Hi everyone, i want to try some home recording for fun. I play mainly keyboard, and sometimes guitar. I went to midi-specialist shop to get some recommendation, they recommend me ESI Maya44, but that card + the midi - usb cable will cost around RM600 (that cable cost that much?!? bcos the card is only around RM450. )

Since it costs around RM600, i asked them how about esi Juli@ (which is around RM650, and i don't need the cable bcos the cable comes with it already have midi in-out), they said it don't have the phantom power but maya44 has this function, so it's better to get Maya44 + the cable. The above was what i got from their recommendation, but frankly, im totally noob in recording, therefore everything starts from zero. Therefore, i post this here and maybe will get some different comment from forumers here..

However, how about EMU series compare to ESI? which one is suitable for beginner? and software base they recommended me to use cubase as i mainly play keyboard..

This post has been edited by nicholas_1213: Jul 16 2007, 11:45 AM

I would recommend the EMU0404 PCI...costs slightly cheaper, and is better in terms of flexibility. (has built-in DSP, etc.)

The learning curve for the mixer panel is a little steep though.

i have no idea about the esi brand. Most i've heard is the emu, which i never tried myself too. But i've heard good stuff about emu.

But if you are stuck between the esi maya and esi juli and based solely upon the argument that the maya has phantom and the juli doesnt, i would say get the maya. Phantom power comes in handy at times. A phantom power unit is fairly cheap but if it's already built in, why not? May come in handy when you decide to use condensers to record vocals or guitar. Plus the maya saves you RM50. Of course this is disregarding all other functions and also latency of both cards. So maybe you may want to ask about latency. Quite important for soundcards for recording. Lower latency is always better. And also, the Juli has both 6.3mm jacks and TRS coaxial connectors so it should ease abit on the look for adapters. And i may be wrong but 6.3mm cables can deliver balanced signals (although not sure if the sound card supports it or not but usually it does) and TRS can't.

I don't know what the midi-usb cable looks like. I have a USB keyboard-controller which is USB-USB so i don't need a midi cable. For recording it works well enough without significant delays. Unless your keyboard doesnt have a USB port.

My advice is to read up yourself about recording before rushing into buying a soundcard. Don't believe 100% what people tell you, no offense to anyone of course .Know what you want and need and get it. It saves you quite abit of money in the long run.

Hey thanks for the guide.. and another thing between ESI and EMU, EMU card is bundled with some softwares if im not mistaken right? ESI is just the plain card.. hemm this open up my option other than ESI, but EMU card have to get through forumer lo.

Erm.. the DSP function is easier for us to do monitoring and mixing?

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Added on July 16, 2007, 1:12 pmReally appreciate your reply. Yeah been reading through the internet and stuffs about home recording, but still slowly picking up. product wise i really have to get some opinion from here. Thanks for the info again bro..

This post has been edited by nicholas_1213: Jul 16 2007, 01:12 PM

hi,

try to browse www.tweakheadz.com . there are comprehensive guides from ground up.

As far as i know, DSP just means digital signal processing. It's a standard thing. It's all a matter of how good the DSP is on your sound card. In terms of sampling rate, bits, etc....u get the point. About the monitoring, if your card has good DSP then the monitor latency will be low. But i have not experienced any difference in terms of easier mixing.

FYI
1) ESI Juli@ both input and output is balance.
2) both is low latency
3) both card come with EWDM driver: MME, DirectSound, ASIO 2.0 and GSIF 2.0 support
4) both card support windows Vista as well as Mac OS X


Features for ESI MAya44
Supports up to 24-bit / 192kHz output and 96kHz input
4 analog input and 4 analog output channels
4-in / 4-out full duplex recording and playback
balanced microphone input with +48V phantom power
headphone output with gain control
unbalanced stereo line input (1~2) can be switched to balanced mono microphone input
optical and coaxial (S/PDIF) digital output
optional MIDI I/O via MI/ODI/O extension
optional S/PDIF digital input via MI/ODI/O ext.
3.3V / 5V compatible PCI card
EWDM driver: MME, DirectSound, ASIO 2.0 and GSIF 2.0 support
Windows Vista/XP/2000 and Mac OS X compatible


Features for ESI Juli@
2 analog input channels, 2 analog output channels
24-bit/192kHz AD converter with 114dB(a) dynamic range
24-bit/192kHz DA converter with 112dB(a) dynamic range
swappable socket (Unbalanced RCA with -10dBv or Balanced TRS with +4dBu )
coaxial S/PDIF digital input
synchronisation to digital S/PDIF input signals
optical S/PDIF digital output with automatic shutter (max.96kHz)
coaxial S/PDIF digital output (max 192kHz)
support for DirectWIRE 3.0
4 inputs and 4 outputs can be used with 24bit/192kHz simultaneously (incl. MIDI I/O) - full duplex
PCI card is compatible with 3.3V and 5V PCI slots
independent monitoring control for analog and digital input signals and playback
EWDM driver: MME, DirectSound, ASIO 2.0 and GSIF 2.0 support
Windows 98SE/ME/XP/2000/Vista compatible
compatible with Mac OS X 10.1 and newer

www.ESI-audio.com

Have to be careful when getting cheap "low-latency" cards. I got mine and it said 5ms latency. But from what i heard, latency depends also on your processor. I mailed the company with my processor specs and they said that my processor is too slow for achieving 5 ms latency. Don't know if it's true or just an excuse. But the minimum i managed to squeeze out was about 15ms which is noticable especially for bassists and drummers. For singing and guitar not that bad.

But RME Hammerfall series cards have their own on-board processor so you will be completely independent from your CPU. However those things cost a fortune. And if you're not planning on going professional, it's not really worth it.

any1 tried recording with audigy 4 or something? is not really "pro" card... but low latency as well, maybe i will get 1 cuz is cheaper than pro cards

From what i read, Audigy cards don't allow you to use 44.1 kHz sampling rates which is usually the standard (unless they've changed it again). Audigy only allows 48, 96, 192 kHz if i'm not mistaken. So if you start something at home, it's hard to finish it in a proper studio. But if that's not what you need, then i guess it's good enough.

i've been using audigy 4 for awhile, but i got it more for gaming/multimedia

anyway, specs for it.

* 64 audio channel playback with independent sample rates
* 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion during playback with sampling rates of 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz in 7.1 mode and up to 192kHz in stereo mode
* 24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion during recording in 8, 16 or 24-bit at sampling rates of 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz
* Supports Sony/Philips Digital Interface (SPDIF)1 format of up to 24-bit/96kHz quality
* Low latency multitrack recording with ASIO2 support2

oh cool. Then what do the pros have against audigy?

oic... i think 1 thing good for audigy is easier to get, emu n prodigy hard to get 1.. dunno tis coming pc fair got sell or not?

about sampling rate... d spec sounds like support 44.1khz

If you're recording, I'd advice you to steer away from the audigy. Their input preamps are questionable, to put it very lightly, and their A/D converters just aren't up to recording standard. They're ok in terms of playback but they just aren't made for recording.

You'd be better off with something else which is actually geared towards recording.

If you're serious about recording, it's worth the trouble looking for something better =)

Even something like the E-MU 0202/0404 USB or a cheap M-Audio Fasttrack/whatever else (I haven't been keeping up with M-Audio) or something else will be MUCH better suited - They actually have mic inputs!

If you get the audigy and are serious about recording, you'll find you'll want something else in a matter of weeks/months. Me? I wouldn't be able to stand an audigy for even a day. haha. Since my mics wouldn't even work with it.

But since you did mention you only play guitar now and then... I guess it would be ok. But if you DO plan to do more stuff in the future, you'll be severely limited =)

how about for dj'ing purpose?

like hoongern said, its not for recording. i also wouldnt advice to go for that. whats your budget like? well theres the emu 0404 thats quite cheap. havent tried it but have read enough reviews and heard recording samples. so far, i trust m-audio as theyre really good for what you pay for.

theres also the line6 toneport series, which comes with very good software modelling. only thing im skeptical about it is the A/D converters and mic preamps.

yes processor/ram does play a role. try this site... it helps.

http://www.musicxp.net/tuning_tips.php

i'm using audigy 4 also... wanted to get audigy music but not enough cash... need to buy my son's diapers and milk (yes... i'm that old)

tried recording a few tracks... can check it out at the link below... but i also use line6 podxt via usb for guitar and bass parts so i guess that helped a lot...

i'm no pro so i'm satisfied with this...

get an audigy 2 ZS, its an old product but it served me well, but u nid to d/l kX drivers for it and read abit on the pin mod for optimal results =)

i believe audigy 4 is the updated audigy 2 ZS.