Emu APS - First Impression!
Viljem Krizman
to me it was in vain.
Yesterday I've finally received my APS card and so I've decided to write
first impressions.
Neatly packed E-card and E-drive, a few cables, two CDs and a single
booklet. Don't expect to see
gold-plated connectors - they are not. I've carefully read the install
information and plugged the card
in my computer (motherboard VS400FX, Pentium Pro 200Mhz, ATI 3d Charger, 64
Mb Ram,
Awe32-legacy, IDE disk, IDE-CD-ROM and IDE-ZIP drive, Windows 95 - not
OSR/2). That was
easy. Than I've hoped that everything would work and it did. Than I've
installed the drivers and
additional software. (The card uses IRQ 11), rebooted my computer and
started listening to the new
card.
After installing Emu mixer and Soundfont loader there were no problems, but
when I've installed the
Soundfont manager for Cakewalk some problems occurred. CW 6.01 was no longer
been able to
load SoundFonts. There were constant soundfont load errors, a few CW
chrashes, and an EMU mixer
crash. I've also noticed card stop playing at all, but after playing a Wav
file everything went normal.
I've manually removed the Soundfont router and completely reinstalled the
software. From that point
on I've had no problem anymore (except CW 6.01). One of CDs contains CW 6.02
express. I've
installed that and SF router worked fine. In manual installation I've
noticed that SF router requires
version CW 6.02 or later, so maybe this is the reason for all crashes.
Ok, what's on the CDs. The fist CD is from Emu. It contains drivers, mixer,
SF loader and router.
Than there is Vienna version 2.2. Before I've reinstalled the drivers I've
had no audition function,
but after that all worked flawlessly (I can work with Awe and Aps at the
same time). There is no
additional functionality included in this version. As a mater of fact, it's
quite the same software as it
was Vienna 2.1, only APS support is added. Also included on CD is Sound
Forge XP, and a midi
player which is able to load soundfonts, and some extensions to use with CW-
a new StudioWare
Panel (there are added four new controllers mapped from 21-24 which will be
used to somehow
enhance the SoundFonts 2.1 - but for now there are only SoundFonts 2.01).
Included on this CD are
also about 350Mb of SoundFonts. Mostly they are from Emu Modul Mania and Emu
Multimedia
collection and from EMU Developers Choice (small size) CDs. There are also
some new banks
converted from E4 library. Overall they are good, some of them are
excellent, but this is another
story. The second CD contains only CakeWalk Express 6.02
Then I've begun with testing. Both S/PDIF in worked OK. So far I've only
tested them with AWE
S/PDIF output. For testing outputs I've used external DAC (DDE 1.0 from
Audio Alchemy) and
both worked fine. So far I was not able to copy files from digital out to
digital in, I will try this later.
Well, for S/PDIFs out it seems that they share the same limitation as with
Live! - only 48Khz
sampling rate. All analog lines also work fine, but I was disappointed with
microphone preamp. I
have an old Shure dynamic mic (SM558SA) and when I've turn on the mic preamp
gain there was
too much noise to be usable. Maybe impedance doesn't match or maybe it's
just my mic. I will try
this again with another mic. As for S/N ratio (I have yet to perform
extensive tests) is about 90-93db.
Also MIDI in and MIDI out work ok with no noticeable latency at all.
Some words on functionality. The mixer is really great (rather slow on
screen refreshing, but this is
due to all fancy shading outlook). There are 4 effect busses that can be
used for effect routing and all
inputs and outputs can also have inserts. You can also create 5 MIDI
submixes. Almost everything is
reroutable to anything. The only things I miss so far are more wave devices.
The effects are another
story. They are great too, especially shelf and parametric EQ (for the first
time I was able to get the
piano sound I like). Effects are fully tweakable, so you can adjust almost
anything you want. Maybe
it would be nice to have some additional effects, like rotatory speaker
emulation. One of the greatest
disappointments was the MIDI implementation. At first glance it seems that
it is equal to the
implementation of the AWE. I've really expected to see the power of the new
chip, but for now I just
have to wait (I hope). There are however 4 new controllers added, but for
now with no support. On
the other hand: documentation sucks. I miss a lot of information about the
card. There are no S/PDIF
specifications, nothing about ADC/DAC, nothing about impedance - nothing.
And of course no 3d
sound and no EAX. However the APS can also handle CD digital input (there is
44.1Khz question
about rate conversion) and Future Expansion connector which will be used for
who now what.
I still have to do some hardware inspection to see if I can resolve some
questions (E-card is
connected with E-drive with strip cable, so one would expect the AD is done
on the E-Drive, on the
other hand headphone connector on E-drive is connected with audio cable to
the card) and some
software tweaking. Oh, yes I have no glitches or any cranking noise with all
video activity.
Overall it is a good card meant for musicians and for 570$ (that's what I've
paid for purchase,
mailing and all import taxes) I'm satisfied (for now).
Best regards, Vili
SoundFont Information
> Than there is Vienna version 2.2. Before I've reinstalled the drivers I've
> had no audition function,
> but after that all worked flawlessly (I can work with Awe and Aps at the
> same time). There is no
> additional functionality included in this version. As a mater of fact, it's
> quite the same software as it
> was Vienna 2.1, only APS support is added.
First of all, we apologize for not emphasizing the differences between Vienna
2.1 and 2.2 in the product. We will look into making this more obvious in future
skews and revs and on the web site.
Two features were added to Vienna 2.2. Pretty big ones...
First of all, notice the Waveform dialog box now has an 'Edit' box. This ties
the displayed wave file directly to any wave editor you like (that takes a
command line arguement) and completely automates exporting displayed waveforms
and re-importing them. The next best thing to Vienna supporting wave editing.
But, in a way, it really is better because you don't have to learn how to use a
new wave editor! You can select from as many as 8 different waveform editors
(using one at a time, of course).
The second feature can be found by first selecting a zone, any zone, right
clicking. You'll notice a new entry not previously found in Vienna 2.1. It is
called "Modulator Properties." Bring that up and all will be made clear...
This feature will only work on APS, because APS supports...
> enhance the SoundFonts 2.1 - but for now there are only SoundFonts 2.01).
Some GUI's show the format as 2.1, others as 2.01. They are one and the same.
Basically SoundFont 2.1 is full patch cord support for use with the MIDI engine.
It is fully supported on APS in both authoring and playback.
You don't think we'd tease you THAT much, do you? ;-)We have been keeping the
SoundFont 2.1 feature a bit hush because Sound Blaster Live! supports SoundFont
2.0. There are lots of reasons for this, mostly marketing requirements for
different customers as well as CPU performance issues.
SBLive! owners should also know that Vienna 2.3 simply adds SBLive! driver
support for Vienna 2.2. But SBLive! drivers still won't support SF2.1. But do
know that the technology is fully defined, APS is a tested and working platform
utilizing this technology so therefore the technology works, and we're really
good friends with the SBLive! software team. V2.3 will still have the wave
editor feature.
Many thanks for the kind words and the criticisms. We hope you enjoy the
product!
--
SoundFont Technical Support
Joint E-mu/Creative Technology Center
Viljem Krizman
SoundFont Information wrote in message <35F726B5...@emu.com>...
>Two features were added to Vienna 2.2. Pretty big ones...
>
>First of all, notice the Waveform dialog box now has an 'Edit' box. This
ties
>the displayed wave file directly to any wave editor you like (that takes a
>command line arguement) and completely automates exporting displayed
waveforms
>and re-importing them. The next best thing to Vienna supporting wave
editing.
>But, in a way, it really is better because you don't have to learn how to
use a
>new wave editor! You can select from as many as 8 different waveform
editors
>(using one at a time, of course).
This is a nice feature, which saves a lot of time, but brings no additional
functionality into sound.
>
>The second feature can be found by first selecting a zone, any zone, right
>clicking. You'll notice a new entry not previously found in Vienna 2.1. It
is
>called "Modulator Properties." Bring that up and all will be made clear...
>
THIS IS AWESOME. Thanks for being so kind and remind me
to reread the documentation (modulator properties are described in it).
I think this will keep me busy quite a lot of time and let me
see the whole card in completely new perspective.
To see what I'm talking about check http://www.soundfont.com.
(BTW: Real audio examples don't work and something is
wrong in SoundFont 2.1 Technical Specification (PDF)).
>This feature will only work on APS, because APS supports...
Would be nice to have some LFOs in sources. But I'll wait for ...
(whatever that will be).
>You don't think we'd tease you THAT much, do you? ;-)
Are there any more features like that?
Thx, Vili
BalloonHead
|support for Vienna 2.2. But SBLive! drivers still won't support SF2.1. But do
|know that the technology is fully defined, APS is a tested and working platform
|utilizing this technology so therefore the technology works, and we're really
|good friends with the SBLive! software team. V2.3 will still have the wave
|editor feature.
Ooooooh, I seeee!
So, you release a soundcard called the SBLIVE, already have the APS out.
They are the same cards except support more outputs and then the same
company that makes both, waves the APS in our faces and tells us how the APS,
being just different is software, is superior, more supported and how we will never
get what the APS has!!!
Soooo, CL is more than willing to beat the competition but still make us feel slighted
by buying their products.
It is better that you never told us the "truths" about the APS, as we have the exact same card
basicaly but you outright told us "hahahha, we won't give you the ability to use all the ability of your
cards like we have allowed for the APS".
And you wonder why people hate you and Creative Labs?
SoundFont Information
> So, you release a soundcard called the SBLIVE, already have the APS out.
> They are the same cards except support more outputs and then the same
> company that makes both, waves the APS in our faces and tells us how the APS,
> being just different is software, is superior, more supported and how we will never
> get what the APS has!!!
We never said or implied any of this at all.
We're not waving APS in anyone's faces. We never said APS was a superior product. We never said that
technology that ships with APS would not someday be made available for SBLive! In fact, we never advertised
or even went out of our way to mention APS on this news group or other news groups frequented by Creative
Labs customers. I made this *one* posting to *correct a misunderstanding* that was posted about APS, and now
I regret it.
Also, APS is not "more supported" than SBLive! In many ways SBLive! is superior to APS. APS has no 3D audio
accelleration. APS has no EAX support. In fact, APS has no computer game support whatsoever! Finally, APS is
not and will never be a good economic choice for anyone who wants a sound card that just plays audio for
games. SBLive! has all of this and much more.
APS and SBLive! are not superior/inferior, they are just different. They are different products intended for
different markets which had different requirements with different features, and each and every one of those
features took our individual software development and test teams time to research, design, implement and
test. It took a completely seperate software team just as long to develop SoundFont 2.1 technology as it
took the SBLive! team to develop EAX and Environmental Audio technology, if not longer. Would anyone who has
an SBLive! today really have preferred CL wait another year before shipping SBLive! just for SoundFont 2.1
support? I don't think so.
Finally, CL customers should be happy that more than one software development team is creating new
technology for the EMU10K1 processor. They should consider the fact that it is simply just not possible to
develop software that uses the EMU10K1 in every way it possibly can be used and make all of that available
upon first customer ship of the first product that has an EMU10K1 in it. This is what makes the SBLive!, and
all other EMU10K1 based platforms for that matter, a "living product"; the fact that we really do have
independent teams working for the same company who are developing new and different ways to exploit the
power of the EMU10K1 audio processor, and that because of this, all of our customers will continue to get
new and better features on their one time hardware investment by just downloading latest software every now
and then.
--
SoundFont Information
BalloonHead
Even if it means an extra $20-$40 for upgraded software and firmware/10K1 code for
the extra functionality.
This is what I was griping about as we were not offered the option except buying an APS,
which I don't need, esp. with its ugly drive bay thingy ;-).
Jay C. Parangalan
> I want everything the APS can do (firmware/10K1Codewise)
> for my SBLIVE. Even if it means an extra $20-$40 for
> upgraded software and firmware/10K1 code for the extra
> functionality.
Then think of the APS as a $400 firmware/driver update.
Don't even begin to expect its capabilities to only be worth $20-$40
market value. That's like asking Autodesk to sell 3D-Studio MAX for
under $50 because, "It's just a hyped-up graphics editor. My Pentium
can do everything except it just doesn't have the software installed."
--
Jay C. Parangalan, http://www.jps.net/firefly0/
aka Jaenathan AzureRose of River's Rest, Elanthia
ForMyE...@goaway.com
>technology for the EMU10K1 processor. They should consider the fact that it is simply just not possible to
>develop software that uses the EMU10K1 in every way it possibly can be used and make all of that available
>upon first customer ship of the first product that has an EMU10K1 in it. This is what makes the SBLive!, and
>all other EMU10K1 based platforms for that matter, a "living product"; the fact that we really do have
>independent teams working for the same company who are developing new and different ways to exploit the
>power of the EMU10K1 audio processor, and that because of this, all of our customers will continue to get
>new and better features on their one time hardware investment by just downloading latest software every now
>and then.
This last paragraph was great! I couldn't agree more! Infact, the only
question I have about all this software upgrading stuff, is will it
ALWAYS be free downloads, or is some of it going to cost money to get
ahold of?
Incidentally, any time soon that new driver and some soundfonts and
Vienna for SB Live will be available. Sometime in September could mean
3 more weeks. :)
Keep up the great work..I am one hell of a very happy customer with my
SB Live. Next week I am buying the Live Value for my other computer,
and so far I have been able to get 11 people to buy the SB Live (pro)
for you guys! :) Do I get a free one? ;) I want a Value just for my
music/games stuff, and I keep this fully loaded one incase I ever do
have the use for digital in/outs.
Bring on the new features..I am waiting! :)
BalloonHead
Hardwarewise I can justify paying much extra, but $400 for added funcionality through a firmware upgrade,
CL must be nuts charging more than $100.
Time to start reverse engineering. :-)
We did it before on the AWE32 :-).
Jay C. Parangalan
> Time to start reverse engineering. :-)
> We did it before on the AWE32 :-).
Really? What did people do, and what functionality did this add? I
don't think I've heard this story yet, but it's piqued my interest. -:)
BalloonHead
the EMU8000's registers, leading to several EMU8000 native mode .MOD players and trakkers being released.
Vince Vu was hired by EMU to do programming for them and as far as I know, he still works there.
Vince is the person who got Creative Labs to release its EMU8000 programming kit/register level information.
Last time I heard from Vince, he was working on programming special effects for the EMU8000.
Vince knew about the EMU10K1 a year and 1/2 ago and was very excited.
Its amazing how these companies know exactly where they are heading.
zinus
I am willing to give up all the functionality of
Live related to: games support, EAX, Env. Audio,
4/6/8 speaker support, etc...
BUT!!! I want more APS features like:
1) 5-6 effects PER MIDI channel, not 2 global MIDI effects
2) fully configurable effects
3) compressor and EQ(param and shel)
4) PATCH CORD!!! support
5) SoundFont 2.1 support
6) Vienna supporting all the stuff above
My BIG question:
Codewriters!!
Can you rewrite APS's drivers for Live???
That would be great for all musicians (amateur).
Gamers should stay on regular drivers with support for games
and stuff.
Thanks!
Any info welcome!!
P.S. Of course, it would be much easier to buy APS, but I don't
have that money.
700$ is really too much for amateur!
P.S. One more question:
Digital in/out on Live is 16, 20 or 24 bits wide??
Creative claims it is 20 or 24, but Arny Krueger measured
only 16 bits.
So I am wondering who is right?
Wolfgang-Alexander Dimitrow
<Viljem....@ijs.si> wrote:
>I
>Overall it is a good card meant for musicians and for 570$ (that's what I've
>paid for purchase,
>mailing and all import taxes) I'm satisfied (for now).
>
>Best regards, Vili
>
>
Where did you order the card ? and how long was the shipping ?
thanx,
Wolfgang
ca...@sonidomedia.com
The APS is different from the Live! in the sense that it is better
built, it's quieter, definitely less distortion at output (since you
get 2 1/4" outputs) , has a drive bay with balanced outputs, flawless
SF2.1 support (Live! is still buggy).... in all, the APS simply has
higher quality components.
Granted, the software is also much better for music making/effects
control. However, the APS also uses it's chip power to generate more
musically useful effects. The Live! uses a substantial amount of chip
power for EAX. A trade-off?
- Victor
http://www.sonidomedia.com
SoundFont CD-ROMS!
On Thu, 10 Sep 1998 09:51:39 -0500, "BalloonHead" <b...@bh.org> wrote:
>Soooo, CL is more than willing to beat the competition but still make us =
>feel slighted
>by buying their products.
>It is better that you never told us the "truths" about the APS, as we =
>have the exact same card
>basicaly but you outright told us "hahahha, we won't give you the =
Viljem Krizman
> >Overall it is a good card meant for musicians and for 570$ (that's > > > what I've paid for purchase, mailing and all import taxes) I'm > >satisfied (for now).
> Where did you order the card ? and how long was the shipping ?
I've ordered it from The Direct Shop in Germany:
http://www.musicians-gear.com/. The delivery time specified
on invoice was 3 weeks, but due to the holidays, I've had to wait
for five weeks.
Vili
BalloonHead
|built, it's quieter, definitely less distortion at output (since you
|get 2 1/4" outputs)
What clown told you that larger plugs and sockets reduce distortion?
, has a drive bay with balanced outputs, flawless
|SF2.1 support (Live! is still buggy)
Live indeed is buggy.
|
The Live! uses a substantial amount of chip
|power for EAX. A trade-off?
Screw EAX and multispeaker crap.
I want a killer synth, not this "3D" sound crap
that isn't profound anyhow.