Re: Audio Interface for Notebook Users

[Brian Good <bsgood@adelphia.net>]

Rafko M wrote:
> After a thorough research on this subject, I found out that if one needs 
> multiple audio IN/OUTS, MIDI IN/OUT, HI-Z input, good mic preamps, low 
> latency, etc., there are two excellent laptop interfaces in the category 
> of "under $500"
>  
> 1) Yamaha i88x - this might be overall a better choice, except that it 
> is larger in size
>     (480 x 373 x 44mm), i.e. not as portable as the second one. This is 
> a firewire  
>     interface. You should be able to find it for $380 new. This one 
> apparently competes
>     well with MOTU's and Digidesign's more expensive interfaces. 
>  
> 2)  E-MU 1616M. Connects via included PCMCIA card. It's around $500.
>  
> Both of these interfaces were reviewed in 'Sound on Sound' and a number 
> of other tech magazines.
>  
> Rafko

I was just helping a friend with a similar purchase, and we stumbled 
across a couple new interfaces from Alesis.  Apparently only the smaller 
of the two is shipping right now.  I know absolutely nothing about their 
sound, reliability, or anything else, but they do look like they offer a 
fair bit of functionality for the price.  The smaller one looks like it 
only has two line-out channels, which makes it not so looper-friendly, 
but the larger one has 8.


http://www.alesis.com/product.php?id=95

and

http://www.alesis.com/product.php?id=96

Brian