[NightWoundsTime]

Time for another super exciting giveaway type thing. I have my EMU 1212M sitting here getting all cold and lonely, since I no longer use it in my computer. I could sell it but really, it's old and well loved already so I don't want to have a potential problem with it breaking on someone. I'd rather offer it to a Head-fier who's using their computer currently as their source but would like to upgrade a bit, and of course who accepts the risk of using old computer stuff. This will not include the box, manual, or drivers. Manuals and drivers can be found at Creative's site. You will receive just the cards, well packed and in static free bags, exactly the way they've been stored since they were removed from everyday use in my computer. I'm keeping this to the US only to avoid extra shipping costs and procedures.

So, all you need to do to be eligible for this giveaway is post in this thread, and tell me what sound device you are currently using in your computer rig. I reserve the right to deny anyone an entry based on the level of gear they already own. Newbies will absolutely not be discriminated against. Sunday evening I'll pick a name and send it off on Monday morning. BONUS ENTRY: For anyone who can honestly state that they would like to use the EMU for audio recording, mastering, or performance purposes. Just tell me what instrument you play, or any other relevant musical experience. I've used it in the past for playing VST instruments from my keyboard, and also some really bad composition attempts.

So, start those entries and good luck!

ANOTHER NOTE: Make sure that you have TWO PCI slots available in your PC. This is not external and it uses two slots.

And the winner is: Gloomfire

 

[Chiliman]

Count me in on this one. I need a new card, right now I am using an audigy that is at least 5 years old and sounds pretty bad.

As for the bonus, I have wanted to get a midi keyboard, and could definitely use this card to record myself playing clarinet.

 

[PFKMan23]

I'm in too. Right now I'm using the integrated audio circuitry of my motherboard.

 

[laxx]

Count me in as well. I've been looking at dacs, but restricted myself to USB dacs as the only sound controller for my computer right now is onboard without a digital out. So a soundcard with optical/coax out would be great!

 

[MrSlacker]

Please count me in. I am using onboard sound card and I cannot stand it. When I turn it up a bit while watching movies, there is a horrible hum that would not go away... i already tested all of my components and it is the sound card.

 

[LuckyKarma]

Onboard sound on my desktop and my Macbook for me

It'd be awesome if you could give me an entry, very cool of you to do this giveaway

edit: This would definitely be used for recording! I play guitar and used to record little things from time to time, but my passion lies with electronica. Although I'm not the greatest, I try to make little quirky things in FL Studio and was trying to figure out Cubase a little while back, but the latency needed to be set too high and it was annoying to hit a key on my Evolution 425C and not hear the sound immediately. I think this card would make me want to hit the keys more and turn me into the latest trance sensation

Okay, maybe not, but I'd definitely make more music than I do now

 

[hembergler]

I'm currently using my Emu 0404, which I would give away if I won this.

 

[rwest1389]

Count me in! I have some creative soundcard that came with the mobo, not great, and i would love an upgrade. Thanks

 

[Gautama]

Count me in. Currently using the Creative X-Fi Xtremegamer.

Bonus: Kind of a long stretch here, but if I manage to find a turntable at a garage sale this year I'd like to get into DJ'ing.

 

[shoenberg3]

Count in me too please. Computer is the only source (besides a DAP) for this high school student. And I am using an integrated soundcard on my ancient motherboard, because my bithead emits an irritating pitch when used with my computer. I now only use it with my portable configuration only, which leaves me with bad onboard sound on computer.

I also record frequently with my DAP for the piano. I am a pretty serious pianist who is planning to compete in the international stage in college. Although I won't be attending a conservatoire, I plan to remain competitive through my life, and recording myself is important for analyzing my own playing.

Thanks

 

[appophylite]

Count me in...All I have is the miserable onboard soundcard. You can hear the static on mute using any of my phones and it could drive a person mad!!

 

[dinoadventures]

Count me in also. I've been looking for something external to hook up to the many computers I use in a day that aren't mine so I could have a decent musical experience.

I am soon moving into a new apartment and my fiancee is trying to convince me to DJ again (I was a tech-house DJ for 3 years), so I am thinking about picking that up again and I'll need to get something to interface with the decks.

 

[Sh0eBoX]

You can count me in as well! i'm currently using an X-Fi Platinum as i used to be a heavy gamer... but now i am striving for more quality out of my main source, as i have no other source of music other than an mp3 player. I also hope to be upgrading to Darth Beyers soon, and would love an upgrade to my source to help reap the full benefits of the Darths!

 

[Senn20]

What a generous offer! Count me in. OK, here's my story.

I'm 21 years old. I currently play acoustic guitar and sing, and I'm also flat broke. I want to be able to record my own original songs, which right now is kind of impossible. I've also been looking into piano, percussion, and bass which is really fun to play.

I started playing guitar about 6 years ago in an effort to start making my own music. I've been singing for, well, as many years as I can remember and I'm pretty good at that. About a year in playing guitar (at age 16 I think), after taking several lessons, I was able to bundle my Christmas cash together. It was just enough to buy a 4 track cassette recorder from Fostex, a pair of cheap JVC headphones, and a Nady dynamic mic.

The day this stuff came in the mail I was completely jazzed. The feeling soon faded. After a couple of hours of trying to record a song on my shiny new 4 track, I had to give up. I would lay down the first track, but after only two attempts at the second one, track 1 dropped in pitch and speed making subsequent tracks far out of tune and timing. I accidentally broke the flimsy dust cover over the tape mechanism and didn't bother trying to return it. There, after a subsequent move, it still sits in the same drawer.

Ah, but wait! Now the age of DIY computer recording has come along. Downloaded a free recording program and away I go. But wait. My soundcard will not take a signal from my mic. Mic boost jumpers in place, but still a signal too weak to record with. On top of that, the computer was just too old to be able to do multi-track recording. Yet again, I had to give up as I couldn't afford any new gear.

After graduating from high school, I lost my passion for writing lyrics for quite a while, but still kept up with my guitar.

Fast forward to a year ago. I've joined Head-fi. I've got a decent pair of Sennheiser headphones and my passion for songwriting is starting to rekindle. My guitar playing is much, much better than it ever was when I was messing around with the 4 track. Unfortunately, my passion for music listening grew a bit faster, otherwise I would have spent my nickels and dimes on recording equipment instead of a music listening rig.

Today, I've got a better computer, albeit antiquated by todays standards, but still good enough to start recording a bit. I'm starting about two new songs a week, but I'm not really able to fully flesh them out unless I can lay down preliminary guitar tracks and go from there. Not only that, but as fast as I come up with new guitar parts and vocals, I'll forget them if I don't get them recorded.

The only big problem with my computer (an HP Frankenstein of my creation) is the stock soundcard. It is obscenely noisy. In Cool Edit 2000, it shows an avg. of -44 db of noise on a scale from -120 to 0, with frequent jumps up to -30. That's more than 3/4 up the scale. Yikes.

When attempting to record a guitar track, I've got to be extremely careful to play loudly enough to keep the guitar over the noise floor (more of a drop ceiling at this point) but low enough so as not to distort. It's a pain. I'm not able to record softer guitar or vocal parts because of the excessive noise.

While I have no delusions of being a rock star, what would make me happier than anything is just to be able to record my songs. I love music. I'm absolutely addicted to it. If I can't listen to music or play guitar and sing more more than a few hours, I start to go crazy.

Like I mentioned before, with what I've spent on music listening thus far, I could have funded a nice little recording setup. But unfortunately I didn't really get back into making music until summer last year, when I got laid off from work. The job market has been horrid thus far. I'm flat broke and at the moment, once again unemployed. I don't mean to complain so I wont go into details, but let's just say that my financial situation sucks pretty hard right now. I've got a lead on one job right now that I'm hoping like crazy I can get into, but other leads have fallen through.

The somewhat used 4 track is still laying around somewhere. I would absolutely send that along to somebody if they're interested. It may work okay with a better grade of cassette. It would come with the power adapter and manual, and maybe some other goodies I can scrounge up if somebody is interested. Got a lot of computer parts laying around here, so I could send a spare cd-rom drive or something along with it. I also have a TDK cassette still in the wrapper.

Thanks for your consideration.

 

[jinp6301]

the guy above should definitely win

but if he doesnt

I'm using the onboard soundcard from my dell (ugh)

also, I play guitar and record a few covers now and again using the onboard mic (ugh again)