ESI Maya 44XTE

If a computer needs to provide several separate input and output channels via an internal card, the PCIe audio card with 4 inputs and 4 outputs is the right solution. The ESI Maya 44XTE records analogue and optical S/PDIF audio and plays it back simultaneously – for recording, DJ applications and connecting existing audio equipment.

Two analogue stereo line inputs accept signals from a mixer, synthesiser or keyboard, for example. INPUT 1/2 can alternatively be used as a mono microphone input; the preamp provides +48 V phantom power for condenser microphones. You will need a balanced XLR-to-TRS cable for this. Instead of a stereo line signal, INPUT 3/4 can handle a guitar signal as a mono Hi-Z input. The inputs can each be switched to the desired source in the Control Panel.

The two independent stereo output pairs can send different signals to separate devices. In a DJ setup, for example, you can provide one signal for the main output and another for cueing. Both output pairs can also be used as headphone outputs; you can set the levels and routing via the Control Panel. The analogue connections use unbalanced stereo TRS connections. A suitable splitter cable may therefore be required to connect individual mono inputs.

You can connect digital devices via the optical S/PDIF connections. The input accepts an optical digital signal, while the output transmits the selected output signal. The card supports simultaneous recording and playback in full-duplex mode. With DirectWIRE, you can route audio streams internally between applications under Windows, even if they use different driver modes; DirectWIRE is not available under Mac OS X.

The card is installed in a free PCIe x1 slot or a longer PCIe slot; it does not support a conventional PCI slot. The ESI drivers provide MME, WDM, DirectSound and ASIO 2.0 under Windows, as well as CoreAudio under Mac OS X. Compatibility is limited to the specified older operating systems: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 (32-bit and 64-bit versions) as well as Mac OS X. Before installation, check that the slot and operating system are compatible with your computer.