Lets review external sound card ESI GIGAPORT HD+, which can work with 8 independent channels or with 7.1 channels surround sound and supports sampling rates up to 96 kHz and 24 bits per sample precision. Its frontal panel has : USB port, through which it is powered and communicates with computer; power, USB connection activity and all 8 channels activity indicators; 2 TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) outputs for headphones with gold-plated contacts ( one of them plays mixed sound of all 8 channels, the other one plays only sound of 1st and 2nd channels – it can be used as monitor output ). Its back panel has 8 analogue RCA outputs with gold-plated contacts.
For sound card drivers are released for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 with support of ASIO 2.0, WDM and MME interfaces, in Mac OS X it works without additional drivers and supports Core Audio interfaces; via these interfaces it tightly integrates with modern DAWs : Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live and others. It is supplied with Image-Line Deckadance LE software, used by DJs. Its sizes are 120 ( width ) x 70 ( depth ) x 20 ( height ) mm, its body is made from aluminum. Package contains : ESI GIGAPORT HD+ sound card itself, USB cable, optical disks with drivers and software and user’s guide. This card is designed for playback of many independent sound channels ( for example, on concerts ) and for 7.1 channels surround sound playback; if sound card will be bought for this purpose, then this device will handle these tasks very well; if there is need in more functional studio audio interface, then it is better to buy device with such functionality of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, ESI itself or other manufacturers.
