Terratec AudioSystem EWS88 Reviews

[brandondrury]

Is The Terratec AudioSystem EWS88 The Right Audio Interface For You?
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Terratec AudioSystem EWS88 Description
The EWS88 MT represents the state-of-the-art in digital audio interfacing for the PC platform. Whether you are using digital or analog audio interfaces, the system provides full 24-bit resolution with sample rates selectable between 44.1, 48 and 96 kHz. The EWS88 MT consists of two key elements, a PCI card and a 5 1/4" breakout box linked with 2.5m multicore. The breakout box has the option of being mounted in an empty drive bay in your PC case with a ribbon cable connecting internally to the PCI card for a neat alternative.The EWS88 MT PCI card has an analog stereo monitor output (16-bit/48kHz) on a 3.5mm stereo jack socket as well as the external breakout box connector and S/PDIF stereo digital input and output connectors using RCA Phono connectors. On the card itself there is a connector pair enabling internal daisy-chaining of up to 4 EWS88 MT in a single PC to run off a common clock source for perfect synchronization of up to 40 tracks (PC permitting).

[MetalDave]

Quality: 9
The EWS88 MT is one of the best sound cards I have ever used. It can record 8 track simultaniously. You can also run 4 of them together in one computer if you have 4 PCI slots. They sound incredible! Very clean. I let my son put one in his computer. We replaced his audogy Sound Blaster by Creative. (He is a gamer) these are not made for gaming but will blow away any card out these that is. He heard things in the games he had never heard before. Also Fruity Loops sounded and worked way better. When he would try to listen to certain pre made loops before we put the card in, it would freeze up and crackle. They played very smoothly after we put in the EWS88 MT. It comes with a breakout box that can be mounted into a 5¼" drive bay. Or you can run them externally.

Reliability: 6
I have never had a problem with one of these cards I have recorded on 3 of them so far with not one glitch. I haven't had to call for technical support but I have read they are ok. Nothing to get excited about but not bad. I have read some reviews about the drivers not loading right in some computers but I have 4 different driver packages for them. They have kept up with the times even though they don't make them any more.

Overall Rating: 9
I would highly recommend these to anyone who would like to have a great sound card with excellent Latency and great audio quality. I probably will not buy one again because I want to record on 24 tracks and they are getting very hard to find. These aren't being made anymore so I have started looking at some of the other interfaces out there. They were great card and I wish Terratec would have kept producing them. It is sad to see them go!

[jules80]

Hi Dave,
Jules here.
I seem to have the computer with XP home on that doesn't like installing the driver for the card.
I'm reloading and updating my XP to service pack 3 and seeing whether that will help.
Can you tell me where you read about it as I am trying to find out any tips etc?
Thanks,
Jules

[MetalDave]

Try here...
Index of /Audio/EWS/88MT
This one page should have more than you can find anywhere on the internet about this interface...

[jules80]

Hi MD,
Thanks for the pointer!
I'm an electronics technician/songwriter so I can generally work things out on the techno buzz words front, but I haven't got a lot of experience on the Terratec control panel.
I have made it work and recorded with it quite a bit, but I need to read up on what all the control sections actually do and what they apply to.

I am conversant with master /slave stuff etc but I am not really clear about the difference in 'Analogue inputs' and 'Digital Mixer' etc...

I take it that the 'analogue inputs' are referring to when you input say, up to 8 live instruments via a 'real' mixing desk to the 8 inputs of the breakout box?.
Of course, the breakout box inputs are 'mapped' in the 'VST Connections' section, in Cubase under the DEVICE menu...

As for the 'Digital Mixer' section - I am a little puzzled here.
Is this for mixing the output of synths - none analogue signals?
I guess in that case, I would have to select the Digital Mixer option to record
them separately?

I will have to get swatting on this, and I will certainly consult the info you have pointed out to me, but I am thinking that it's a complete 'overview' of the cards control sections in English that I need.

What we all need is answers in plain English not techno speak - as has been highlighted by our glorious system overlord in his introduction. lol

Songwriting is a doddle, but this stuff takes some thinking about - it's very satisfying when you understand and apply it though.

I am very pleased that I finally got the card sorted and working late yesterday - I had not got the exact right driver for XP(64) - I had heard of XP Home, XP Pro etc but not that!
I only noticed because of a sticker on the machine! lol

I have also been sorting 2 other computers out with a lot of help from my tech pals here, and getting into drives, formatting etc.

I will have pretty much also finished my songwriting site tomorrow when the captcha is sorted - (Homepage) and I will get my little studio working a lot better than it ever has tomorrow.

After that I will probably start sending some current recordings to get opinions on my budding production skills I have to develop now.
I have Cubase SX3 and Reason 4, so I should be able to do some stuff good enough to at least continue at demo level recordings.

Any comments MD?

Thanks for your help!

Jules

[MetalDave]

Yeah I run 64 bit windows xp and you definately have to have the 64 bit drivers loaded for the cards to work right. You will figure out the mixer or control panel as it is really only 2 parts you will use unless you plan on doing Midi work also. Just experiment with it and you will have it figured out in no time. One nice thing about these card is you can run them in tandem (up to four) up to 32 tracks simultanious recordings. I used a Behringer MX9000 but the Mackie 32X8 works rally well for 32 channels as you get 32 direct outs Post EQ! All I can say is have fun!

[jules80]

Thanks Dave,
It's been a long time since I have got to the point of starting recording again and I am looking forward to it.
I was always getting frustrated last time because I was running Addictive Drums, Cubase SX3 and Reason 4 on the old machine I bought cheap from a workmate.(I only bought it because the Terratec card was in it! lol)

Anyhow, I was getting glitches and hiccups while starting to record say the 4th or 5th track. I blamed it first on latency and sample rate problems etc. Of course I altered the settings, but just couldn't figure out what was causing the glitches.

I FINALLY REALISED THAT THE OLD HARD DRIVE THAT WAS IN THE COMPUTER WHEN I BOUGHT IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 40 GIG!!
There was just no room left for it to work properly with those large programs in there.

Another dragon slayed...

Anyway, as a songwriter I didn't lose much, because I concentrated on writing lyrics for a number of people and THEY recorded the songs! lol

It just goes to show that if you don't give up, you will always reap rewards even from (or probably ESPECIALLY from) adversities.

Cheers MD

Jules