iCon Aio 6

Buy motivated by a promotion during the sales from the beast 300 to 129 euros.
No test is not yet available for this recent product was the opportunity to try without breaking the bank.

Intended use: taken from his home and control my Cubase in general.
The idea was to make my job making his solo to avoid as much as possible the use of the mouse, by taking notament pedal control (up to 3 cascade)

Tested with a AE3000 AT2031 and any two of Audio-Teknica.

Machine-based Core i5 750 (2.79 GHz, 8 MB cache) and 8 GB of ram on W7 64 bit.

6 inputs: 2 XLR 'combo mic / inst hi-z), 2 TRS and spdif
6 outputs: 4 very jack and spdif

UTILIZATION

Drivers on the stability seems to be the appointment because I was able to work at very low levels of latency (2 ms input and 4 output) in 24 bits / 44100 crunches without audible and relatively intensive effects inserts ( reverbs and virtual synths notament)

Regarding the sound of the preamps (on which the manufacturer's website is sparse in!) My first impression is mixed. It seems that the tweeters will be quite narrow compared to my M-Audio reference and I get a sound that lacks shine (acoustic guitar and vocals).
on the other hand headroom before distortion sounds pretty good.
Ditto on the level considerably higher than my current card's output.

I feel that the preamps are of any quality, more or less good than the average sound card 300 euros and certainly not as good as the Roland Quad Capture I had the opportunity to try there is little ..... and I would probably buy from elsewhere but we'll see with more perspective.

GETTING STARTED

Installation is quick and painless but the manual is more enigmatic tweak it will be necessary to understand the need:

1. The DAW open
2. Open the software "Icon Imap" and configure "Mackie Control"
3 .... and finally select Mackie Control in the DAW

And now everything works but the controls are relatively simple and basic: level 4 tracks on two layers (ie 8 tracks) + 2 layers configurable user
Transport controls and current solo / mute...et that's all.

Home the "Record" function does not work (yet) in Cubase and it's damn shame!

The interface card is very very austere way Chinese software in Chinese On top of that it is very explicit and must open two different windows (and impossible to do simultaneously!) For inputs and outputs. Then check boxes next to the small faders for a result you will slowly because nothing is said! Zero.

OVERALL OPINION

Received it two days ago and just tested today for an hour or two it will take me back but still I write this review to tell you: do not rush!
This tool is perhaps not the miracle solution you've been waiting for you facilitate home-production ....

A 129 euro in balance "boiscuivres" it certainly worth but recommended 300 euros probably a little less price.
And certainly not $ 450 is the selling price found in the U.S.!

I would edit but when I have done more than taken his and compared with other cards in this price range.

Do not forget that for that price you also have a control surface ... you see what you prefer.

Purchased for several reasons:
- Audio to 192kbits / s
- 2 mic inputs + 2 line inputs
- 2 headphone outputs with independent volume
- Control surfaces
- Input / Output noon for sending samples by a midi pedal

The idea was to have a good sound card for the stage, plugged into a laptop computer and be able to connect two musicians headphones to have a mix including click in having an independent mix to the front without click.
Have an additional control surface for fixed studio.

UTILIZATION

Sonar used on the pc fixed no problems but the laptop I have to turn off the card before sonar or the software does not start.

The input / output is handled with the drivers via multiple independent windows (as a single window at Presonus would have been better)

Latency can be very low (2ms) after the computer and the project.

GETTING STARTED

Config not very intuitive.
Very brief manual and mistranslated.

For section control surface must be added other software, not very intuitive I think.

OVERALL OPINION

A little disappointed, it's going to use my scene with sending a different mix to the front and headphones and use of inputs for instruments.

Very little recoil on its use, but the list of what does not suit me, however, is long enough
- 2 headphone outputs, but only the choice of sending outputs 1/2 or 3/4 on each headphone, which makes little versatile mix, impossible to have a different mix for each headphone and the master output.
- Faders a little cheap, plastic, while I JogShuttle is metal.
- Not really a portable card as use of compulsory power supply
- No input monitoring without latency, whether to increase the latency to avoid cracking entries we hear with a lag, used most of his pro card it bothers me a lot!
- The Mackie Control mode is designed for Cubase, Samplitude, Ableton Live, Protools, but it does not work at all with Sonar!
- Software-ergonomic control, too many windows, I hope updates come soon!
- Maybe too quick test, but I feel that the pickups are not terrible preamp saturates quickly.

Fortunately it was € 129 instead of € 300 usual because it's not worth more than that.

It may be fine for some uses, but I'm really disappointed ...