E-mu 1616 Pci

[monnie101]

I was thinking of spending only $150-200 for a card on this PC. I do techno. It has to have:

Mic in
Instrument Line in for direct guitar input (i know mic amp would be better)
Midi would be nice but not necessary

The Delt 1010LT has mic in, but it has a bunch of RCA connections. How many people need that many RCA connections? Can you connect an instrument thru them with an adapter?

M-Audio Delta 1010LT
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Delta1010LT/

I've been looking at the E-MU 1616 PCI for a while now. It has so many options. Being able to connect a turntable to it is a good bonus. Nice breakout box. I totally dislike how the Delta 1010LT has like 20 wires sticking out in such a small space. I have a video/TV card like that. This one is $350 though. It's over my budget but I do have the money. So I was wondering what people though. It looks really nice to me.

E-MU 1616 PCI
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1616PCI/

Full View front and back:
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=237&subcategory=239&product=15163

[itsplayed]

The E-MU 1616 is a bargain at the asking price. What are your computer specs?

[monnie101]

It's a bit older but it can run EQ2 and Vanguard. I play EQ2 with it everyday.

3ghz Pent-4 Prescott / Asus P4P800-E Del
600 Watt PSU Antec
ATI X800XT All-in-Wonder
2gigs Corsair Ram
The computer is currently using the mobo's intergrated sound.

If anyone has any reviews I would really appreatiate it if you could post the links. I'd like to pickup a card early this week.

[EDIT] I was just reading a bit more and realised something. I thought the 1616m version, had an m for mobile cardbus version, but I just read that it means it comes with mic premium mic PreAmps. I know that the 1616 PCI comes with mic PreAmps so they must just not be as good then?


ARTICLE QUOTE:
It's also noting that one model, the 1616, is available in two flavors: PCI, or with a cardbus card for use with laptops. Models with an "m" suffix (e.g., 1616m) include premium mic preamps, which raises the price a bit. If you already have great mic pres, you can save a few bucks by going into the line ins; otherwise, the "designer mic pres" are indeed very good and worth the extra expense.



1616 PCI: $350
Two E-MU XTC™ Class-A, ultra-low noise preamps (-127dBu) - Mic/Line and true Hi-Z inputs via Neutrik connectors, with analog soft limiter, 48V phantom power and 60dB of gain

Premium 24-bit/192kHz converters - 112dB signal-to-noise ratio for pristine recording and playback of your tracks



1616m PCI: $500
Two E-MU XTC™ Class-A, ultra-low noise preamps (-129.5dBu) - Mic/Line and true Hi-Z inputs via Neutrik connectors, with analog soft limiter, 48V phantom power and 60dB of gain

Mastering grade 24-bit/192kHz converters - the same A/D converters used in Digidesign's flagship ProTools HD 192 I/O Interface delivering an amazing 120dB signal-to-noise ratio

[itsplayed]

There's nothing wrong with older if it works for you(mine is as well) and the P4P800-E Del is a good MoBo, lot's of DAWs were built around it. I was more concerned about chipset compatability, but with that board you won't have an issue.

[tech1]

The E-MU series PCI cards are very good for the price. The preamps are clean, and very detailed on the high end. However, the PatchMix DSP (included mixer/control panel) can be extremely confusing. Also, I have not found a way to manually adjust buffer sizes in it yet, so you're stuck with the card's automatic latency settings.

[monnie101]

On another forum someone suggested that I go with a M-Audio Audiophile 192 because of how compatible they are with everything and dependable. The reviews on it are great and their is a new driver version out. The E-mu has so much but I keep hearing about it being fussing and issues with the mixer.

The poster suggested I get the 192 and then get an M-Audio DI/PreAmp Box. I was thinking I could get a mixer instead.

[passerby3141]

Both are great cards, I have the 1212M v2, it uses the same driver as the 1616.
It is true the M Audio will work in more system/software configurations. In Tracktion 2, the EMU latency setting is un-alterable. But in Sonar 6 ,it is fully functional. The M-Audio works fine in both, but I like the EMU more.

The Patchmix took me a few days to figure out fully, but I have some experience with this stuff, others find it very very confusing.

[itsplayed]

You'll have no compatability issue with your system and the E-MU card. The E-MU is a better interface and a better buy IMHO.

[monnie101]

Where do you get the drivers for the E-mu? There are no Emu Digitial Audio System Drivers on the creative E-mu site. The www.emu.com site does not have any drivers for the 1616. Really strange. They do have drivers for the 1212m but they are from 2005. That's way too old.

Being limited to using only the drivers on the CD with no updated drivers ever available would be very bad. Unless of course these drivers are flawless on the CD but I doubt it. I read more about how the mixer is confusing, I'm sure that GUI could use updating, and with support like that they will prob never have vista drivers. They do have 1820 drivers but they are from 2005. I don't know if it is the website having a problem or that their really are no new drivers. I build computers for people and I never use the drivers that come on the CDs because they are old. I use the newest drivers which have bug fixes and updates to the GUI.

Thanks again for the replys guys. Is there another website that hosts Emu drivers? I really like the Emu because of having so many options. But the driver support seems lacking? $350 for me is tough to come by so I just want to make sure I buy something that isn't going to give me headaches lol. I spent $400 on a graphics card once that gave me so many problems and had to be sent out for repair. So I'm a little nervous since then hehe.

[passerby3141]

Your nervousness is understandable. I can only speak about my limited experience on one computer with these two cards. EMU is planning to release new drivers soon I believe, and a rep told me over the phone that vista drivers are in development. I think my EMU is a better card though for many reasons. It sounds better, you can add more in's and out's through the ADAT ports without using more IRQ's, on-board fx...

The Audiophile is a very nice sounding card to me as well. It has some issues with it I don't like or haven't taken the time to figure out, but it works for what I purchased it for. Also keep in mind that I am using the 1212M v2, and it has some higher grade components than the 1616.

The drivers on the disk work fine for me, in my home studio.

[itsplayed]

I'm not quite sure why the date of a driver release is so important. When was the last Bios update released for your MoBo? The product either works as advertised with current hardware or it doesn't. The newer 1212M V2 uses the same 1010 base card as the 1616M, the specs are the same. Also the latest drivers don't always equate into a product that performs better. Nvidia's universal graphics drivers are a prime case in point, although newer drivers are meant to be used for a broad range of cards, not all cards perform better using these drivers. A visit to NVidia's user forums can confirm this.

[monnie101]

Good point.

Thanks guys. I put the order in over the phone to Jonathan. Doing a money order though so it's gonna take a week to get here but I made sure to mention your name Matt and tell them that you helped me out. The guy did recognise your name.

Here's what I ordered in case anyone is curious.

E-MU 1616 PCI $349.99
Audio-Technica AT2020 $99.97 (Comes with pivot)
Professional Small Adjustable Height Mic Stand $12.97

Can't wait for it to get here. Woot! Expensive toys.

:D

[itsplayed]

Congrats monnie101, I believe that you've made a wise choice here. Just be sure to follow the install instructions carefully(as I'm sure you will) and you'll have no issue. You probably don't need to be reminded, but it's also always a good idea to uninstall any sound device currently in your system first before installing that new interface......good luck and happy music making with your new 'toys'.

[monnie101]

Update:

So far it's been working out good. When I installed it, right away I got it working with no problems. I made an unboxing video, just have to edit it in Vegas and upload it to YouTube. There wasn't any 1616 vids so I thought I'd make one. The patchmix looked simple but as I have found out it is a pain. I get a little aggravated with it sometimes so I am still learning how to use it. I thought I read on the Emu website where they admitted it was a little tough to use, that you don't have to use it if you don't want to? I can't figure out how to add an input in Cubase SX3 without using the Emu routing option on the inputs strip of Cubase.

I found the buffer setting, it's on the control panel. Not sure if this is what you meant but I can set it there.

I get a little frustrated because I'll open up Adobe Audition and then no sound is coming out so I have to play with the settings on the patchmix and set the inputs/outputs so they show up in the device setup in AA2. But I'm figuring it out.

The breakout box is made very well. Good experience with Sweetwater, just as it was years ago. They even put candy in the bag LOL! Nice personal touch. That's something you don't forget and I've never seen anyone do. There was even a signed packing slipt by the packer so if they messed up they'd know who to yell at hehe.

I'll post the link here to the vid when I get it done :D

[poorsod]

Patchmix is a right pain. What I did was just found the settings that worked for me with trail and error, and just saved and hid. I don't touch the Patchmix any more. It's too damn confusing.

From my limited understanding, Patchmix is a kind of 0-latency go-between for the various drivers and the interface itself. And you can do DSP and routing.

[itsplayed]

The Patchmix can be confusing, but it is extremely powerful. Learn it well and you can set yourself up with more than one session for different needs....I like it. You may want to get yourself a new skin for it though...I found that the stock GUI hurts my eyes when using it for any length of time.

Monnie101: Glad to hear your enjoying your new interface and yes I agree, Sweetwater is the best.

[Audiodude]

Update:There was even a signed packing slipt by the packer so if they messed up they'd know who to yell at hehe.
Allow me to hi-jack your thread with a story that has nothing whatsoever to do with EMU 1616, or anything else that's been discussed thus far...

A lot of you know that Sweetwater recently moved to a new facility. The logistics involved in moving a company like ours, and especially the shipping / receiving / warehouse operations are simply mind-boggling. We moved the entire warehouse in a long caravan of tractor trailers over the course of a weekend, and didn't miss a single day of shipping. (It's something we're all very proud of...)

Well, shortly after we moved a variety of factors conspired against us. Our warehouse staff was still working the kinks out of all the new systems. We were contending with increased stocking levels and more incoming shipments than before thanks to all the extra space in the new facility. And on top of it, the holiday season hit us earlier and harder than we expected. Our shipping volume went WAY up, just as our capacity was being squeezed.

Several of us (more than several, actually, a couple dozen people) from various departments volunteered to come in after regular work hours to pitch in and help with the shipping department. Tech support guys, sales engineers, even the CEO of the company were all out there packing boxes.

That week, I learned that packing is an art. It sounds simple enough - throw some stuff in a box with adequate styrofoam peanuts, put some tape on the outside, and you're done, right? Oh, but the whole process of picking an appropriately-sized outer box, positioning the gear inside, and using just the right amount of packing material is not an easy thing to pull off.

It was painfully obvious which packages were packed by the shipping guys (ie. people who knew what they were doing), and which ones were packed by volunteers. We were all paranoid about having something show up in the customer's hands damaged, and it be our fault that we didn't pack it properly. So we overdid everything. Boxes were too big. Too much "void fill" (that's the technical term for the peanuts), so that the box bulged when you tried to seal it. And always, WAY too much packing tape.

It was kind of funny to look at the conveyor belt that heads from the packing tables to the weigh-in and labeling stations. All of these nice, perfect little boxes lined up, and then there was the ones that I packed - looking like they had been put together by a sugar-hyped 5 year old.

I'm glad we have packers that know what they are doing. Surprisingly, they haven't called me back and asked for my help again. Wonder why...

[monnie101]

LOL These volunteers must have been packing for NewEgg last week because I got my order all seperate pieces in different huge boxes. A USB cable was in a big box filled with packing peanuts! Then another big box had my micro SD memory card kit which is only a 2 inch plastic case, was put in a big box so big I almost thought there was nothing in it but packing peanuts! LOL!

Anyway, here's the UnBoxing vid.

UnBoxing the E-mu 1616
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9TDe-O95rE