Optimising your PC for audio on Windows 7 .: Focusrite Answerbase

Just snagged a second-hand ESI ESU1808. It seems the perfect soundcard for my needs: 18 inputs – 16 simultaneously recorded according to the blurbs and reviews. 8 output jacks, both midi and s/pdif ins and outs.

It arrived today looking pretty beat-up. Heavily used.

No worries, I downloaded and installed the ESI drivers. The ASIO drivers are awful – unusable crackles on playback at even highest latencies. Re-loaded the firmware but no change.

I was beginning to think I had been sold a pup…

Then I remembered ASIO4All. This sweet little driver solved my latency problems with the X-station and several laptops. I switched-over and had immediate improvement!

Rigorous tests tomorrow – must use these optimisation tips:

Optimising your PC for audio on Windows 7 .: Focusrite Answerbase.

But serious props to ASIO4ALL.