Event Ezbus $100 Rebate, Only through January 31st! Options

[Levon River]

Event Technology is offering a mail-in $100 rebate on any EZBus purchased prior to December 31st. Since most places sell it for around $599.00, that brings the net price for the little powerhouse down to just under $500.00 if you want one and can act fast--and can find any.

I realize the time is short for this notice, but since, as usual, Event Technology's Marketing Director (if they even have one) appears to be working overtime to keep this machine out of the hands of potential customers, I just found out about this myself and I thought I ought to post it if only on a better-late-than-never basis.

For those who don't know, the machine is an audio interface, a standalone digital mixer, a 2 I/O MIDI interface, and a control surface for music software, all rolled into one compact package, with an amazing array of configurable bussing/routing options built in. It provides two channels of audio I/O to the computer via USB out of the box, and there is an optional PCI card (the EZ8) that provides multiple I/O with the standard digital I/O formats. There is no OS X driver for that card at the moment, but MacMusic's own venerable buserror was working on one the last I heard, so hope blooms eternal.

I personally don't know of any similar bang-for-the-buck item, so with this incentive and some Christmas money, I broke down and ordered one. I'll come back with war stories and show you my scars after it arrives.

[Levon River]

Replying to my own message :

The EZBus $100 rebate offer has now been extended until 31 January.

As a new owner of one, I'd recommend jumping on it if you're shopping for an audio+MIDI interface, especially one that operates under 10.2+, and it's within your budget.

I'm about to put it through Trial By Fire, and I'll write a full report on it soon, but configuration for both audio and MIDI under 10.2+ is about as complicated as falling off a log, and the sound quality is excellent.

I said it before and I'll say it again: most places are selling it for an out-the-door price of $599.00. (I'm not saying that you *can't* find a better price, by, like, for example, requesting an e-mailed quote from some places. ) Anyway, at that price, with the mail-in rebate, your net cost is $499.00. And after much in-depth research, I personally don't know of a better "bang-for-buck" investment. Its digital mixer capabilities alone are probably worth that, but you also have 2 on-board mic preamps, built-in digital compressor/limiter/gate on 8 channels (all separately configurable), three built-in digital EQs on 8 channels (lo shelf, hi shelf, and programmable parametric--all separately configurable), 2-in-and-out USB audio interface, a 2-in-and-out USB MIDI interface (with a third "virtual" USB MIDI I/O for control-surface and MIDI editing functions), 8-channel ADAT optical digital I/O on-board (using it for computer I/O requires an ADAT connection to your computer, e.g. PCI card), 4 channels of S/PDIF digital I/O on-board (using it for computer I/O requires an S/PDIF connection to your computer, e.g. PCI card), AND (breathe) a DAW program control surface that has drivers available for several major DAW packages, with others reportedly in the works.

If you can find all of that capability anywhere else for under $500, run, don't walk. Otherwise, I recommend whistling yerself up an EZBus while the gettin's good.

Hey lev -

looking forward to your review. I've got an ezbus hot in my hands here, but alas, here isn't home, so I've nothing to plug into it

Next week, I'll also offer some ezbus/logic comments as well. But ease my pain now....

[Levon River]

I've got an ezbus hot in my hands here, but alas, here isn't home, so I've nothing to plug into it

Ouch! Lutefisk, I feel yer pain.

Next week, I'll also offer some ezbus/logic comments as well.  But ease my pain now....

Well, so far, it's a pip and a joy. There's nothing to do except hook 'er up, spend a couple of minutes in "Audio MIDI Setup," and go. Jaguar recognizes it right away; all you have to do in "Audio MIDI Setup" is define your own MIDI controller/modules, do the virtual hook-ups to the virtual EZBus MIDI I/Os, and set your audio options.

Unfortunately, it arrived when a major rearrangement and renovation is going on around here (partially because it and some other stuff was coming into the lineup) so I still haven't gotten a chance to really smoke test it.

On the MIDI side, I've only used it for a little while in Reason, but it worked flawlessly.

Right now I've also got several feeds from a patchbay in a rehearsal/recording room being fed through it, and I've got the EZBus's Main Outs going to an amp that's feeding a speaker switch box. A band has been patching their vocal mix from a Mackie mixer through it and back to the monitors in there for rehearsal. It all sounds great wherever its output gets sent.

There's still a lot of hammering and pounding going on around here, but it's finally winding down, and this week I'm setting aside some time to get to know it.

For one thing, there are control maps for it for Deck and Peak that I want to try out in OS X.

As I imagine you know by now, one very endearing (and very unusual) thing about it is that the manual and the reference .pdf are very clearly written and easy to follow, with lots of appropriate photos to walk you through the various functions and features.

Like many digital mixers, it departs from the analog mixer paradigm by not having rows and rows of knobs all dedicated to their own peculiar functions; there's some button-pushing to do to switch into the relevant menus, and there's no way to get familiar and facile with that but to work with it. What's great about it is that once you set up the basic routings and what-have-you for a particular use (e.g., recording certain instruments and mics on certain channels in a certain program), you can very easily save all those parameters and routings as a "Mix," and call that back up anytime in a trice, saving enormous fussing and fiddling for often-used set-ups.

And now's as good a time as any to mention that, contrary to the photos circulating around of the thing, it's really *not* a putrid electric blue--it's actually a sleek matte black, and built like a Humvee.

So far, I can't find anything to complain about. And anybody who knows me very well at all will tell you that is high, high praise indeed.

I'll write more when I know more.

I'm looking forward to your report. Get home and get that thang hooked up!

[tremelo68]

Just subscribed today, but used the site for info gathering in the past.

Wanted to chime in on the merits of the EZbus. This thing is really well built. It is heavy and metal and feels like it will really last a long time and will handle road travel, if needed.

It is laid out nicely and efficiently for making connections and adjustments. Easy to use after a little reading. Very decent pre-amps.

I have not had the time to really dig into it yet, but have used it with Reason and Logic on both a B&W G3 400 running OS 9.2.2 and a PowerBook G3 400 (Pismo) running 10.2.3. Couldn't be easier on the OS X machine. In fact, audio and midi is so nice on X I can't wait for more apps to port to it. If only Recycle were out for X and the Logic VSTi as well...

I will add to this thread as soon as I can get more time spent using it.

I definitely recommend it highly.

By the way, at least here in Boston, the local Guitar Center has a bunch of these that were returned due to early problems with drivers. I guess some people went out and bought them as soon as they came out and then found they had problems. Now that they have built better drivers (and with OS 10.2.x you need no driver) you can get these for a steal from them and they are still under warranty. Add the $100 back from Event and you have a MAJOR deal. I talked them to $530 for a VERY clean unit, minus the manual (which I downloaded from Event1.com) and the rebate will make that $430. There is nothing even close to the value out there for under $500. Don't let on that there is a rebate if you want to get the most mileage out of the haggling.

Hope that helps some of you out there debating over EZbus and the Tascam 428 or M-Audio Quattro.

Scott

Thanks, Lev, and thanks Trem for pitching in as well. I'll let you know how the ezbus handles road travel . A week from today....

[BusError]

Yeah, I'm still very happy with the EZbus, however they asked me to shelve the EZ8 driver because they can't justify further development until they have more commitment from mac users. (they don't sell the EZ8 for much, actualy, they almost give it away in some config)

It is not only unfortunate for mac users, but also for me, because as a freelance that means I'm not paid what I expected for a finished product.

The non-official word is that they wait to see if theres is sufficient lobbying at NAMM for the OSX driver.

This is VERY unfortunate, you wouldn't believe the power you get with an EZ8 + and EZbus in a mac, thats just terrific; but I'm the only one playing with it

[Levon River]

Yeah, I'm still very happy with the EZbus, however they asked me to shelve the EZ8 driver because they can't justify further development until they have more commitment from mac users.

<INSERT 42-CURSE-WORD BLUE STREAK HERE>

Where the H*LL did they dig up whatever they've got propped up in the "Marketing Director" chair? A goat yard? A crack house for troubled simians? A clown convention?

How the H*LL do they know what kind of "commitment" they're going to get from Mac users IF and WHEN they provide the additional EZ-8 I/O for Mac users that currently is only enjoyed by PeeCee users? Why the H*LL would they expect any such "commitment" <SPIT!> WITHOUT providing the additional I/O for Mac users? Guess where the majority of their sales are: PEECEE USERS. Guess which market has the EZ-8 available as an option: PEECEE USERS. So they're going to wait for a "commitment" from Mac users BEFORE providing this same highly-desirable option?

The only "commitment" that ought to be going on is commitment of whoever dreamed up *that* idiocy.

I made a "commitment" to the EZBus, partially, at least, based on the following e-mail from "Customer Service" at Event, which was forwarded to me by a friend who had written them about the EZ-8 and OS X:

==========BEGIN QUOTED FORWARDED EMAIL:

From: Customer Service <morehelp@event1.com>
Date: Thu Sep 26, 2002 xxxxxxxxxxx
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: Mike Eglin <MEglin@Event1.com>
Subject: RE: EZ8 and Mac OS X

A Macintosh EZ8 driver is in the works but we have not yet published a
release date. When we do, it will be posted to our Web site.

Thank you for your patience.

MB

============END QUOTED FORWARDED EMAIL:

So does this mean they were willfully lying and misrepresenting their intent? That's called FRAUD where I hail from. Maybe they oughta' start calling it "Customer Deception." And I am *spittin'* mad.

It is not only unfortunate for mac users, but also for me, because as a freelance that means I'm not paid what I expected for a finished product.

Didn't you negotiate a kill fee? I highly recommend making your terms 50% in advance, 50% on completion, with the initial 50% being a kill fee if the client bails for any reason, at any time...

The non-official word is that they wait to see if theres is sufficient lobbying at NAMM for the OSX driver.

Oh. Well, then. Here's the *official* word: HORSESH*T.

I swear, this is the most boneheaded, inverted, full-throttle-reverse, market-suicidal, exclusionary, insular, pigbrained, chickensh*t, hayseed excuse for marketing I think I've ever heard of, hands down. I mean, here they've already got the hardware in the pipeline, fully hardware compatible with Macs, needing only a damned piece of software to sell the things, and they want to wait for the PUBLIC to rush their doors and beg them to release it? LMAO!!!!

Gawda'mighty, this has got to go down in history.

This is VERY unfortunate, you wouldn't believe the power you get with an EZ8 + and EZbus in a mac, thats just terrific; but I'm the only one playing with it

Screw 'em, if that's their attitude. Their card isn't the only one that will pump digital I/O into a Mac.

You know, having watched in open-mouthed amazement the vast vacuum that exists where effective marketing and advertising of the EZBus ought to be, this really doesn't come as any great surprise. I was convinced months ago that whoever is doing their marketing is a jackass of the first water.

And you can tell 'em Levon sed so.

This post has been edited by Levon River: Tue 7 Jan 2003, 04:24

[BusError]

Well, they weren't convinced about OSX to start with; even Apple didn't convince them. However there is much more going on between parties (Apple, Event, me) that could be discussed in short paragraphs on a forum.

Apple has certains 'standards' for providing marketing support etc, and apprently it's a question of the "egg vs the chicken" with Event. Apple needs commitment, and Event needs support before commiting; go figure.

I think I can say I'm a very good developer; I am also expensive. So Event has to think as how they are going to get returns on what they have to pay me, thats perfectly understandable and sound. Thats not just "lets sell our house to support OSX", I DO appreciate that they are not hotheads -I hate fanatics-, even if I'm on the wrong side of the gun this time :-)

[Levon River]

Well, they weren't convinced about OSX to start with; even Apple didn't convince them. However there is much more going on between parties (Apple, Event, me) that could be discussed in short paragraphs on a forum.

I wouldn't care if all three parties were using a Ouija board wearing grass skirts and smoking cabbage leaves while juggling live lobsters. The net result is STOPPING an important audio product for the Mac from coming to market. Period, paragraph, end of story.

Apple has certains 'standards' for providing marketing support etc, and apprently it's a question of the "egg vs the chicken" with Event.

Say ****what?!?!?!**** I'd say it's more a question of laying a Dodo egg where a Marketing Director ought to be vs. Event being the chicken. What the hell does "Apple...providing marketing support" have to do with it? If Apple is already "providing marketing support" for the EZBus, then their "marketing support" must be the Kiss of Death, since it practically takes an expedition to even find out the EZBus exists.

Apple needs commitment, and Event needs support before commiting; go figure.

Go figure this: Apple is in bed with a DIFFERENT audio interface manufacturer. Ever heard of "E-Magic"? Ever heard of "Audiowerk 8"? It just *happens* to be a PCI card. It just *happens* to have digital I/O. It just *happens* to be more expensive than the EZ8. It just *happens* to already have drivers for OS X. What's *is* that I smell?

I think I can say I'm a very good developer; I am also expensive.

I have no doubt that you are. But there are "very good developers" keeping the unemployment lines wrapping around city blocks carrying "Will program for a case of Diet Dr. Pepper" signs. So *that* ain't it.

So Event has to think as how they are going to get returns on what they have to pay me, thats perfectly understandable and sound.

Uh-huh.

Thats not just "lets sell our house to support OSX", I DO appreciate that they are not hotheads -I hate fanatics-, even if I'm on the wrong side of the gun this time :-)

Uh-huh.

But it's funny how the Audiowerk PCI card--with digital I/O and a price point up near $400--happens to already have drivers for OS X, ain't it?

Hope you ain't gettin' stroked, buserror.