ESI U-46XL USB Sound Card

he U46XL is a powerful multi-purpose 4-in 6-out multi-channel audio interface designed for various recording applications at home or on the road. The U46XL is the successor of to ESI Audio's famous U46DJ interface.

As its predecessor, it provides 2 stereo line inputs, a microphone input with +48V phantom power and a headphone output. A main difference is the improved analog circuitry improving the audio quality as well as the professional microphone preamplifier with XLR input. This makes the U46XL the perfect solution to record signals from dynamic or condenser microphones on the road or in your studio.

The unit also features an instrument input (Hi-Z), typically to connect a guitar directly to it. Two totally separate stereo line input on the backside provide 4 simultaneously usable input channels at one time. There are also 6 independent individual outputs on the backside, perfect for multi-channel playback applications like to provide individual outputs for software synthesizers, to provide independent playback channels for DJ software or to provide surround playback capability via a 5.1 setup. A separate mix output with professional TRS outputs could be used to connect U46XL to professional stereo studio monitors.

A cool feature is the DirectWIRE support in the driver, allowing you to record signals from one application to another internally. U46XL works with this driver based on our EWDM technology under Windows XP and Windows Vista/7, however U46XL is also Mac OS X compatible.

U46XL ships with Cubase LE 4 from Steinberg for Mac and PC to start recording on a professional level right out of the box.

MOTU FireWire audio interfaces are fully compatible with FireWire 800-equipped Macs. All you need is a standard FireWire 400-to-800 cable. Just plug in and go. The FireWire bus operates at 400 Mb/sec, providing the same high speed, low latency and rock solid reliability that MOTU FireWire interfaces are known for.

Connect all of your audio instruments and gear, including mics, guitars, synths, keyboards, drum machines and even effects processors. Record, monitor, route and process all of these live inputs using the professional on-board CueMix FX digital mixer with no latency and no processor strain on your computer. Apply hardware DSP-driven effects processing to inputs, outputs, and busses independent of your host computer.

Add Classic Reverb™ with lengths up to 60 seconds. Further sculpt your sound with 7-band parametric EQ featuring filter types carefully modeled after British analog console EQs. Choose between two forms of compression: a conventional compressor and the Leveler™, an accurate model of the legendary LA-2A™ optical compressor that provides vintage, musical automatic gain control. When recording from the four mic/guitar inputs, the Traveler-mk3ʼs signal overload protection gives you an extra 12 dB of headroom above zero with no clipping or harsh artifacts.

After programming the on-board mixing in the studio, unplug the Traveler-mk3, remove the rack brackets, and take it on the road for operation as a portable, bus-powered audio interface for a laptop or battery-operated stand-alone mixer with effects. The Traveler slides easily into your backpack and fits neatly beneath your laptop. All mixing and effects parameters are adjustable using the front panel backlit LCD. Record extended sessions even in the most remote locations with the complete freedom of field battery power.

The Traveler-mk3 provides cross-platform compatibility with Mac and Windows and all of your favorite audio software and host-based effects via WDM/ASIO/Core Audio drivers. Or you can use the included AudioDesk workstation software for Mac, with 24-bit recording/editing and 32-bit mixing/processing/mastering.

The FA-66 is a 6-channel portable FireWire audio interface designed with the mobile recording and performance professional in mind. The FA-66 offers incredible audio fidelity, stability, and a practical set of input and output options. It also offers two XLR/TRS combo inputs with phantom power, plus two RCA inputs, four balanced +4dBu outputs, optical S/PDIF I/O, a built-in analog limiter, zero-latency direct monitoring, solid metal construction, and FireWire bus power, all in a durable compact case.

    * 6-in/6-out 24-bit/96kHz simultaneous performance
    * 4-in/4-out 24-bit/192kHz simultaneous performance
    * 2 XLR/TRS combo jacks w/premium phantom-powered mic preamps
    * +4 dB balanced input and output
    * S/PDIF optical input & output ports with Sync LED indicator
    * MIDI in/out ports
    * Built-in analog limiter and indicator
    * FireWire bus powered
    * AC adaptor included
    * Mac OS X CoreAudio and Windows XP WDM and ASIO 2.0 support
    * Zero-latency Direct Monitoring
    * 6-pin and 4-pin IEEE1394 ports
    * Compact, solid-metal construction

Computer Based Recording Packages 

Computer-Based Recording Packages For All Players Of Musical Instruments 

The AUDIOGRAM Series has been carefully designed to make setting up your computer-based recording environment an absolute breeze. Coming as a complete kit, the AUDIOGRAM6 and AUDIOGRAM3 each bundle together a hardware interface that adds audio inputs and outputs to your computer, software for recording and producing music, and a USB cable for connecting the audio interface. As such, either package will instantly turn your computer into a powerful yet intuitive tool for recording and editing audio from virtually any microphone or audio input device. What's more, setup is as easy as installing the bundled music-production application, CUBASE AI, on your computer and connecting the audio interface using the USB cable provided! You're then ready to connect instruments, microphones, CD players, MP3 players, and even old record or tape players for recording straight into CUBASE AI.

Turn your computer into a powerful digital audio workstation with eight mic inputs. Or add eight high-quality mic/instrument inputs to your current system.

The 8pre FireWire audio interface delivers everything you need to turn your computer into a powerful 24-bit, 96kHz digital audio workstation. The 8pre provides eight microphone/instrument preamps with pristine 96kHz analog recording and playback, combined with 8 channels of ADAT optical digital I/O. Expand your system by connecting additional 8pres or other MOTU FireWire audio interfaces.

Use the included CueMix™ software to mix all 16 inputs from your computer. Eight channels of ADAT optical I/O make the 8pre an ideal companion for a digital mixer. Two ADAT lightpipe connections work together to support a full 8 channels of optical digital I/O at any sample rate up to 96kHz.

Connect all of your studio gear, including microphones, guitars, synths, keyboards, drum machines and even effects processors. Then monitor all of these live inputs via the 8preʼs main outs or headphone jack — with virtually no monitoring latency and no processor drain on your computer. You can even create separate monitor mixes for the main outs and headphones. Control everything, including talk-back and listen-back, from the included CueMix Console™ software, just like a large studio console.

The 8pre includes a 16-channel MIDI interface. Simply plug in your FireWire cable, and both MIDI and audio are ready to go. Connect any MIDI device, such as a controller keyboard, synth module, automated control surface or drum machine. Timing is sample-accurate with supporting software.

The 8pre provides cross-platform compatibility with Mac OS X 10.3 or higher, Windows XP and all of your favorite audio software and host-based effects via WDM/ASIO/Core Audio drivers. Or you can use the included AudioDesk workstation software for Mac OS, with 24-bit recording/editing and 32-bit mixing/processing/mastering.

The 8pre is really two products in one. When it is not connected to a computer via FireWire, the 8pre functions as an eight-channel analog to digital (optical) converter. Connect the 8pre to your MOTU 828, 896, Traveler or even another 8pre via the optical "lightpipe” connection to add eight high-quality microphone pre-amps to your system. Since the connection is digital, 100% pristine sound is maintained, down to the very last sample.

MOTU FireWire audio interfaces are fully compatible with FireWire 800-equipped Macs. All you need is a standard FireWire 400-to-800 cable. Just plug in and go. The FireWire bus operates at 400 Mb/sec, providing the same high speed, low latency and rock solid reliability that MOTU FireWire interfaces are known for.

The 8pre is the perfect way to instantly add eight more mic inputs to any audio interface or digital mixer with optical I/O. If you have a MOTU interface with on-board CueMix DSP mixing, such as the 828mkII, 896HD or Traveler, the 8pre inputs appear directly in the host interface's CueMix mixer to becomes a transparent extension of your system, operating together with your primary interface as a single, integrated unit — even when the host interface is not connected to a computer and is instead operating as a stand-alone mixer.

If you have a 2408mk3, digital mixer or other audio device that supports 96kHz optical and also has two optical inputs, the 8pre connects to it via both optical ports to provide a full eight channels of analog to optical conversion at the 88.2 or 96kHz sample rates.

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS - Mac

    * OS X Leopard 10.5.8 or Snow Leopard 10.6.3
    * 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)
    * 6 GB free disk space
    * Intel® processor (no PowerPC® support)
    * One native USB port

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS - PC

    * Windows® XP 32-bit SP3, Windows Vista® 32-bit SP2, Windows 7 32-bit Native, or Windows 7 64-bit Native
    * 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)
    * 5 GB free disk space
    * One native USB port

What's in the Box?

    * Mbox Mini interface
    * Pro Tools LE 8 software DVD-ROM installer (includes electronic versions of user guides, plus software plug-in bundle)
    * Mbox user guide
    * Registration information card
    * USB cable