 |
Citronic AC-1
by Seven17
I have been using this device on my MacBook Pro since the 2012 edition does not have an audio input and i needed a way to record my DJ mixes on the move. So a very good mark to note there: This works on Mac! The device comes in it's own packaging, Citronic have very kindly left out that hard to get into thick plastic and instead it is ... supplied in cardboard backed plastic which you can tear open and start using immediately. Set up is simple if you have audacity and if you don't it comes free on a grey disc with hard to read text in small print (not so helpful).
Citronic have always made good quality DJ equipment and this is no exception. the casing is made from solid plastic, the gain control feels very smooth and there is no quartz lock. The switch in the middle is sturdy and does not move around or make a clunking noise. Sound quality is not compromised for design or the sake of being compact and there is crystal clear signal coming through. There is a small LED which flickers between red and green depending on sound status.
The only negative i can find with this, is the over sensitive Phono connection. Line is absolutely fine, no problems with that but the phono is very loud. I have my DJ mixer switched down to master output 1 out of 10 volume, and it still clips on audacity, and the gain wont make a difference since its for the line connection only. Keep the volume down and you'll be alright.
The manual that comes with this has two pages of english and is of absolutely no help whatsoever for mac users but will prove straight forward and easy for windows users with a step by step guide.
This is a great little device for recording mixes, converting your old vinyl and what not to digital but is really useless if you already have a line in connection on your computer. I am a 2012 MacBook user and needed this because i don't have one, save yourself £30 otherwise! Despite the quality sound and ease of portability and set up it is highly over priced. i would have been happy with half that but because there are few other like this around for anything less than £30 I had to make do.
Read the complete review |
 |
M-Audio Fast Track Pro
by Bunters1994
Home recording is one of those tricky things that is so difficult to get spot on. I have heard many people (with the same equipement) produce great recordings, or recordings that sound like they were recorded using a phone mic. M-Audio already produces a huge array of products from mics to mixing boards and are pretty well established ... with regards to reputation and product range.
I encountered some issues with installing drivers when I got my M-Audio fast track pro, and went straight to the customer support site. On the site I found endless help from professionals and the general community. That's one thing I love about the music community, many people have worked out things for themselves and are eager to go online and help others out. It really boosts the community.
Well that's the community support we can check off the list, the next and most important aspect of this piece of kit is of course, the tone. Basically what this little piece of kit is, is a soundcard in a case that can be plugged into your computer via USB. This makes it great if you're a musician "on the go" and enjoy the handiness of simply plugging in your recording device and being ready to go in seconds. The box has a really nice Direct Monitor button which allows even faster processing of what is being recorded, minimising latency and delay.
For those who don't know what latency is, when you record something into your computer sometimes it does not record exactly where you pressed the record button, but may be 0.1 of a second ahead of itself. trust me this gets annoying when you have abuot 5 layers of guitars, bass and drums on one track!
The array of inputs on this little box is mindblowing. It's amazing to see how technology has come along over the previous years considering you used to pay around £1000 for a desk with the ability to plug a couple of mics into and do a little mixing. You are able to plug standard jack cables as well as XLR Mic cables which ticks all the boxes for recording inputs. Let's face it, it's nor really often you're going to be using anything but those inputs.
The Fast Track Pro came with a copy of Pro Tools which allows you to jump right into the game of recording as soon as you get the gear. I didn't choose to use this, I have become so accustomed to Cubase 4 that anything else it just confusing to me. I did take a little look around this software however, it seems to be easy enough to use (much easier than Cubase was at the begining for me) however did lag my computer quite a bit. However, just because this comes with Pro Tools, does not mean you have to use it with Pro Tools. The Fast Track will become a recognised input into your computer allowing it to be used for Skype, msn, audacity you name it! It's basically a handy way of plugging a jack cable into your computer.
I must say, I do not miss the £120 I parted with to pay for this, it was worth it!
Read the complete review |
 |
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! Pro
by dirtybassdj
- Introduction -
There are many USB sound cards available to purchase on today's market with a huge margin difference between certain makes and models. The SoundBlaster from Creative is one external card which could be seen as a more premium option as alternative usb cards can be bought from as cheap as £1.00!
- ... Installation -
The device is compatible with Microsoft Windows and comes with a software/driver CD. The installation process is straight forward and simple like any other hardware installation. Drivers can be obtained online aswell as using the disc which is included.
- Appearance -
The device itself has a black casing, and is aprox the size of two usb ports in width, it has a mic (line-in) and a speaker (headphone out) both of which are 3.5mm slots.
- Features -
The device features Creative's Xtreme Fidelity audio technology for restoring the detail and clarity of compressed audio files. The X-Fi Go offers the Creative EAX ADVANCED HD sound effects and ALchemy surround sound for Windows Vista. The Sound Blaster X-Fi Go has also 1GB storage capacity for users to store custom gaming profiles, plug-ins, add-ons, as well as Creative's bonus applications such as "WaveStudio" and "Karaoke".
- Quality of Sound -
In terms of USB soundcard's the quality of sound is very varied and is significantly poorer on cheaper makes and models, with the Creative SoundBlaster you can always expect to receive the highest level and quality of sound even though the unit is operated by USB rather than the integrated card found in your Laptop or PC, however its noticeable that you will never receive the exact same quality of audio in comparison to whats been sent directly through your internal sound card however for an additional line, whether it be for recording or monitoring purposes the device works just how you would expect it.
There is no delay in the processing of sound and although the bass isn't quite as good as an integrated card it still delivers a good sound for voice recordings, movies etc.
- Conclusion -
If you are really fussy with the type of sound you receive from your card then you may need to look at spending slightly more with a product from M Audio or Behringer for example or maybe even just a card featuring split lines or surround sound setup.
Overall though considering the price, convenience and design I would really recommend this to anyone who is after an external sound card for average use without breaking the bank!!
Thanks for reading. =)
Read the complete review |
