ESI released their latest audio interface technology for mobile usage, the ESU1808. ESU1808, the USB 2.0 high speed audio interface for Mac and PC, shows what is really possible with USB 2.0.
ESI’s new ‘USB2Xtreme’ technology boosts the USB audio to a new level, providing better performance for better results. The 1U rack unit comes with 18 input channels while two of them are high quality microphone preamps with balanced XLR inputs and +48V phantom power and two of them allow a direct connection of instruments (Hi-Z). Also, 12 more input channels for balanced line signals are provided plus a coaxial S/PDIF input. For the outputs, there are 8 balanced analog output channels and one channel pair is also provided as coaxial S/PDIF output. ESU1808 also comes with a MIDI I/O port providing 16 input and 16 output channels. All this makes ESU1808 a product that defines new standards for USB audio for professional applications in a single package. No other product provides this number of I/O channels on a USB audio product in this price range.
Availability is expected for the first quarter of 2006, with a price of $500 (Euro 415). For more information please visit the ESI Pro website.