Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Computer Audio › Talk me out of getting the E-MU 1616M laptop card...
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Talk me out of getting the E-MU 1616M laptop card...

post #1 of 39
4/10/07 at 9:51am
Thread Starter 
OK here's the deal.

1)I know the Chaintech AV-710 is a great card for the money. But from what I can gather, there is no PCMCIA laptop version. The only quality laptop sound card I have been able to find is the 1616M from EMU. I already own a SB Audigy 2Z laptop card but I want better sound quality for music. If Chaintech makes a laptop card along the lines of the 710 and uses the wolfen dac on channels 7&8 then I'll spring for it. Otherwise I'm this close to getting the 1616M, despite the price differences.


2)People have also been talking about how a good headphone amp would solve all my problems. I would not mind getting a headphone amp if it weren't for the fact that it needs to be externally powered. Is there a headphone amp that does NOT require power? Perhaps one that can be powered from the USB port?

3)Finally, I'm assuming the 1616M PCMCIA card can be used alone for headphone listening, right? If so, how do you think it sounds? Is there a built in amp in the card itself? Would it sound as good on its own as it would when using headphones from the microdock?
Reply
post #2 of 39
4/10/07 at 3:18pm
As for number 2. It is the nature of headphones, and music reproduction in general, that they require "power" in order to function. In extremely general terms, outboard amplification is providing more "power" to better drive the headphones and help them to fulfill their music reproduction potential, than the average headphone jack found in most consumer electronics. So, all amplifiers will need power of some sort to function. Many small portable amplifiers are battery powered.

As for the 1616M, I don't have any experience with that specific unit, but I do have quite a bit with the 1820M, which is very similar. The built in amplifier will drive most any dynamic headphone to ear-splitting volumes and will deliver a satisfying musical experience; to a point. Will it meet the full potential of any quality headphone? No. But it will get you pretty close and it would certainly provide an excellent spring board for future upgrades through its analog and digital output.

Another thing to consider is a USB DAC, or a DAC, amp combo. This could bypass completely the need for a quality soundcard. Others can speak more to this point but some of the possibilities include the Micro Stack from Headroom, the Corda Aria, Dared MP5 or, depending on your budget, the new USB version of the Benchmark DAC1. There are tons of possibilities out there.
Reply
post #3 of 39
4/10/07 at 7:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JSTpt1022 View Post
As for number 2. It is the nature of headphones, and music reproduction in general, that they require "power" in order to function. In extremely general terms, outboard amplification is providing more "power" to better drive the headphones and help them to fulfill their music reproduction potential, than the average headphone jack found in most consumer electronics. So, all amplifiers will need power of some sort to function. Many small portable amplifiers are battery powered.

As for the 1616M, I don't have any experience with that specific unit, but I do have quite a bit with the 1820M, which is very similar. The built in amplifier will drive most any dynamic headphone to ear-splitting volumes and will deliver a satisfying musical experience; to a point. Will it meet the full potential of any quality headphone? No. But it will get you pretty close and it would certainly provide an excellent spring board for future upgrades through its analog and digital output.

Another thing to consider is a USB DAC, or a DAC, amp combo. This could bypass completely the need for a quality soundcard. Others can speak more to this point but some of the possibilities include the Micro Stack from Headroom, the Corda Aria, Dared MP5 or, depending on your budget, the new USB version of the Benchmark DAC1. There are tons of possibilities out there.
Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I really need to avoid anything that requires external power though, because whatever I get will be used in a car and in a laptop. In a car, I would need to find a way to feed power to an external usb dac, as well as the pc itself. A pain in the ass that I want to avoid. A pcmcia card is so much simpler. You just plug it in and it's powered by the pc.
Reply
post #4 of 39
4/10/07 at 8:17pm
Right you probably want to consider a USB DAC based unit whether it be the EMU 0404 USB or something fancier/smaller whatever. There is a noticeble improvement in having your DACing happening outside of the EM soup that is a computer (Laptop or otherwise). Also, then its not married to one unit. I take my EMU 0404 usb back and forth from work and home. The only issue I have with it is that it does require drivers to be installed for full functionality.... the Bithaed (And I'm sure other stuff like Corda DAC/amps) don't require drivers. That's nice.

Edit: Oops missed your bit about powering it... yeah I feel you there. A Bithead I think can be powered from batteries if not USB (Not really sure).
Reply
post #5 of 39
4/12/07 at 3:27am
It's unfortunate that you won't find uses for many of the 1616M's features, but I don't think you'll find a better solution for the price. The Benchmark DAC-1 USB is probably the next step up at around $1,000.

I'm considering upgrading from the 1212M to the 1616M for its mic preamps.
Reply
post #6 of 39
4/12/07 at 4:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by infinitesymphony View Post
It's unfortunate that you won't find uses for many of the 1616M's features, but I don't think you'll find a better solution for the price. The Benchmark DAC-1 USB is probably the next step up at around $1,000.

I'm considering upgrading from the 1212M to the 1616M for its mic preamps.
who knows, maybe I WILL eventually use quite a bit of its features. I;m a sucker for tweaking and experimenting with music. I love messing around with music manipulation software hearing the different effects they can make on music.

I've no doubt I'll have my hands full with the plethora of options the 1616M has to offer
Reply
post #7 of 39
4/12/07 at 4:36am
I'd rather talk you into get 1616m. I own 1616 and love it... (but my laptop has no PCMCIA, cry...)

But to be realistic. The DAC abilities of the dock and the interface which make up the 1616m are identical. The interface, aka emu-02, at $150, is the best way to go if you do not need recording, it sounds excellent, I believe better than the Micro DAC (I can't use it because my laptop has no PCMCIA). It is also loud and drives headphones just as willingly as the Total Bithead, but is also smaller. If you want to get even more excellent performance - just throw in a nice amp of your own choice, SR-71 would make for an excellent combo and runs on batteries if you need on the go performance (as opposed to 1616m dock which requires a power supply).
Reply
post #8 of 39
4/12/07 at 8:06am
Thread Starter 
Too late

Won an auction off ebay for $412

Get the feeling it's gonna be money well spent.
Reply
post #9 of 39
4/12/07 at 9:30am
Congratulations! I'm envious...

I just noticed that the headphone jack is rated with 115 dB SNR. That's a pretty incredible spec... Very near the stated 120 dB SNR specification for the CS4398 DAC.

Put it this way... I was incredibly happy when I found out that my Pioneer Elite A-35R integrated amplifier had a dynamic range of 106 dB. My other receivers are in the high 80 dBs, which is quite common, but that doesn't even given them the full dynamic range of a normal CD.
Reply
post #10 of 39
4/12/07 at 12:24pm
...
Reply
post #11 of 39
4/13/07 at 4:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by infinitesymphony View Post
Congratulations! I'm envious...

I just noticed that the headphone jack is rated with 115 dB SNR. That's a pretty incredible spec... Very near the stated 120 dB SNR specification for the CS4398 DAC.

Put it this way... I was incredibly happy when I found out that my Pioneer Elite A-35R integrated amplifier had a dynamic range of 106 dB. My other receivers are in the high 80 dBs, which is quite common, but that doesn't even given them the full dynamic range of a normal CD.
Thanks Interesting facts.
Reply
post #12 of 39
5/10/07 at 3:46pm
the 1616m has the same dac as the digidesign 192i/o, wich was made for use with protools HD setups. in my opinion, one of the best DAC's on earth. this is the reason i got the card, and it does sound nearly identical to the playback of Dynamix Records studio in miami's setup (i built their D.A.W. and sample server - Protools HD|3 + 3x 192i/o's)... as for the pcmcia card version of this interface, the card alone's output is unamped. i have seen producers and DJ's who use laptops with the card only, but have an external amp and still sounds alright, but nothing close to the sound with the breakout box.
Reply
post #13 of 39
5/10/07 at 8:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by xinoxide View Post
the 1616m has the same dac as the digidesign 192i/o, wich was made for use with protools HD setups. in my opinion, one of the best DAC's on earth. this is the reason i got the card, and it does sound nearly identical to the playback of Dynamix Records studio in miami's setup (i built their D.A.W. and sample server - Protools HD|3 + 3x 192i/o's)... as for the pcmcia card version of this interface, the card alone's output is unamped. i have seen producers and DJ's who use laptops with the card only, but have an external amp and still sounds alright, but nothing close to the sound with the breakout box.
Thanks for the info xinoxide. That is good to know. I'm LOVING mine so far! Violator and Black Celebration never sounded so good
Reply
post #14 of 39
5/10/07 at 8:24pm
Have you any idea how the 1212m compares to 1616m as a DAC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by xinoxide View Post
the 1616m has the same dac as the digidesign 192i/o, wich was made for use with protools HD setups. in my opinion, one of the best DAC's on earth. this is the reason i got the card, and it does sound nearly identical to the playback of Dynamix Records studio in miami's setup (i built their D.A.W. and sample server - Protools HD|3 + 3x 192i/o's)... as for the pcmcia card version of this interface, the card alone's output is unamped. i have seen producers and DJ's who use laptops with the card only, but have an external amp and still sounds alright, but nothing close to the sound with the breakout box.
Reply
post #15 of 39
5/10/07 at 8:30pm
The 1212M and 1616M both have the same DAC, the Cirrus CS4398. Basically, the 1616M is like the 1212M but with a MicroDock instead of the 0202 analog PCI board.

I own the 1212M and plan to upgrade to the 1616M soon to have the headphone amplification, separate DAC, microphone preamp, and phono preamp capabilities.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Computer Audio
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Computer Audio › Talk me out of getting the E-MU 1616M laptop card...