Creative Professional: E-MU 1820

Creative ed E-MU Systems inaugurano la nuova serie Creative Professional, con un prodotto decisamente interessante e che rappresenta una novità assoluta per Creative. Creative Professional rivolgerà i propri prodotti ad un pubblico non più composto solo da videogiocatori o appassionati di audio, ma anche ad un pubblico più attento ed esigente.

Il primo prodotto della famiglia sarà l'E-MU 1820 (E-Mu è un marchio storico nell'ambito musicale), con convertitori 24-bit/192kHz, chip interni dedicati agli effetti ed al mixaggio e compatibilità con i software audio/sequencer per PC più diffusi.

Oltre 20 effetti distribuiti in 500 preset (hardware), come nei multieffetti dedicati agli strumenti musicali, interfaccia ADAT, S/PDIF e FireWire, 6 ingressi più 2 da 1,4" bilanciati e ben 8 uscite sono solo alcune delle caratteristiche del prodotto.

Steinberg Cubase VST 32 v5.1 e Wavelab Lite V 2.5 sono il giusto corredo software per un prodotto rivolto alla registrazione multitraccia. Il prezzo dovrebbe aggirarsi sui 373 dollari iva esclusa, ottimo alla luce delle caratteristiche tecniche e della dotazione software.

Riportiamo di seguito le caratteristiche principali:

E-MU 1010 PCI card specs:

• ADAT In and Out (192kHz compatible) — switchable to optical S/PDIF
• Coaxial S/PDIF In and Out
• FireWire Port
• EDI Connector to E-MU AudioDock M

E-MU AudioDock M specs:

• Front panel:
  • Two premium TFPro™ Mic Preamps with Neutrik® Connectors, 48V Phantom Power and 40dB of Input Gain control
  • Stereo Headphone Output
  • Optical S/PDIF Output
  • MIDI In/Out 1
• Back panel:
  • Six balanced 1/4" Analog Inputs (24-bit/192kHz)
  • Eight balanced 1/4" Analog Outputs (24-bit/192kHz)
  • Stereo Turntable Input with RIAA Preamp and Ground
  • 4 Stereo 1/8" Speaker Outputs (configurable from stereo to 7.1)
  • MIDI In/Out 2
  • EDI Connector to E-MU 1010 PCI Card (no external power required)

Brief digital audio system specs:

• General:
  • Sample Rates: 44.1, 48, 96, 192kHz from internal crystal or externally supplied clock (no sample rate conversion)
  • Bit Depth: 16 or 24 bits
  • PCI Bus-Mastering DMA subsystem reduces CPU usage
  • Zero-latency direct hardware monitoring w/effects
• Analog Line Inputs (6)
  • Type: servo-balanced, DC-coupled, low-noise input circuitry
  • Level (software selectable):
    • Professional: +4dBu nominal, 20dBu maximum (balanced)
    • Consumer: —10dBV nominal, 6dBV maximum (unbalanced)
  • Frequency Response: +0.0/-0.2dB, 20Hz — 20kHz
  • THD+N (1kHz at —1dBFS): —102dB (.0008%)
  • SNR (A-weighted): 111dB
  • Dynamic Range (1kHz, A-weighted): 112dB
  • Stereo Crosstalk (1kHz at —1dBFS): < —115dB
  • Common-Mode Rejection (60Hz): > 40dB
• Analog Line Outputs (8)
  • Type: balanced, low-noise, 3-pole low-pass differential filter
  • Level (software selectable):
    • Professional: +4dBu nominal, 20dBu maximum (balanced)
    • Consumer: —10dBV nominal, 6dBV maximum (unbalanced)
  • Frequency Response: +0.0/-0.8dB, 20Hz — 20kHz
  • THD+N (1kHz signal at —1dBFS): —98dB (.0013%)
  • SNR (A-weighted): 112dB
  • Dynamic Range (1kHz, A-weighted): 112dB
  • Stereo Crosstalk (1kHz at —1dBFS): < —115dB
• Combo Microphone Preamplifier/Line Inputs (2)
  • Type: TFPro™ combination microphone preamp and line input
  • Frequency Response: +0.8/-0.1dB, 20Hz — 20kHz
  • Stereo Crosstalk (1kHz min gain, —1dBFS): < —120dB
  • Line Input:
    • Gain Range: —12 to +28dB
    • Max Level: +17dBV (19.2dBu)
    • THD+N (1kHz at —1dBFS, min gain): —94dB (.002%)
    • Dynamic Range (A-weighted, 1kHz min gain): 100dB
    • SNR (A-weighted, min gain): 100dB
    • Input Impedance: 10K ohm
    • Common-mode Rejection Ratio (60Hz): > 40dB
  • Microphone Preamplifier
    • Gain Range: +10 to +50dB
    • Max Level: —12dBV (-9.8dBu)
    • THD+N (1kHz at —1dBFS, min gain): —95dB (.0018%)
    • SNR (A-weighted, min gain): 100dB
    • Input Impedance: 330 ohms
    • Common-mode Rejection Ratio (60Hz): > 80dB
• Headphones (stereo)
  • Type: linear power amplifier
  • Frequency Response: +0.0/-0.35dB, 20Hz — 20kHz
  • THD+N (1kHz, max gain)
    • 33 ohm load: —70dB (0.032%)
    • 600 ohm load: —85dB (0.006%)
  • SNR (A-weighted): 112dB
  • Dynamic Range (A-weighted): 112dB
  • Stereo Crosstalk (1kHz at —1dBFS, 600 ohm load): < —100dB
  • Maximum Output Power: 500mW
  • Output impedance: 22 ohms
  • Gain Range: 85dB
• Phono Input (stereo)
  • Type: RIAA equalized phono input
  • Frequency Response: +/-0.5dB, 50Hz — 20kHz
  • THD+N (1kHz, 10mV RMS unbal input): —76dB (.015%)
  • SNR (10mV RMS unbal input, A-weighted): 90dB
  • Stereo Crosstalk (1kHz at —1dBFS): < —80dB
  • Maximum level:
    • Professional: 80mV RMS
    • Consumer: 20mV RMS
  • Input capacitance: 220 pF
  • Input impedance: 47K ohm
• Digital I/O
  • S/PDIF:
    • 2 in/2 out coaxial (transformer coupled)
    • 2 in/3 out optical (software switched with ADAT)
    • AES/EBU or S/PDIF format, switchable under software control
  • ADAT:
    • 8 channels, 24-bit @ 44.1/48kHz
    • 4 channels, 24-bit @ 96kHz (S-MUX compatible)
    • 2 channels, 24-bit @ 192kHz
  • Firewire:
    • 400 Mbps 1394a port (6-pin)
    • Compatible with DV cameras, storage peripherals, etc.
  • MIDI
    • 2 in, 2 out