View other reviews for this product:
lemurien.des.villes « It's perfect »
Published on 08/30/14 at 02:048 inputs with preamp, USB connection, compact design. Possibility to output 4 different mixes via the 4 outputs and possibility to connect 2 together to have 16 inputs in total. I had a 2-input card before, so I wanted to go to the next level to be able to record demos of my band track-by-track or live. I wanted a soundcard that was easy to take with me on a backpack from my place to the rehearsal room.
I use a laptop PC (core 2 duo 2GHz, 4G ram and 7200rpm HDD) running Vista. That's why I wanted USB.
USE
The drivers are very stable, I have never had a crash with Cubase. As for the latency, I get 8ms at the input and 14ms at the output with a medium-sized buffer.
I've recorded up to 13 tracks (with a 2nd octa-capture as an extension) at 24bits 44.1 and I have played back up to 30 tracks, I think. I have never tried it with more.
Sometimes, when I'm working on a project with lots of plug-ins I've been forced to increase the buffer to avoid crackles. But my computer is no performance beast.
Regarding the preamps, there's not much to say, they do their job. They sometimes sound a bit "stiff" with some mics, but they have the virtue of being neutral.
OPERATION
Easy and fast installation. I haven't noticed any incompatibilities.
The manual is useful and clear enough on certain points, especially when it comes to connect two octa-captures, the different routing possibilities, etc.
It's easy to set up, you plug in, adjust the gain or use Auto-sens (automatic gain adjustment) and that's it. Also note the built-in (digital) compressor and the possibility to insert a reverb in the headphone out, for the singer, for example.
OVERALL OPINION
I've been using it for 3 years and have no intention of replacing it. I actually might get a second one.
The pros: Well-built, compact for 8 mic inputs, easy to use, it has very practical stuff, like when everything starts flickering when it's distorting, making it impossible to miss it. The soundcard knows how to make you forget about it, which is much appreciated.
The cons: I could quibble about 2-3 details...but nothing's really worth it, in my opinion, at least for what I use it for.
I use a laptop PC (core 2 duo 2GHz, 4G ram and 7200rpm HDD) running Vista. That's why I wanted USB.
USE
The drivers are very stable, I have never had a crash with Cubase. As for the latency, I get 8ms at the input and 14ms at the output with a medium-sized buffer.
I've recorded up to 13 tracks (with a 2nd octa-capture as an extension) at 24bits 44.1 and I have played back up to 30 tracks, I think. I have never tried it with more.
Sometimes, when I'm working on a project with lots of plug-ins I've been forced to increase the buffer to avoid crackles. But my computer is no performance beast.
Regarding the preamps, there's not much to say, they do their job. They sometimes sound a bit "stiff" with some mics, but they have the virtue of being neutral.
OPERATION
Easy and fast installation. I haven't noticed any incompatibilities.
The manual is useful and clear enough on certain points, especially when it comes to connect two octa-captures, the different routing possibilities, etc.
It's easy to set up, you plug in, adjust the gain or use Auto-sens (automatic gain adjustment) and that's it. Also note the built-in (digital) compressor and the possibility to insert a reverb in the headphone out, for the singer, for example.
OVERALL OPINION
I've been using it for 3 years and have no intention of replacing it. I actually might get a second one.
The pros: Well-built, compact for 8 mic inputs, easy to use, it has very practical stuff, like when everything starts flickering when it's distorting, making it impossible to miss it. The soundcard knows how to make you forget about it, which is much appreciated.
The cons: I could quibble about 2-3 details...but nothing's really worth it, in my opinion, at least for what I use it for.