Creative E-mu Xm7 Review
Alacoque Whitchurch
Its a sure sign that laptop recording is becoming big business when almost all of the audio interfaces landing on our reviews desk are USB or FireWire. It wasnt so long ago that PCI-based models were dominant, but new ones are something of a rarity now. One interface that is PCI is E-MUs 0404.
Sure enough, though, the company have now seen fit to launch an external version that - as its name suggests - operates over USB 2.0. At launch, this was PC-only, but beta Mac drivers were released just as we went to press.
To what level the 0404 USB 2.0 is comparable to its PCI sibling isnt really clear - it may be in name only. The external version certainly doesnt come with E-MUs PatchMix routing software or any hardware DSP-assisted effects, though both were features of the PCI model. The hardware itself is a slightly-larger-than-expected desktop box with input connectors at the front and output connectors at the rear.
There are only left and right (balanced) analogue outputs, so if youre into surround mixing, this isnt the interface for you (unless youve got a digital AC-3 decoder). The inputs are presented as Neutrik combo jacks, which offer microphone, instrument and - surprisingly - balanced line inputs for both the left and right channels. Professional-standard connectivity, in other words.
The front panel boasts a 1/4-inch headphone jack too. We can also celebrate the return of a couple of long lost friends: coaxial and optical digital connections. This is quite a surprise, as its been a while since weve seen them on an interface of this type. We have to ask, though, what might you connect them to? Both CD and DVD players are now built into our computers, and most other digital hardware equipment (reverbs, samplers, etc) has been emulated satisfactorily in software. That said, the digital I/O might be a selling point for people who have DAT machines, MiniDisc players or similar gear that needs hooking up.
One thing we should make clear, though, is that its the digital connectivity that affords the 0404 its 4-in/4-out technical specification. If you arent going to make use of this - and lets face it, most of us wont - the 0404 USB 2.0 is therefore, to all intents and purposes, only a 2-in/2-out audio interface.
MIDI I/O and a small mini-jack for desktop computer speakers completes the connectivity, but theres also a socket for a power supply. Sadly, the 0404 USB 2.0 is not bus-powered, so if you fancy a spot of battery-operated recording in remote areas, youll be left disappointed. On the plus side, the mains adapter does have the benefit of being unusually lightweight and so wouldnt add any significant load to the mobile musicians rucksack.
The design of the 0404 USB 2.0s top panel is excellent - theres something very satisfying about the layout and operation of the controls. Phantom-power is available (so studio-grade mics can be used), and, remarkably, there are ground-lift switches on the bottom of the unit so that hum problems can be easily fixed. The separate level controls for headphones and speakers are very welcome, while the status lights for MIDI In and Out are helpful too.
In use, the unit sounds great - theres absolutely nothing to complain about on that score. The control panel is easy to use, since there isnt anything much to play with except the sample rate (which goes up to 192kHz) and the ASIO buffer size. This second option is selected from a curiously large dropdown list - a bit odd, since at latency times greater than 40ms or so, youre usually not so fussy about the precise time. We struggled to get acceptable performance at latency settings lower than 10ms, though new drivers might improve this in the future.
Overall, though, the E-MU 0404 is more than just a respectable audio interface - its a very good one. The combination of top-class audio performance and comprehensive audio connectivity means that it can cope well in a wide variety of situations. Couple this with a cracking software bundle (see the Tooled up boxout) and a surprisingly low price and youre looking at a very good deal indeed.
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