AUDIO IN THE EXPRESS LANE
During my testing of the Lenovo S10 "netbook" I wanted to explore the possibilities the Expresscard slot could offer as far as the audio side of things.

Echo Audio a long time leader in digital audio sent me their new IOx express card interface to try out during this review.

THE INS AND OUTS
The IOx is a 2 in 2 out solution for the user who needs the highest quality (up to 24-bit/96khz) audio on the go. The inputs and outputs are on stereo 1/8 inch connectors that are on either side of the card. Very accessable. it also features a volume control directly on the top of the card which is a nice plus. The output jack also supports the use of headphones for clean and high quality monitoring.

Sound of course is the utmost priority here and Echo has never disappointed in that area. They also feature the highest quality drivers and support that are currently available from any company in my opinion as they always strive for stability which is critical when running an audio platform.

DRIVERS
The small CD included in the IOx package contains appropriate drivers and further documentation for the card. The S10 does not have a CD drive you say...not to worry. There are a couple of ways to get drivers and software into the S10.

If you have an Internet connection you can just go to the company's website and download the file locally to the netbook. This is possibly the most convenient and also assures that you have the most up to date versions.

Another way is to open the CD on your desktop and if you have an SD card reader you can just copy the file onto the card and then place the card into the card reader on the S10. Also since there are a couple of USB ports on the S10 you can always opt to use an external CD/DVD drive or a USB External Hard Drive with the files you wish to install.

The drivers currently support the Windows platform (including Vista 32 and 64 bit versions), WDM Kernel Streaming, ASIO, GSIF (for those using Tascam GigaStudio - 32-bit only). Mac OS X support is in the works to be released later this year.

THE ECHO MIXER
The mixer application is very powerful. The mixer provides for the basic configuration, routing and metering . Echo also brings Virtual output channels into the mix that extend the potential uses for this card. Even though there are only two physical outputs you can configure the vitual outs in such a way as to have totally seperate and independant mix busses.

You can have up to 8 virtual outputs which can even used between different music applications running on your laptop which opens up a tremendous amount of possibilities.

The mixer and hardware combination also provide for "near zero latency" monitoring. That is there is no delay from the time the audio signal comes into the card and when it is passed on to the audio output so you can hear exactly what is happening. You know the feeling of talking to someone long distance well you won't have that problem with the IOx..

If your application needs more physical outputs Echo has introduced the DJx which has 4 audio outputs but no audio inputs. This is for the musician, DJ or performer who does not require audio recording but wants to have the flexibility of 2 high quality physical outputs.

FINAL NOTES
Along with the driver CD and quickstart manual ECHO provides a six foot audio cable with RCA and 1/4 inch adapters to get you started right away. Also included you will find a spacer. You would use this to ensure a secure fit if your laptop or netbook has one of the larger Expresscard openings.

The slot on the Lenovo S10 was somewhat shallow. Plugging in the IOx left it sticking out of the side instead of going all the way flush to the netbook. If the netbook is stationary it poses no real problem as far as functioning correctly but it looks a little scary at first. I have heard reports of other users using other Expresscards (Firewire, USB expanders, etc.) that stick out as well.

I think that Lenovo should have thought this one through just a little bit more but I guess you have to make tough choices when designing something so compact and trying to fit everything in there.

CONCLUSION
High quality has always been my impression of ECHO audio products as they have been at the heart of all of our audio and music production work here.

The IOx continues to carry on with the tradition by bringing the power of larger audio interfaces into the compact form factor of the Expresscard slot. If you work with on location recording, DJing, or using your laptop or netbook for music production the IOx is really the only choice for those who desire the best of quality and sound. Go ahead and get into the express lane, you will be in good company.