VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

louzucaro · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject: Bye-bye E-Mu

Well I hate to say it, but I was just told by a Creative Labs person that E-Mu has been shut down.

Total drag.

I had a new driver (for something else) irritate my system today (killing the E-Mu driver in the process) and when I tried to call for tech support, there was no number. So I submitted an e-mail support request, but hadn't heard back from them yet (yes, I'm impatient).

I called Creative Labs tech support and she did a little digging with the E-Mu support guys to see where they were with my request. I asked why the pro audio division (E-Mu) didn't have phone support and that's when she told me that the division had been shut down.

They're still doing e-mail support and still working on a few Vista drivers for the odd E-Mu product, but then they're done done.

I'm not sure which is worse...being burned by the purchase of a product that turns out to be junk, or investing in a good product that never gives you any trouble only to have the company go away.
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todd ellis · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:57 pm Post subject:

crap!

i really, really like my e-mu!
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Yoda117 · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject:

http://www.emu.com/support/files/download2.asp?Centric=761&Platform=1

Still up, so snag a driver while you can Wink

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todd ellis · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:06 pm Post subject:

thanks greg - got 'em!
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Gp · Guest

Well time to change out that sound card anyway. I just downloaded the latest. One said it wouldn't operate on my OS???? oh well I got it working now...somehow.

Yoda117 · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject:

I'm a fan of the Echo sound cards, but I've only used them on my laptop.

For the DAW I'm running with an AES16 and it's a keeper Bitchin

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louzucaro · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:27 pm Post subject:

Does the AES16 use a breakout box or a cable bundle?
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Lou Zucaro
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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

I just heard some samples (full band that broke down to lots of various dynamic solo parts) from which an Echo Audiofire was chosen in a blind test by most over an Apogee Rosetta. I also chose the Echo over the Apogee: the Apogee was better in the highest frequencies, but otherwise the Echo won hands down by my ears.

Next purchase, Echo AudioFire, $299. Same price as a PreSonus Firebox, but isn't lousy (and it's truly a 96k device)!
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Yoda117 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:50 am Post subject:

SomeAudioGuy · Contributor III Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 75 Location: LA

What with the way Creative has been treating their customers of late, I can't really say I'm that sad to see them go. I guess it's more profitable to put out failing MP3 players?
Back in the day my 1212m was formidable, but I've moved on.

louzucaro · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:00 pm Post subject:

It's a drag that people have such different experiences. I'm obviously no stranger to receiving poor customer service (ahem), but in the case of Creative, I've always gotten good service from them. And we have a couple of Creative MP3 players at home and they're great...excellent sound, nice screens, small, light, fantastic battery life, and cheaper than a similar-spec iPod.
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Lou Zucaro
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"Well, yeah, there's my favorite leaf!"

SomeAudioGuy · Contributor III Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 75 Location: LA

Well but that's the stick of it. Individually I've gotten great customer service from them. But as a company, they've been extremely predatory about guarding their IP to the point where now they're refusing to release working drivers (fully functional) for Vista. They've also banned people from their own enthusiast forums that have gotten working drivers up and running. I got great support on my Audigy. I got acceptable support on my 1212m, but I've never really been able to recommend their products (except for people I know like to tinker).
It was a big story on digg, I even wrote it up:
http://someaudioguy.blogspot.com/2008/03/creative-threatens-community-modder-are.html

As for their mp3 players, that's me just being snarky. Though they are out sold by Zune (and maybe even iRiver). Outside of playing with a friend's I've never used one. Just being a brat...
I use a first gen nano, and Mrs.AudioGuy uses a Rio Cali that just refuses to die.
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