E-mu 0404 & win98SE

[purplesun]

Need a bit of advice from E-mu 0404 users out there.

Got myself the 0404 recently to compare with my existing AV-710 card. My PC has 2 drive partitions. I spend most of the time in win2k partition but occassionally play games on the win98se. I found out that the 0404 does not support win98se and trying to find ways to solve this problem.

I believe my options are:-
1) Keep the AV-710 that works for both w2k and w98se.
2) Plug in both cards and use the better sounding 0404 for w2k and AV710 for win98se
3) Stop using win98se.

Are there other options available to me (without spending more $$$)? Are there any hacked drivers for the 0404 that will work on the win98se (I just need basic stereo sound output)?

Thanks in advance.

[Asmo]

Stop using windows 98se.

[450]

Originally Posted by purplesun

Need a bit of advice from E-mu 0404 users out there.

Got myself the 0404 recently to compare with my existing AV-710 card. My PC has 2 drive partitions. I spend most of the time in win2k partition but occassionally play games on the win98se. I found out that the 0404 does not support win98se and trying to find ways to solve this problem.

I believe my options are:-
1) Keep the AV-710 that works for both w2k and w98se.
2) Plug in both cards and use the better sounding 0404 for w2k and AV710 for win98se
3) Stop using win98se.

Are there other options available to me (without spending more $$$)? Are there any hacked drivers for the 0404 that will work on the win98se (I just need basic stereo sound output)?

Thanks in advance.

Just stereo you say? Windows 98se's standard sound card drivers might be able to provide you with simple stereo.

[Imyourzero]

Originally Posted by purplesun

2) Plug in both cards and use the better sounding 0404 for w2k and AV710 for win98se

In your opinion, how much better does the 0404 sound, and in what ways? I just ordered an AV-710 because it's supposed to be a pretty big leap up from an Audigy 2 in terms of sound quality. I was seriously considering the 0404 but I had already spent a lot on the other parts of my computer upgrade...but if it's noticeably better than the AV-710, maybe I'll spring for it in the future.

[450]

this is kinda complicated...but you could try a dual-boot (running 98SE and 2K on the same machine at the same time)

[Imyourzero]

Originally Posted by 450

this is kinda complicated...but you could try a dual-boot (running 98SE and 2K on the same machine at the same time)

1) He's already doing that (if I read his post correctly--he mentioned two partitions)
2) Dual-booting is not complicated; it's actually a very simple process

[purplesun]

Thanks for the responses so far.

I am indeed running a dual-boot w98se/w2k. I still use win98se for gaming, as I like the fact that it is easy to fix when game installations muck up the OS. And even if it is totally messed up, it does not bother my win2k stuff (which is the more important partition to me).

I guess I can give up win98se if need be, but want to see if I have better options.

Tried the standard drivers. But win98se does not recognise the 0404 at all and do not load it into the multimedia control panel. I can't even get the volume control panel.

Can't really describe the 0404 sound properly just yet as I just started comparing. In hindsight, I should have said "different" sounding rather than "better" sounding than AV710. I think - but I could be wrong - it has a tad less air than AV710 but livelier in the mid to low frequencies. Can't comment on the really lows as my bookshelf speakers goes deaf below 90hz.

All in all, a good problem to have. That is - whether to pick one excellent sounding card OR the other excellent sounding card OR keep both. Wish I had more problems like this.

[lan]

Dual boot Win2K and also Win2k then

[Mr.Radar]

I'd go with option 2, though option 3 would also be good.

[purplesun]

Originally Posted by Imyourzero

In your opinion, how much better does the 0404 sound, and in what ways?

After spending some time comparing the 2 cards, my comments are:

AV710 sounds slightly thinner across the frequency spectrum, while instruments (esp. acoustics) on the 0404 sounds fuller.

AV710's very-high frequencies sounds exaggerated. Which is great for expanding sound stage and make ambient-electronica compositions positively ethereal. Which is very cool, if you are into those sort of music. Also, my equpiment is excellent at smoothening harshness; so I would hazard a guess that better resolving and more accurate equipment would reveal the exaggerated highs to be quite harsh sounding.

As for mid-range and lows (can't comment on very lows as I have bookshelf speakers), AV-710 lacks the control of the 0404. Songs with lots of mid-range content sounds like "a lump of music" coming at you. But with the 0404, there is noticeable separation in instrumentation as well as vocals. The 0404 is also a tad more refine and less fatiguing. But not so much that makes it sound boring.

Equipment:
Exposure XX int amp
Mission 780 modded with solid-copper wire(TaraLabs)
TaraLabs solid-copper speaker cables
Cat5e 24AWG Interconnects to soundcard
Virtually inaudible PC setup

Music tested:
Telepopmusic - Dance Me/Incertitude D'Heisenberg
Air - Universal Traveller/Alone in Kyoto
Kosheen - Wish/Recovery
New Radicals - You get what you give
Barber's Adagio op. 11 (unknown performers)

[proxops-pete]

3) Abandon ['98 SE] ship!!!

[Imyourzero]

Originally Posted by purplesun

After spending some time comparing the 2 cards, my comments are:

AV710 sounds slightly thinner across the frequency spectrum, while instruments (esp. acoustics) on the 0404 sounds fuller.

AV710's very-high frequencies sounds exaggerated. Which is great for expanding sound stage and make ambient-electronica compositions positively ethereal. Which is very cool, if you are into those sort of music. Also, my equpiment is excellent at smoothening harshness; so I would hazard a guess that better resolving and more accurate equipment would reveal the exaggerated highs to be quite harsh sounding.

As for mid-range and lows (can't comment on very lows as I have bookshelf speakers), AV-710 lacks the control of the 0404. Songs with lots of mid-range content sounds like "a lump of music" coming at you. But with the 0404, there is noticeable separation in instrumentation as well as vocals. The 0404 is also a tad more refine and less fatiguing. But not so much that makes it sound boring.

Equipment:
Exposure XX int amp
Mission 780 modded with solid-copper wire(TaraLabs)
TaraLabs solid-copper speaker cables
Cat5e 24AWG Interconnects to soundcard
Virtually inaudible PC setup

Music tested:
Telepopmusic - Dance Me/Incertitude D'Heisenberg
Air - Universal Traveller/Alone in Kyoto
Kosheen - Wish/Recovery
New Radicals - You get what you give
Barber's Adagio op. 11 (unknown performers)

Thank you for your impressions! That's pretty much what I expected. I thought that the 0404 would be a step up from the AV-710, but perhaps not a huge leap in every aspect. I'm sure the increased sound quality justifies the extra cost to some, but as someone else pointed out I think the AV-710 is in a league of its own as far as price/performance ratio.

Now, do us a favor and buy the 1212m to compare with the 0404!

[Mr.Radar]

Check out this thread for an 0404/1212m comparison.