on the slopes or directly on the master with a 6ms latency and some audio recording and playback ... in short I do almost no limit except .... 24/96 in which the cracks begin to appear. I use very little once the DSP card since I have at the moment who does not need to reduce the processor.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for over 6 months now and I still find opportunities in this set (+ map + dsp platform Scope). without being limited to the level of creativity.

These points are: The quality of the converters, the build quality, sound, absence of latency, compatibility, its software, stability and price.

Weak points are: it must be said, the system of virtual wiring is flexible and powerful but a bit complicated at the beginning (long live the forums). the app is perfect, but the interface is a bit too heavy and eat a lot of resources for very little. plug-ins come with are not necessarily more convincing (notably the reverb).

In short the price / quality ratio is excellent and I see happen peacefully the next 3 years without major changes to my hardware config. I certainly will stay in CREAMWARE thereafter to the overall quality of service (serious offers, no gadget, soft drinks come with little accomplished and more bugs ...), family CREAMWARE users is very broad and rather nice ( forcing me into account . There is to me that the RME products that could possibly make me change my mind ... in 3 years we'll see ...