All user reviews for the Hercules Studio ISIS

See general advice

UTILIZATION

See generally felt quite happy in 95/98, all fawn on Xp, was messing around with a lot of more recent products, so ...

GETTING STARTED

See, generally agreed that it holds well on a small config: Celeron 400 @ 600 + 128 MB and 3.2 GB Ide low end, even under Reason (there are limits that we put on it anyway)

OVERALL OPINION

The Isis t but 2nd sound card for use grows.

I turned over, super stable overclocks with a celeron 400 600, although the PCI bus was really bad especially men with a Via chipset motherboard: the P3V4X.

In terms of latency, nothing wrong, except that a non-issue when switching to ASIO 2 (they had to configure ...) Same for the South, but the keyboard was a problem that was defective (a always falls on me)

Digital input and output, SPDIF and optical is a rare luxury, even our time, known as Isis afford.

As for flaws, obviously that of drivers other than Windows 95/98, but also use DSP or patch or fashion effect, without restarting the beast. It's been a little tinkering anyway!

Sound, there's more obvious now, but for a config that runs on 95/98, let's be honest, some may be enough, I have since switched to another.

I put a good overall rating, because the current rate, is still very interesting.

In Foreword should read this in context, I bought this card it Yadji a locker and era all the pretty cards from M-Audio, Edirol, Echo and other ca n ' existed. -> Before dropping a product thinking that it is necessary to compare what is comparable both in terms of price and era.
Choice motivated by the fact that c'tait the era, the only card to do really and allow full duplex recording multiport. Creative still silent which the main competitor of Guillemot is not screwed into line with the ISIS or in terms of conection or in terms of full duplex ... larger MODELS SB are still in RCA or minijack without port din noon and of course there's never more than 5.1 but poor between Stereo multimedia microphone 2 ball. SB is really perfect for multimedia and gaming, but for computer music, to forget.
-> Motivation Premire the price! bah so the era for the equivalent in terms of ES was tapper in Digi001 ... May 4 CHRE times (and standard PC There's more compatibility).

Usage: Multimedia, games and music (computer music PPRE what)

It has gone through a lot of configuration ... the only constant and the only real complaint, I think, is that they do guillemot condemned this card toting Win98.

Mostly guitar and voice (but I go through a Mackie console)
+ Master keyboard and vsti

UTILIZATION

Installation: bah decision-heads that resolve over time, but it's even the common lot in this dommaine, trs few cards really work the first time on all the configuration. But not compatible with XP.

Bah no incompatibility material ... but without wishing to rpter ... a small problem for some drivers to OS ... XP kind

Manuals blah, but not really ncessaire, configuration utilities not too bad damn I find, even from some current cards + high-end (like in Edirol seems stingy particulirement cot utilities configuration / soft mix)

I would be nice on the notes of this card pasque qd mm it has made me good and loyal service for some 6 or 7 years ... and will continue even may be a little Registration of RPET wild.

I would be nice EXCEPT This category because Hercules / Guillemot has really dropped the ball on the XP drivers. What will be worth Herclues I do not care about audio at all its products "high end" (the fortissimo for multimedia is not bad ...) but the new 16/16 will be without me ca !

GETTING STARTED

Stability of drivers ... blah ... ca shit as always from time to time but just know if it's really the sound card drivers? In most cases ca can be also problem of motherboard, power supply to the PCI configuration in a few maps and loads with no power supply short top ... nothing to jump up and down or yelling death.

Drivers set date ... I think it is not worth more rpter eh?
Latency ... insufficient bie heard VSTi ... but there is a Wavetable (see APRS)

Software: all a little essay, Cubase VST, sx, VERY light versions of Pro Tools, Logic version that came with the card (the package for soft qd mm is not too bad, surtt for the era), samplitude qqs other briefly and trs. Cubase SX1 for the biggest.

Audio track in 8 mm time ... it works with some dsagrments sometimes but it works.
There's twelve o'clock in the margin in GM, bcp less vst.

OVERALL OPINION

I would not say that the particular feature that is in my view is not quite lgitime Carche above him like some may do so: His report quality price next to the extremely limited market the era of its release and Wavetable.
I saw about a qq'un in a forum: No wavetable card pro n'intgre of personal and I find it trs damage. Ok GM is not terrible, but it is sometimes convenient qd mm and the synths on this one of the ISIS is rather excellent, a multilayer qd mm guele more than a lot of stuff even today (type in crative ...) kits batteries are pretty short to be small squence twelve o'clock it's still a good map trs.

So of course it is a limited use trs prs 2000 but little balls There's 10 years ... What you expect? It's not a pro card, or even semi-pro, it's just the only card that allowed the era to learn without computer music dbourser 10 000 francs.
And it was even when we MRIT hello and that its existence shall adopt the crucified ...

Because if I had to finish this choice again ... Well yes I would do in the context or I did is say it Yadji a good time and with a limited budget trs. Over 7 years I think she made me a lot of services in relation to material that bcp might have done (and also show that AC can take the long hard and not burn out after a year). Nevertheless, I still have a little trouble replacing it because some features not found on current maps as well as lower than mid-range (Vidament when tappe of RME in the ca change ... the deal).

Currently Obviously the question does not arise because of the non compaptibilit with XP, it does advise that extra on an old machine running win98, but of course avoided to the computer music srieuse.
PS: the stuff that I tried the I compare with my personal stuff, I too never had the means to invest in, but I qd mm Digi001 boss also, but Fireface and Motu how to compare maps 1500-2000 euros with a multimedia card / computer music 2000 francs 10 years ago! The only comparison I can do it with a DMX6-Fire ... there's no picture, for all the DMX is better, except that it not allow registration between 8 and has no wavetable. So it does not replace the ISIS forcemnt provided spite of its qualities empty for this price range.

Buy 98 was the only offer that price an external rack, 8 inputs, a software package correctly.
Use: amateur home studio to record guitars, keyboards, live
Pc config: AMD Athlon 1, go two partitioned hard drives: one for the Millennium isis xp and the other for the rest.

UTILIZATION

The installation is a little pb or two but if you use the latest drivers (dj old) and we follow the procedure it's all good.
So the only pb is not support XP but since I partitioned my drive so it runs in this millennium and I have no pb stabilit.je can say that it does not crash ever.

GETTING STARTED

I use with: Vst5 Cubase, Acid Pro and wavelab
Audio did not record that I have no pb latency.

OVERALL OPINION

Over time since 1998 I admit I have trouble Spar me my isis.
Really good product for its time, too bad it is not in Xp perenne.
If I had to buy it back one day I will.
On my site I cre a small space on the Isis, come check it out and share your expriences
https://jmantoni.capitello.com

I wanted a card not very dear to me to record a guitar and a bass simultaneously. ISIS I was immediately seduced by its characteristics:
Rack card with external daughterboard.
Main card: a joystick port, 2 outputs, 1 line input, 1 microphone, all in little Jack.
Daughterboard: A proprietary jack which plugs into the rack.
External rack: 8 Jack mono wholesale disable input, 4 outputs wholesale Jack mono, 1 Digital Input (Optical & Coaxial) and 1 Digital Output (Optical & Coaxial), MIDI In, Out and Through
Usage: Mini home studio, especially miking guitar / bass / mic

UTILIZATION

Hardware installation easy, the cable rack is 2.50m which is good enough.
The daughter card does not bind very well to the PC case, the screws to loosen tendeance quickly, we must give a helping screwdriver regularly (at least if the rack is disconnected and reconnected frequently).
Software installation is relatively simple, there is a CD with drivers and docs, and another CD with some apps (Cool Edit SE, Logic Audio SE ...)
Big Problem: Only works on Windows 98 and Millennium! In addition it will never work on Windows XP or 2000, according to a statement on the website of Guillemot!
Once installed, it works in 2 modes:
- Mode "multimedia", or only I / O card key are taken into account. ISIS then behaves like a sound card "standard" practice to video games or multimedia applications. Software lets you insert effects on output, change the banks in its internal synthesizer, making the surround with 2 outputs ... It closely resembles a SB Live! sound quality with much less.
- Mode "Console", or the rack is taken into account. The Windows mixer is then replaced by a table with the drivers installed, which adjusts the level of monitoring and recording of each track, enabling digital inputs ...

GETTING STARTED

The drivers are stable and are regularly updated, but the problem is the inconsistency ... XP/2000
With Cubase ASIO latency is over 40ms, unfortunately.
With Cool Edit, you can easily record 4 audio tracks simultaneously with a small config (Celeron 366, 128MB of memory)
Mode "multimedia" AC is not very powerful, sound quality is poor and the slowdown is being felt in some videogames.

OVERALL OPINION

I used it for over a year and a half and I was very satisfied. I am separated for three disadvantages:
Least, the lack of E / S CAR. It has only mono jack is very useful when recording a guitar or vocal input, but output on the other hand, the lack of RCA arises.
Then, the latency in Cubase is still huge with ASIO. That said, I have not tried the latest drivers, maybe they have improved.
But above all: The non-support for Windows 2000/XP! What a pity, these systems (especially 2000) are much more stable and powerful than 98, and the card does not work with ...

A regret I advise against a purchase, because it an excellent value for money, but it is already in the past because only supported on older systems, 98 and Me

Audio Converters not really on top, but 100 times more than enough for a home studio and make a model correctly (have to stop making the difficult, it shows that you have not experienced the 4 tracks K7!)

Rack level is very nice ... Wholesale Jacks Jacks of standart MIDI, I would have preferred to 8 inputs 8 outputs but ... (warning this is true not to disconnect the PC turned on!)

MIDI side, the great advantage of ISIS is that it can make its own sounds and make banks (need some patience anyway) ... The ISIS functions as a sampler that has on its own RAM. (unlike SB Platinum PC ram pump ...) In addition you can add ram is pretty standart it's the ODE ... Needless to say that found on all the old PC!)
So, we can do without the traditional GM Kit (anyway, no one uses! Least I hope ... The default store (4mb made in Roland) is a bit ringuarde (compared to an expander hardware) and happily give murrelet over 200 MB of sounds on the CD (including some very nice guitars and very good acoustic drum kits)

The software offers is very abundant, Logic ISIS (which is similar to LOTS SILVER LOGIC), ACID MUSIC, COOL EDIT PRO SE ... It's still a very serious offer ... That said nothing prevents the use Cubase with Isis and contrary to what many people say it works very well!

UTILIZATION

Installation and config of the card is a bit complicated for beginners but if not ... it is still good!
Like everyone I met some problems sometimes (update drivers for example). In discussing the forums with other users, it was very veers realized that the card was rather capricious According ... config, the chipset of the motherboard ...

I have a PIII is a VIA card, it works well and I have always found solutions to my problems!

The history of fashion / multimedia console, to be clear is little Ch. Nt!
Particularly in fact frankly if you want to do serious audio / midi on a PC, it is better to dedicate it's not that. My config not know then that the console! (And I'm not the only one)

The manual is pretty light but very clear ... Too bad for cons emagiC gives only a very small book on Logic Seen the possibilities of soft, we would have liked something more substantial ...

GETTING STARTED

The drivers are a little temperamental (must always remember to install Direct X first and then the latest drivers) operating on the 1.9 that we Drivers ASIO 2.0 support, are not perfect but it changed my life !

Level behavior in a meeting ... well it's not yucky!
Cubase works fine with ASIO 2 of ISIS (93ms latency), but
disabling monitoring asio ... it works for impeccable use
AUDIO MIDI sequencer (very stable! I'm sessions enrgisetrement AUDIO serious style ... 50 shots on 2, 3 hours ... it's not crash!)

using ASIO Direct X Full Duplex, and turning the input
VSTi can be used with latency of 12ms ... which is fairly good.
you understand it enough to juggle between the two config ASIO (Cubase see no inconveniant) ...

At many tracks and well, being honest I never managed to block my system ... That said I never tried to do. say
I'm mean on the track when I need ... I am .. So hard to say it makes

OVERALL OPINION

2 years that I have the ISIS and I'm pretty happy. I I've always wondered if not done better to buy a SB Platinum but since I tried one ... I tell myself that I am the right choice.

The problem is that it does not work for everyone but when it works ... it is really the ...

To conclude, I would say that talking on the forums I found a lot of people very discontent of ISIS. Often these were people who had incredible configs let me explain ...
A machine with a pack Office, games, photoshop, internet, network card, scanner, joystick, steering wheel, 50 shareware installed ...
or bin where I say, it can not walk! sure! nor with ISIS or with something else ...

PCI card + external rack
16 bit 48 khz (20 bit and not as alleged by the pub)
4 outputs + 8 analog inputs (and PDIF)
uses sound banks .94 B (computer music past
sampling technique exceeded)
Stock 4MB GM sound / Roland GS (low quality non-pro)
Total memory for sampling to 36 MB (not found)
Only works on some PCs and Win98SE.

Users of Windows 2000 or XP soon forget this card
A scam in the current state of the market for sound cards.
Correct card 2 years ago.
Took over 2000 FRF unjustified

UTILIZATION

Installation is 100% on some PCs and sub WIN98SE
Or if not on others it is the descent into hell.
(Given the quality of drivers) Drivers

GETTING STARTED

ASIO2 are zero.
Only under WIN98 Direcsound gives satisfactory results
2 modes imposed: multimedia and music
(Obligation to reboot the machine from one mode to another)
Soft poorly designed and not pro.
Consol to review

OVERALL OPINION

mix I used for 2 years. No longer meets the new standards of computer music
(Sonar, Halion, Sampletank, Gigastudio ......)
Not recommended for software pro.
Alles, Don, c a ride on the forum to understand ISIS
isis.stefff.net (great forum)
In the worst case Terratec prefer a hand and 88 Mt in
Ideally a map or midiman Egosys.

Do not buy - I would have warned

PCI + external enclosure

UTILIZATION

installation problem under win 98se very
big pb with the vxd drivers, who were bugue the system each time.
hotline very nice, but that did not solve the pb at all

GETTING STARTED

PBS adjusted after installation of Win ME and update directX (8.01).
CM: MSI K7T 266 Pro2
P: + athlon 1500X
RAM: 256M DDR
HD: 40G quantum 7200tr u-dma

cool edit pro tours extensively and with enough tracks

OVERALL OPINION

Using very simple (but I'm just the audio)
cheap

I like it very much this card!

It is true that this card has a value for money rather in his favor. But others are now also produces mouthwatering ... cf hoontek .. However, in terms of quality when I hear what musicos make friends with cards has 10 000 FF, I do not think the difference is so sensitive. I work with as many synths with guitars and the connection of the card is very appropriate. So, in terms money, I say it's honest!

UTILIZATION

The manual sucks, and the installation cd rom is really fucking bad ... Certainly, good project leaders for cd rom is really rare!
Moreover, it took me a while to get used to dual-mode card (console / mixer). For my part, with an overclocked pentuim II 450, 396 mega of ram, all in scsi, no conflict ... But it's galley to install and parramétrer!

GETTING STARTED

I will not dwell on the thorny problem of drivers ... everything has been said! on the other hand, there is a real problem with cubase! initially had a latency of 150 milliseconds + ... an eternity for the wst instrumentals ... After downloading drivers version 1.9 I think (well, what the latest), the latency drops to 53 Ms. .. For comparison, I have a friend who has a latency period of ... 4 ms (yes) with a sound blaster live the dream! but well, anyway, we can work seriously with this card

OVERALL OPINION

VERY IMPORTANT! If you have an ISIS MAXISTUDIO very careful never to unplug the cable between the rack and the PCI card when the PC is turned on, otherwise you can say goodbye to your card, it will be grilled! 5 people I know who has it happened, including me, but I must say that murrelet has agreed to change me even though it is no longer under warranty! that's cool! Moreover, I expect.
yet something has to know (after promised, I stop), always, with an external rack cards have their converters in the rack, it avoids interference from the proximity of the electrical gadgets that are in the belly the PC. Well at guillemot, the converters are on the pci card ... the external rack, it is only connections, and then, if one buys the card, nobody tells us ... it's still a bit of mouth foutage not?
Apart from that, this card allowed me to work on an almost pro and fill my plate for two years now, so we can work with! But as I have never owned a different sound card, I can not compare ... See for yourself ...

Just some clarification on what I just read:
- I turn on AMD and no problems
- I / O optical steps perfectly and I use "loop" to get the midi to wav
- I fully agree: these are among GUILLEMOT charlots: no drivers beyond Me (which is also lame) so I'll stay for 98SE as its config and config on XP for development. .. But they continue to write and call them for insulting ... you never know ...

UTILIZATION

Easy Installation
config long and complicated depending on the application ESPECIALLY FOR THE SOUTH
use / creation of sound banks and sound impractical and unsatisfactory unless created sound effects ...

GETTING STARTED

Cf + up = they do not care about us at GUILLEMOT by claiming that their card is working then what is not running as win2000 SE Professional ... Under no

OVERALL OPINION

98SE bp!

Card Format: PCI
Connectors Rack: analog, digital and MIDI

UTILIZATION

had no problems on my K6-2 (which is AMD yet so I think) and no problem on my Duron chipset Via.
The installation was trouble-free with a reservation incompatible with the audio chipset on the motherboard (one off of it directly on the bios is the problem is solved).

GETTING STARTED

I found the drivers fairly stable cons do not hesitate to download the latest versions.
About Windows 2000 the problem does not respond kindly to Guillemot, who in his forum that he was ready to do the only condition that Windows 2000 can manage the inputs and outputs of the card ... So the only people to blame are those of Microsoft.
The only software is used Logic Audio Platinum is there is nickel. I use "a thirty audio tracks" with two keyboards Roland (the XP10 XP80 AND) with a score more respectable.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years and was the only card direct-to-disk affordable. I like the simplistic side of the rack: one connects the synth, audio and MIDI and music before!
For cons, I just acquérire windows XP and there ... Great question.

The card itself is certainly a little limited in memory but is 10 times better than creative!

UTILIZATION

Installation without any problem, because we must learn before buying a PC. My config are as follows:

2 Motherboards ABIT KT7 and KT7-A-RAID the only brand that works 100% and advocated by Guillemot.

VIA chipset drivers 4.35

CPU: Duron 700 and Athlon 750

The rest like everyone else, memory, graphics card .... but more with the cards Abit KT7 i can put the SB Live card and ISIS together while it is normally impossible! ABIT thank you!

Otherwise the manual, not terrible, for configuration, must be familiar with MIDI and Audio settings in general.

GETTING STARTED

Stable drivers, updated to version 1.9, and after there's more, finito.
If you got Win2000, buy yourself another card, unless you know the hack drivers!

Using super stable with Cakewalk Pro Audio Deluxe 3.9
Latency exists!
Number of audio tracks simultaneously read: 128
recording: 8

OVERALL OPINION

It's been over a year and a half that I have.
At Guillemot, they'll have changed 3 times, without any problem.
Just with the purchase invoices, and the third exchange occurred while the card was no longer under warranty. Nice.

The best thing about this map, the synthetic internal, 10 times better than Creative.
The less well, cest the internal sampler, not top, it compresses the sound so that it seemed that the batteries that I sampled was synthetic. I would also say that I go through a mixer to register for the microphones, as directly on the rack that is impossible, because the entries are passive.
He would have had to put 2 IN and 2 OUT on the map to avoid me to buy a MIDI dispatch.

Before this card I had the Home Pro Studio 64 and a daughter board DB50 YAMAHA XG above, AC was but it was really too limited level of its bank ...
Now everything goes well, I source from Groovestyle and Mediasic home, and everything works!

But you know, ISIS card is good for sound banks that may be added. The internal synth gonna mumuse to, but if you want to go to a good big sound, nothing like expanders and other drum machines.

My stuff are the following:

2 PCs, one with a SBLive and the other with an ISIS
The complete collection of home Groovestyle
A player / MD recorder to my Sony Home Studio
1 mini player / MD recorder Sony sounds of the street
1 ROLAND SP-808 Sampler
1 ROLAND MC-505 Groovebox
1 mixer Behringer Eurorack MX802A (connected directly to the rack card for voice recording)
1 CD Player Gemini CDJ-1100 for the mix
A master keyboard YAMAHA PSR-310
1 micro TSB normal for fun
1 AKG D-880 microphone for singing
A pair of studio monitors Alesis M1 ACTIVE
And must: CAKEWALK PRO AUDIO DELUXE 9.0 (better than Cubase, for my part)
And now I'm focusing on buying a new synth, the Roland Fantom, the synth bomb!

That is, if you have something to tell me, mail me: edshark@wanadoo.fr

Good luck to all!

It will have a rack that is pretty damn especially for the price.
I could do stuff: 8 inputs analog outputs are property forms large jacks. Let me explain

UTILIZATION

FRIENDS, if you have an AMD: PDT not even bother to try this will never work!
I had to sell my shit amd on the other hand with a Pentium 3 is impeccable. MANUAL remains deficient banks care is catastrophic, but the sounds are great gms of origin from the soundblaster live by example. HAND drop if you want to create your sound banks using virtual sampler!

GETTING STARTED

Drivers gonna except with cubase or I would not recommend. Latency is catastrophic with a pentium 3: vst instruments unusable.
on the other hand in Logic Audio with a p3 800 is super stable. As long as there not too much stuff on the hard disk.
Serious problem on the side of the SPDIF input, it produces CRAAAAAKstout along the recording, even with the latest drivers!
Finally few people use it happily!
Apart from that they are nice and effficaces after the sale.
And it is thanks to them that prices fall on audio cards.
This helped me because I am a genius de musique classic penniless, and I could not do a few things without AC property.
IN fact this card has more advantages than disadvantages, but I repeat, is not created for AMD. (This does not work AT ALL)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 1 year half the rack is the noonfrom good thing is cool. sampler by the cons of the card unusable EDST, too long ety complicated to program. (not like the soundblaster card no example.)
In fact people who are critical of officials sent from other brands that are annoyed by the call price of this card that can do all what their dirty cards to 10,000 bales. They are disgusted. In the more people who can afford the incredible stuff usually make crappy music precisely because they have too much stuff ahahah.

- External PCI Card + Rack
- 8 inputs, 4 outputs Jack 6.5 mono format + midi in and out + Optical out on the rack. Multimedia standard outputs on the map
- Precision 48 kHz
- Some software supplied with the sequencer Logic Fun
Attractive characteristics for a short price but really interesting:
- Drivers: 95/98/98SE/ME. No expected changes ... D'or Note:

UTILIZATION

Installing this card on my system proved simply impossible. Good advice if you have a Via chipset on your motherboard, flee this card.

In addition, someone said that technical support is filled charlots Guillemot: I confirm. Here is a resume my story ...

Installs in recent months in the U.S., I took in June 2001 of a short return to France to buy the ISIS. Cruel disappointment on returning home, unable to install the card correctly. I try all possible PCI, j'upgrade drivers for my chipset, I change the BIOS settings, there is nothing. On user forums, it tells me that the problem is caused by an incompatibility of Isis with the Via chipset on my motherboard. So I contact technical support Guillemot France, since my card had been purchased in Paris. After having exchanged 2 or 3 emails, I get a return number and they invited me to send my card in France for exchange.

The package came back two months later as I had sent. These morons have rejected on arrival in France, under pretext that Customs wanted them to pay taxes. They did not even bother to warn me by email. I recontacted and asked for explanations, I am now asked to speak to a branch exchange Guillemot who is in Canada!

Frankly, I send my card to my charge, upon request, they refuse it when it happens to them, and tell me after helping me Sort this out with their branch in Canada ... They fouttraient not just from the jaws of the world? In short, I spent the details, but now, four months after its purchase, my card has still not been exchanged, so I have not yet managed to install it. It is like koi ca note in your opinion?

GETTING STARTED

With this card you are using Win98 or sentenced to win Millennium at best, since all development was abandoned by Guillemot for this product ...

Anyway me from the time I'm going on a Win2000 since I lost all hope of running the Isis one day on my machine. Go've deserved a good rating, AC:

OVERALL OPINION

You'll understand that it is frankly not me you will advise purchasing this penury, although I am convinced that Isis was able meet a few lucky users, with whom she works. Admittedly, this card is appealing on paper.

My conclusion is, if you have an old Pentium that runs millennium, you're looking for a card to start in softness in the joys of home studio without going broke, you can easily find a secondhand ISIS for a morsel of bread. .. The disgruntled users who seek to rid it must be legions ... (Incidentally if anyone is interested ... not mine: -]). on the other hand, if you have an AMD proc with a VIA chipset, do not bullshit: do not buy this card, even if you find a catalog for 3 Russian rubles are very lucky that doesn't ca not, so better not tempt fate.

In short, in my case I just just just go to Hoontech C-Port ... And at least the installation ran without addicted.

I put 1 / 10 when even as overall rating, because the Canadian media techinque looks nice and compassionate. Guillemot thank you.