Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:31 pm
Yesh, i'm on the same boat. i have an echo indigo dj and a fw410.
the indigo dj works noticeably better than the 410 in terms of latency. the 410 at 512 samples suffers quite a bit, and we're talking of moderate cpu usage (50%). the echo does much better (although not perfect) but as i'm planning on getting a macbook in the next 12 months, i have to get rid of it.
On my desktop i have a emu 1820m (PCI+breakout box), it works beautifully, it's nice and well built, i'd get the portable ones without even thinking. There are some pcmcia based models (same problem as with the indigo dj) and a usb one (0404 usb) which is plainly beautiful, but not bus powered, and wallwarts are something i really want to avoid, specially because i plan on taking it for some high quality field recordings. a pity, otherwise it was perfect. EMU!!! BRING A FIREWIRE SOLUTION!!!
Then there's the ak-1, which as you said is a hit or miss situation. Some people praise it, others have had nothing but problems. It also looks perfect in the specs. A pity.
The more I investigate, the more i become convinced that there's still no perfect no-brains solution, but lots of people point towards the motu ultralite or RME solutions with their difficult to swallow price tags...but in the end it may be worthwile saving more and getting a really good card and forgetting about problems...
the indigo dj works noticeably better than the 410 in terms of latency. the 410 at 512 samples suffers quite a bit, and we're talking of moderate cpu usage (50%). the echo does much better (although not perfect) but as i'm planning on getting a macbook in the next 12 months, i have to get rid of it.
On my desktop i have a emu 1820m (PCI+breakout box), it works beautifully, it's nice and well built, i'd get the portable ones without even thinking. There are some pcmcia based models (same problem as with the indigo dj) and a usb one (0404 usb) which is plainly beautiful, but not bus powered, and wallwarts are something i really want to avoid, specially because i plan on taking it for some high quality field recordings. a pity, otherwise it was perfect. EMU!!! BRING A FIREWIRE SOLUTION!!!
Then there's the ak-1, which as you said is a hit or miss situation. Some people praise it, others have had nothing but problems. It also looks perfect in the specs. A pity.
The more I investigate, the more i become convinced that there's still no perfect no-brains solution, but lots of people point towards the motu ultralite or RME solutions with their difficult to swallow price tags...but in the end it may be worthwile saving more and getting a really good card and forgetting about problems...