It could turn your PC into a home studio back in 2000
Written: Mar 19 '01 (Updated Jul 02 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: cheap, basic and pro - in 2001
Cons: outdated in 20??
The Bottom Line: Computer hardware ages fast, what was good five years ago is outdated. It was a good card in 2000, today go get a new one.
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| meatex z's Full Review: Emagic Audiowerk2 Production Kit |
This review has been written a couple of years ago, and by now this card don't seem to be as cool as it used to. Sadly, if you're talking about the computer hardware, what was good in 2000 goes to garbage in 2005. But here's the review anyway. I just warn you not to buy the thing today because it's outdated.
I've been looking for a quality sound card for my PC and my friend who's been working at the music shop recommended this thing. I totally trust him. He said this card records has a good analog to digital converter, and that's basically what I needed.
Now about the whole kit - there's a box with:
1- A PCI card, w/stereo analog input, stereo digital input, and stereo audio and digital outs. That's it. Simply an in/out audio device. It is not some sort of synthesizer. I installed it myself - that was easy.
2- Logic Audio Composer (software). This is an Emagic Logic version which can also work with audio tracks. If you're into Logics - this one is similar to Logic Platinum. A complicated pro sequencer program for PC. I use it to run my ASR-10 sampler. Very good.
3- Other software: for example, there is a "ZAP" program which "zips" audio files. I was too lazy to figure out what do you need this thing for.
I think I've been using this card for about four years, and recorded tonns of stuff. I'll start with the complaints: first, the latency. It is not sufficient, and if you set it manually it may cause occasional clips when you record - if the latency is too small. It's a pain to find the right latency value (automatic latency doesn't seem to work all the time), and, when you think you did, there's a sudden clip in the recorded track, and you know it's not finished. Watch out for this!
The conversion seem to be relatively transparent, although I can still hear a little difference. Another complaint is that it conflicts with Cakewalk sometimes (I used Cakewalk for audio mixes)- but I'm afraid this is about my computer's setup, not the Audiowerk. Since I switched to Cubase I've had no software falure problems.
The card features analog stereo in and stereo out, as well as digital stereo in and out.
I never used digital ins and outs so I cannot say a word about it.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 340
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Epinions.com ID:
meatex z
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Location: Jerusalem, Israel
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
musician, architect, webmaster
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