E-MU Releases DSP Recording Cards

huffcw · Post by **huffcw** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 9:58 am

http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM04 ... 1212M.html

These cards include DSP effects and mixing environment for under $500 (the cheapest sells for just $200.

I wonder how good the effects are? Probably not competition for Pulsar (and probably not flexible and open to developers).

I noticed that they are also offering their cards with a built in DSP sampler option (they must have got that idea from PowerSampler): http://www.emu.com/products/category.as ... tegory=631

spacef · Post by **spacef** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 7:00 pm

http://fr.audiofanzine.com/news/index,page,7.html

I am a bit disapointed it doesn't read eps16 DD floppies (epsdisk doesn't work here, bad extraction of the wavesample).

LHong · Post by **LHong** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 2:24 am

It seems be a SoundBlaster functionality?

huffcw · Post by **huffcw** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 11:31 am

Creative may have helped in development of the audio card technology - but it sounds like this package definitly offers much, much more and some potentially great features at a great price...

"Professional Sampling and Synthesis Tools

Emulator X and Emulator X Studio offer a host of sampling and synthesis tools, including automated sample acquisition and preset creation, an integrated waveform editor, support for all major sound formats and advanced synthesis. Emulator X makes sampling as easy as loading a preset with intelligent, automated sampling and preset creation from both external audio and batch files, allowing you to turn a .WAV file into a fully functioning preset in seconds with a single click of your mouse. Emulator X's integrated waveform editor provides you with over 13 DSP tools (i.e. Gain Change, Time Compression/Expansion, Sample Calculation w/automatic digital tuning, etc.), for total control over your samples. In addition to its advanced sampling features, Emulator X also supports a host of major sound formats, including EOS, EIII, GigaSampler, Akai, HALion, EXS24, SoundFont 2.1, .WAV and many more -- ships with over 2GB of sounds. Emulator X provides you with s synthesis engine with over 50 patented Z-Plane morphing filters, 36 patchcords per voice, multi-wave LFO's, conditional voice modulation, clock modulation and a host of other synthesis features and parameters. You can even save your favorite synth setups as templates for quick editing.

Hardware-accelerated Effects, Mixing and Monitoring

The Emulator X and Emulator X Studio both feature E-MU's E-DSP chip, an effects processor that can deliver over 16 simultaneous hardware-accelerated effects., freeing your computer from running CPU-intensive plug-ins that limit your audio performance-- a feature only offered by the most high-priced DAWs on the market. E-MU's Digital Audio Systems ship with over 500 effects presets, and the effects architecture is fully expandable, allowing you to add more effect plug-ins to your system as needed.

The E-DSP chip also provides zero-latency, hardware-based mixing and monitoring via the included PatchMix DSP mixer, delivering unmatched flexibility in routing audio between all of your physical and virtual (ASIO/WDM) inputs and outputs-- no external mixer needed.

In addition to hardware-accelerated effects, mixing and monitoring, E-MU's PCI card also features ADAT, S/PDIF and FireWire interfaces, as well as connectivity to a family of internal and external I/O and sync options.

The Emulator X Studio ships with a 24-bit/192kHz half-rackspace breakout box that features premium 24-bit/192kHz converters-- the same A/D converters used in Digidesign's high-end ProTools HD interface. This breakout box offers I/O expansion with everything from 1/4" balanced inputs and outputs to specialized I/O like turntable inputs (with ground lug and hardware RIAA preamp), dedicated speaker outputs and two studio-grade TFPro preamps with 48V phantom power and 40dB of gain. These preamps feature Neutrik connectors and accept mic, line and Hi-Z level inputs for total flexibility in plugging any microphone or instrument straight into the system. The breakout box also provides two sets of MIDI I/O, and is powered over the EDI (E-MU Digital Interface) cable that connects it to E-MU's PCI card-- no external power needed. Emulator X offers these same mastering-grade converters on an I/O daughter card, providing a pair of balanced inputs and outputs as well as MIDI I/O.

The Emulator X Studio also ships with a Sync daughtercard that allows musicians to lock external analog and digital systems together with a stable, high-resolution time base. The Sync daughtercard supports Word Clock Sync in/out for sample accurate phase-lock of your digital studio, SMPTE Sync in/out for stable synchronization of external analog tape and video, as well as MTC (MIDI Time Code) out.

Emulator X Studio I/O Configuration:

2 TFPro Mic Preamps (w/48V Phantom Power)
6 Balanced Analog Inputs
8 Balanced Analog Outputs
Turntable Input (w/ Ground and RIAA Preamp)
8 Speaker Outputs (configurable to 7.1)
ADAT In/Out
S/PDIF In/Out (Coaxial)
S/PDIF Out (Optical)
2 Sets of MIDI In/Out
FireWire Interface
Sync:

Word Clock In/Out
SMPTE In/Out
MTC Out
Emulator X I/O Configuration:

2 Balanced Analog Inputs
2 Balanced Analog Outputs
ADAT In/Out
S/PDIF In/Out (Coaxial)
MIDI In/Out
FireWire Interface"

"...estimated U.S. street price of $299.99 for the Emulator X and $599.99 for the Emulator X Studio."

[ This Message was edited by: huffcw on 2004-01-18 11:36 ]

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 11:55 am

It does look pretty cool...I think I read it does disk streaming. PowerSampler has some pretty tough competition at last.

Shayne

LHong · Post by **LHong** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 3:20 pm

Wow, I was interested on the kxproject long time ago, which had pretty cool kernel driver built and SDK for EMU-DSP CHIP. Any ideas that PRO users will be interested? Are you?

http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?

Regards,
LongStudio

[ This Message was edited by: LHong on 2004-01-18 15:33 ]

valis · Post by **valis** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 4:06 pm

My only problem with the new Emu sampler is that its tied to their hardware. For something tied to hardware I really would have appreciated next generation DSP based on the e4 sampling/synthesis engine but instead the E-chip has combined (Ensoniq) ASR-X and the Emu RFX effects chips into one. [RFX was an expansion for e4 series samplers allowing internal mixing/effects/adat connection.]

Not horrible but since I've got more than 1 Creamware card and an RME Hammerfall I'm not really sure where I'd put this, and since its software just like Kontakt/EXS24/Halion etc, then I'm stuck either building a dedicated machine around it (back to the price of an E4XT Ultra) or moving some of my current dsp into another PC.

Also, claims of 'pro tools' converters aside I'm curious what clock these things use. It looks to me like what they've done is upgraded the Emu10k-2 chip from their Audigy/Audigy2 line (which was capable of 6-8 dsp fx, now up to 16 in the E-chip) and added some i/o (oh and painted 'professional' on a few parts). What this tells me is that aside from bolt-on i/o and packaged software we're probably seeing the next generation consumer card here. What corners were cut?

And how cpu intensive is their sampler? the GUI is remiscent of Absynth and the specs don't tell me much...

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 6:02 pm

This is my next card. It puts the Luna to shame.

huffcw · Post by **huffcw** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 6:47 pm

I think even if it is the same DSP chip that will be used in future consumer cards (which we really don't know - they may decide to keep them separate... how much DSP power do consumers really need?) - what really matters is the quality of the software running on the DSP.

E-MU has a good history of building excellent samplers, so I have to imagine the the sampler interface will be nice.

And at a price of $299 (for the cheaper version), I don't see how software samplers that cost just as much or more can compete. Especially since for the same price you are getting the benefits of the DSP and audio i/o card.

scary808 · Post by **scary808** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 12:56 am

Why do we talk about Geo Metros when we've got Rolls Royces?

deejaysly · Post by **deejaysly** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 4:23 am

I am puzzled..., How can this package be compared to a Luna??? or any CW stuff for that matter?

As someone has already said, and it seemed to me when I read the article, it sounds like a sup'd up SoundBlaster!

Ok, yeh, it's got a nicer price tag and, I find it useful that there is now a PC package that has a "Pro" MIC and RIAA preamp but the quality and the flexibility doesn't even come close to CW stuff. The price tag matches it's capability and then again so does the CW stuff! Look at the price difference and that gives you an idea of how exceedingly better the CW stuff actually is!

With the CW stuff in mind, it didn't impress me. CW stuff is still having no problems hangin' in there I am glad to say!

My $.02

[ This Message was edited by: deejaysly on 2004-01-19 06:01 ]

spacef · Post by **spacef** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 5:28 am

Winamp has a bunch of dsp plugins too (lol)

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 8:51 am

I'm saying that it is in the price range of the Luna and includes things the Luna does not have such as ADAT, a breakout box, Word Clock. These are all pro features not SB features. Why do you judge the quality before you hear it? If Luna had those hardware features and at that price it would be the clear choice. Luna sales are dismal... gee I wonder why? I'm looking to use 2 computers at once. I'm surely not getting another Luna.

deejaysly · Post by **deejaysly** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 10:09 am

Sorry braincell, fair enough, point taken.

You had different reasons for your comment to what I had imagined.

..and maybe it's because I'm not a pro! lol.

[ This Message was edited by: deejaysly on 2004-01-19 10:13 ]

spacef · Post by **spacef** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 10:26 am

i'm of the ones who are going to hear it. unless it doesn't read eps floppies....

sinix · Post by **sinix** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 10:42 am

Personally, I'm not too interested, but the $499 card has to be the best deal going. Hardly a "soundblaster" card.

The converters are the same as the Protools HD contervers and the mic pre's are by the same guy who designed most of Joe Meeks range of gear.

That's pretty damn impressive for sub $500. It takes a lot to stay in the game these days. Knowing EMU's track record with computer products, I'd be pretty worried about support issues though.

huffcw · Post by **huffcw** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 11:12 am

I agree that the E-MU does not compare to the Pulsar's flexibility - and availability of great synths and effects. And the included effects are probably not as good as the included effects that come with the Pulsar (but that is hearsay at this point since I have not heard what the E-MU sounds like). Although, it is pretty impresive what you get for the price (again, it may sound good on paper, but in reality not be so good - it's too early to tell).

Also,the sampler has features (such as disk streaming) that makes an argument for Creamware to be working on an update to the STS if they want to stay in the game.

The other point is the in/out included on the E-MU external box sounds very impressive for the price. The Pulsar's cable in/out can't compare. I would love to have a breakout box with mic and hi-z inputs, plus a bunch of analog ins/outs and digital in/out come with the Pulsar. You have to add the cost of an external box to the Pulsar to get a complete package with mic preamps, hi-z inputs and additional analog ins/outs. It would simplify things alot to have a box with these features specifically for the Pulsar.

[ This Message was edited by: huffcw on 2004-01-19 11:15 ]

Herr Voigt · Post by **Herr Voigt** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 6:28 pm

The cheaper EMU card seems like a completion to my Pulsar system, no more, no less.
I seriously think about a gigasampler in a second computer (does it make any sense in a PIII 550 MHz?) and to put 4 stereo channels via ADAT to Pulsar. I don't want gigasampler at the same computer as sfp/cubase, the pci bus would cause many troubles ...

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 8:08 pm

Herr Voigt, then you should react quickly:
Thomann does a sellout of Gigastation cards (20bit converters) with Gigastudio LE (for Win98, ME afaik) and the Piano and GeneralMidi Lib for 59 €

cheers, Tom
ps: I've used that piano on a Celeron 333 without glitches

Herr Voigt · Post by **Herr Voigt** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 6:51 pm

Big thx, Tom!!!!!