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At this point, I cannot find any vendors in the US listing it as available yet. There are some vendors in the UK showing it with a price on their web sites, but I wonder if it's actually in stock already. E-MU's press releases indicated it should have hit the market ~6 weeks ago.
In any case, it should sound like an 0202 USB, because the difference is only in the analog inputs as far as I can tell. It uses the same DAC chip as the 0202 USB (CS4392), not the AK4396 as is in the 0404 USB.
jilgiljongiljing recently posted his head-to-head review of the 0202 USB and 0404 USB in this subforum.
The Tracker Pre is basically a 0202 USB with the following changes:
-requires external 5V power supply
-slightly higher headphone output power
-one extra 1/4" TS input
-one extra 1/4" combo XLR/TS input
-an 1/8" stereo input (vs. mono 1/8" input)
-no 1/8" stereo output
-48V phantom power
The last change is a significant feature for people who want to record, as the lack of phantom power in the 0202 USB really limits microphone selection. IMO, the addition of phantom power is the whole reason for this product's existence.
For playback purposes, the two are equivalent. The headphone output power and dynamic range of the Tracker Pre are slightly higher (probably due to the addition of the external power supply), but the difference isn't great.
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Last edited by infinitesymphony; 03-05-2008 at 04:25 AM.
I think you are mistaken about the requirement of external power. Here is the line from the specs:
USB Bus or AC powered via optional Universal Power Supply
Also, if you look at the what is listed in the contents of the box you will notice that no external power supply is listed.
I, too, have been waiting for this device but frequent searches of google show no US vendors who are listing or stocking this device.
Having owned previous E-MU PCI sound cards, the success of this device will rest on the quality of their drivers. In the past I have encountered serious problems with their drivers which E-MU admitted to but were reluctant to correct. Not a great customer experience.
There haven't been any major issues AFAIK with the drivers for the 0404 USB/0202 USB. Some users have had issues with particular wireless cards causing dropouts, but those would presumably present the same problems with other audio devices on USB.
I think you are mistaken about the requirement of external power. Here is the line from the specs:
USB Bus or AC powered via optional Universal Power Supply
Also, if you look at the what is listed in the contents of the box you will notice that no external power supply is listed.
You're right... I'd made that assumption by looking at the back. It can even provide phantom power over USB:
CurrentMorph™, a patent-pending circuit design, allows Tracker Pre to offer +48V phantom power and use premium high-power converters while using only USB bus power.
That's pretty interesting. An external adapter might help to avoid dirty USB power or allow the Tracker Pre to be used as a standalone dedicated DAC, but it looks like it's not required for operation.
Now I know someone will surely kill me because of what I'm asking but here goes the question anyway.
I'm trying to build up a decent audio system for my laptop, so after seeing how nice are the 0202/0404 usb from an analog point of view, I was thinking about getting this Tracker Pre plus a couple of M-Audio Studiophile M40 monitors.
I've been attending to some singing classes so I could use the Tracker Pre as a recording station for vocals, but the thing I'm lately intrigued with some of my friends is KARAOKE So the dumb question is: can you use the Tracker Pre for karaoke, i.e. for live singing without buying a mixer?
So the dumb question is: can you use the Tracker Pre for karaoke, i.e. for live singing without buying a mixer?
I'd guess so, but you'll still have to deal with feedback issues, and there will be no hardware EQ to help you there like a mixer could. If you're thinking of running music through it at the same time, it might take some significant software routing to make it all work. In other words, it would be much simpler to buy a P.A. amp or mixer for karaoke.
EMU Tracker Pre
but here goes the question anyway. 
Linear Mode
