SEK'D Prodif Plus

Chosen as the central interface of my DAW setup for impeccable sound quality and connectivity complete: ADAT S / PDIF optical & electrical analog. The A / D and D / A really good trs trs. I have done business with master pieces.
Caution must, however, choose either analog + ADAT + SPDIF am analog, but it manages a single I / O digital at a time.

UTILIZATION

No problem getting it to work either under Windows2000 or XP for me (PIII550 / P3B-F and Athlon/A7N8X-E). The general config is simple, never any incompatibility.
The only concern I had c'tais to try to have a config with the same time the ADAT and SPDIF connect as having a clock numrique even unusable, for example on port ADAT sync automatically makes it. It is good if you have such a mix ADAT permanently connected, but not very practical if you want to juggle other stuff .. Is a distribution table clocks / sync is clear and well done, but he sometimes change their setup without warning, which is a bit heavy.
Manual & drivers www.marian.de day, no problem.

GETTING STARTED

The drivers are stable trs. Tests with virtually all the softs market: CubaseSX, Nuendo, Sonar, Logic, Reaktor, Wavelab, etc. .. SForge not the slightest concern.
Latency dpend type of processor load & the PCI bus, but I turned ASIO2 on CUbaseSX usually around 20ms, which is trs correct. In ADAT 8in 8OUT around 40ms I think, but it must be able to optimize itself ..

OVERALL OPINION

I used 3 years
When talking about Fred95 saturation is impossible, he probably made a bad manipulation or has forgotten to adjust the master volume of APRS squence be stacked plugs & tracks, but this card does not saturate absolutely not, I can guarantee you 100%: it is extremely reliable and transparent, it is worth sre.

ADAT internal sound card for PCI 1.0.

12 input - output total: 8 via ADAT, 2 via optical and coaxial digital and 2 analog via stereo jack 6.3.

My current configuration (March 2009):
PC DualCore Intel 3 GHz 3.5 GB RAM (4 GB but in fact the WXP uses only 3.5 GB) and I do not know how many GB hard drive total, all under Windows XP SP2. Main software used: Adobe Audition (formerly Cool Edit Pro) and Magix Samplitude (Ex-SEK'D Samplitude).

I use it as S / PDIF interface for my computer.

WARNING: This sound card does not have table synthesizer or integrated sound, not even input - MIDI output. It is therefore impossible to play midi files or to pass information with MIDI. This is a digital audio card only. I have to use a synthesizer (currently the excellent Yamaha QS300) or an external sound module via a MIDI interface (currently Motu FastLane USB) for that. But it is also possible to use a software synthesizer that contains the standard sounds such as the Edirol Virtual Sound Canvas sound for GM, GM2 and GS that can be downloaded free of charge or the excellent Yamaha XG S-SoftSynthesizer YXG50 for GM and XG sounds, which normally comes with all MIDI products from Yamaha.

UTILIZATION

Quick and easy installation without any problems, ultra-stable and instructions multilungue easy to understand.

GETTING STARTED

The 12 inputs and outputs can be used at a time. His entry - optical output can be used either as ADAT interface or as S / PDIF interface. In this mode, the optical output is a duplicate of the coaxial digital input and can be used by selecting either the optical input (which is therefore in S / PDIF and ADAT non mode) or input coaxial but we can not use both at the same time multi-mode - which could have done 14 channels instead of 12 ^ ^ - and that's too bad because I effects processors with inputs - digital outputs such as the TC Electronic M-One ... As I no longer use the input - output ADAT as failing to find ADAT converter => 4 x S / PDIF coaxial and vice versa, so I have to go through the input - analog output for the effects .

But otherwise, this card is ultra-reliable (not like the Korg 1212 I / O that I had before), to the point that I've bought a second for my computer internet Windows 98 SE (and Kord work with my D-16) but I can not use it now because I put Ubuntu and Linux since the latter do not recognize it.

Just a slight defect: when you start the computer, the analog output goes to a minimum volume or almost: always increase the virtual faders in the output of this pilot we will hear something.

OVERALL OPINION

At first, I bought it to make it work with my ex-Fostex VF-16, with a multitrack mixer with integrated ADAT interface, first with a 400 MHz Celeron and a Pentium 4 2.8 GHz. But, VF-16 dropped Seeing me and could not find equivalence with small O ADAT with other manufacturers, I am determined to use it, at least for now as sound card digital 2-track first with my Akai DPS-16 and now with my Roland VS-1680.

The sound of the analog output is a little too punchy to me. It is as if it is a bit expand with a compressor at the outlet. In addition, the bass is very present. Anyway, I use it only sounds to break the format is not supported by my VS-1680.

I use it since I do not know how many years and I would definitely do it again the same choice if the could. But then, the PCI is disappearing in favor of PCI Express. This means that the next change my computer, I can most certainly get my good old Prodif Plus, I'll have to buy something else like sound card, regardless ... dommaaaââââââaaaaage For that reason alone, I change the maximum delay computer. Well, I have a chance to cuckold on my new motherboard, an Asus P5Q, there are still 3 PCI ... ^ ^

In addition, USB 2.0 and FireWire PCs in the world of Mac interfaces are becoming very common: it is not worth the trouble to invest in a converter ADAT => Analogue and vice - versa. As readily take a multi-channel sound card external FireWire or USB. Right now, I think especially in a RME Audio Fireface 400. Bein yes, it's Firewire, but for now (October 2008), I have not found an equivalent to the PCI Express Prodif Plus, except possibly the RME Audio HDSPe AIO ...

The 24-bit 96 KHz is supported on this card. Finally, the paper because in reality, I did some tests, it does not work and I do not know why.