Sep 08, 2017 I just updated to windows 10 with my Echo Layla 3G. At first it did not work (audio was playing too slow), I unistalled the drivers, rebooted, installed the driver and now it works find. I will update this post if I run into any kind of issue later.
View and Download Echo Audio Layla owner's manual online. Version 1.6 for PC. Summary of Contents for Echo Audio Layla. Page 1 Layla ® Owner’s Manual Version 1.6 for PC Layla is designed and manufactured in the U.S. By Echo Corporation. Page 24: Layla Audio Input & Output Devices. Echo Digital Audio Corporation warrants this product, when purchased at an Authorized Echo Dealer in the. Mona, Layla®24, Layla. Thank you for choosing the Mona 24/96 Digital Studio. We think you’ll find Mona to be an extremely flexible, high-performance tool for your computer-based hard disk recording system.
Photo: Mike Cameron
Echo's range of computer hardware has always been popular with musicians, and the company have now launched the 'third generation' of their Layla and Gina multi-channel audio and MIDI interfaces.
When it comes to selecting an audio interface for a computer-based recording system, musicians now have a bewildering choice. As outlined by Martin Walker in his November 2004 article on this very subject, there is something for almost everyone, whatever the combination of features required and cash available. For those seeking multi-channel audio, digital I/O and MIDI I/O in a single device, at the upper end of the market, the current crop of products is particularly tempting. For example, in recent months SOS has looked at several Firewire-based units including the Digi 002 Rack, MOTU 828 MkII, RME Fireface and Yamaha i88X, all of which are very impressive.
Of course, not everyone can justify spending £800-plus on an audio interface. Fortunately, whether PCI, USB or Firewire-based, there is also a range of mid-priced products available that are snapping at the heels of their more expensive peers. Echo have always had a good reputation in this particular area, and their Gina, Layla and Mia devices have all received positive SOS reviews in the past. Echo are now shipping the '3G' (third-generation) versions of the Gina and Layla, priced at £330 and £430 respectively. So how does the performance of the Layla 3G, which on paper looks well specified, compare to its more expensive competitors?
Specifications Summary
- Eight analogue inputs: two Neutrik Universal connectors for balanced TRS or XLR and six balanced TRS connectors.
- 48V phantom power on XLR inputs.
- Eight analogue outputs on balanced TRS connectors.
- Nominal I/O level: +4dBu or -10dBV (software configurable).
- Converters: 128x oversampling converters, 24-bit data resolution maintained throughout signal path.
- S/PDIF digital I/O: up to 24-bit resolution via optical or co-axial connector.
- ADAT digital I/O: 24-bit I/O over optical connection, 44.1kHz and 48kHz sample rates supported.
- MIDI In and Out.
- Word clock I/O. Can sync to MTC (MIDI Time Code).
- Headphone output: high-quality quarter-inch headphone jack with volume control on front panel.
- On-board 56-bit, 100MHz Motorola DSP.
- Near zero-latency hardware monitoring.
- Buss-mastering PCI host interface provides power to breakout box; 3.3V and 5V compatible. Works with PCI-X and Power Mac G5.
Quick Tour
In essence, the Layla 3G is a PCI-based interface with a neat 1U rackmounting breakout box, offering an eight-in/eight-out analogue configuration with additional digital I/O (a further eight channels of I/O using the ADAT connectivity). The front panel of the breakout box itself is rather minimalist in appearance, with just a power LED, two combi XLR/TRS inputs with input controls and three-stage LED metering, a phantom power switch and a headphone output with volume control. The XLR/TRS inputs are 'smart' and will automatically adjust for a line, mic or high-impedance input signal. Commendably, Echo provide a decent 15-foot cable for connecting the PCI card to the rack unit. This also supplies power so, thankfully, there is no wall-wart power supply to deal with.The Layla 3G Console.
The rear of the unit contains all the other connectivity. This includes the other six balanced analogue inputs, eight balanced analogue outputs, stereo S/PDIF I/O (RCA or optical) or eight-channel ADAT optical I/O, word clock connectors and MIDI I/O. One further interesting feature is the two insert jacks, which function with the two front-panel inputs and allow external effects to be easily patched into these input channels. The lack of dedicated inserts on the majority of audio interfaces (and even many digital mixers) can be frustrating for those used to their availability on most analogue desks. Audio interface manufacturers now seem to be addressing this — for example, Yamaha's i88X includes inserts — and it is very welcome to see them appearing in a mid-priced unit like the Layla 3G.
As well as the PCI card, breakout box and cable, Echo also supply a Quick Start Guide and a single CD. The latter contains all the drivers (both PC and Mac) and the full manual as a PDF. Unlike many manuals supplied with hi-tech computer equipment, this one is actually helpful. It includes a range of supplementary information on, amongst other things, the principles of digital audio, different driver types and surround sound. For the less experienced user, this would make interesting reading. Also included within the package is Raw Material Software's Tracktion MIDI + Audio sequencer. Now marketed by Mackie, Tracktion was reviewed in SOS April 2003 so, aside from the summary in the 'Extra Atracktion' box, interested readers could refer to the earlier review.
Installation of the Layla 3G proceeded without a hitch. Once the drivers were installed on the Windows XP test system, the PCI card was simply slotted home, the breakout box connected and, on power-up, the PC found the Layla 3G and the necessary drivers with little user intervention required.
Recommended System Requirements
- PC: Windows Me, 2000 or XP, Intel Pentium or AMD Athlon CPU, motherboard with Intel, AMD, Via or NVIDIA chip set, 256MB RAM (512MB recommended).
- Mac: Mac OS 10.2 or later, G4 or better processor, 256MB RAM (512MB recommended).
Audio Performance
Given the very creditable performance of Echo's previous audio products, I was not surprised to find that the Layla 3G sounded very good indeed. Some basic listening tests using a range of commercial recordings, and performed via Sound Forge and Wavelab, demonstrated plenty of high-end detail and solid reproduction of the lows. Stereo imaging also seemed to be very good.
These subjective comments were supported by more objective testing with Rightmark's Audio Analyser (5.4). Loopback tests at 16-bit/44.1kHz gave noise levels of 95.8dB(A), total harmonic distortion (THD) of 0.0011 percent and stereo crosstalk of 98.7dB, all excellent figures. At 24-bit/44.1kHz, these improved further to -110.2dB(A), 0.0008 percent and 114.6dB respectively. Again, these are excellent figures, and the noise and stereo crosstalk readings only dropped by a couple of dB at 24-bit/96kHz. All other things being equal, and all other elements of the audio signal chain being taken due care of, I'd have no concerns about using the Layla 3G for serious audio work.
The Layla 3G provides eight channels of analogue input and output, plus eight-channel ADAT I/O.Photo: Mike Cameron
Ooh Ah, Just A Little Bit
If the Layla 3G appeals, but you could manage with a two-in/six-out analogue configuration, then the Layla's little sister, the Gina 3G, might fit the bill. Aside from the reduced analogue I/O count and a smaller box, much of the functionality remains the same, including the two, phantom-powered, Neutrik Universal 'smart' connectors for balanced TRS or XLR on the front panel. The only other noticeable differences are the lack of word clock I/O on the Gina and a shorter (8-foot) cable to link the PCI card with the breakout box, and the £329 price tag still makes it a very attractive option.
In Use
The Echo Console application is used to control the main functions of the interface. The key features of the Console are similar to those found in earlier versions (for example, the Indigo IO, reviewed in the April 2004 issue), although the exact details obviously reflect the particular hardware configuration of the Layla 3G.
The main screen is dominated by faders and meters for the eight analogue inputs. On the surface, this is all quite straightforward, but as only a single analogue output buss is displayed within the Console at any one time and different input channel monitoring settings are available for each analogue output buss, things can get a little more complex. Fortunately, the manual does a decent job of explaining this and, as you could use this feature to set up different input monitoring mixes for each of the analogue output pairs, it does provide considerable flexibility. The user can toggle between the settings for each of the output busses via the buttons located mid-right of the window. Immediately above these, the Input Clock and Digital I/O formats can be selected.The Settings options include the channel delay screen for use with a surround monitoring system.
The settings button opens up further options, all of which will be familiar to existing Echo users. These include setting the S/PDIF format, GSIF buffer size options (on the PC) and, usefully given the multi-channel outputs, the ability to set up channel delays to accommodate a surround-sound monitoring system. Conveniently, users can also save and load particular Console settings if they regularly use different configurations for different audio applications or tasks.
Of course, audio quality is not the only requirement for a good audio/MIDI interface: driver stability, reliability and low latency are also required. Again, Echo have an enviable reputation in this area and the Layla 3G proved to be no exception. The performance of the ASIO and WDM drivers seemed both stable and efficient (I don't have Gigastudio on my test system, so couldn't evaluate the GSIF drivers). In both Cubase SX and Reason, I was able to get down to a buffer size of 256 samples (equating to a latency of around 6ms) without a great deal of CPU sweat even in a fairly busy arrangement. Lower settings also worked fine but, of course, generated higher CPU loads on the test PC and, frankly, given my keyboard skills (or lack of them!), I've never been that concerned about the difference between a 3ms or 6ms latency when using software synths. Playback and recording worked as expected within both Sound Forge and Wavelab. I was also able to configure both SX and Acid Pro for 5.1 surround sound output without any difficulty.
In testing, I experienced no problems at all with the hardware itself. In performing some routine recording tasks in SX, the analogue inputs and outputs behaved exactly as expected. I carried out my usual solo voice and acoustic guitar recordings via the front-panel mic preamps using a couple of different condenser microphones (one budget, one less so). Starting at 16-bit, 44.1kHz, the results were extremely pleasing — clean and seemingly accurate — while moving to 24-bit produced a subtle improvement in the high-end detail. I didn't notice any obvious further improvement when moving to a 96kHz sample rate, and in truth, most people considering an audio interface in the £400-500 price range are unlikely to have spent the considerable sums required on mics, monitors and acoustic treatment to get a significant benefit from high sample-rate recording — but the choice is there if you need it. Recordings made via the line-level inputs 3-8 were also clean and clear. While they do not provide phantom power, they would be perfectly suitable for use with hardware synths or for multi-mic recordings of a live band (either using dynamic mics or feeds from an external mixer).The usual buffer size settings are available via the Control Panel directly from SX.
As on previous Echo products, the Layla 3G drivers support multi-client audio. Providing you are careful in how you set this up (and the host computer is powerful enough!), it ought to be perfectly possible to run several audio applications in tandem, each using a different set of the Layla 3G's outputs with a different driver format. Again, the PDF manual contains some useful information on this topic, covering common applications such as Sonar, Gigastudio and SX. The ASIO 2.0 Direct Monitoring function of the Echo worked well within SX, making latency a non-issue when recording real instruments via a microphone. The inserts on input channels 1 and 2 also did their job without a fuss, making it feasible to patch in the occasional outboard effect/processor unit in the absence of a hardware mixer. Finally, while I was not able to test the ADAT I/O connectivity, the S/PDIF I/O passed data to and from other digital devices in my studio without any problem.
If I had to criticise the Layla 3G, two things would occur to me. First, the three-stage LED front-panel input metering is perhaps best described as 'basic', although more detailed information can be obtained via the Console. Second, I found the lack of a front-panel control for master output level to be a bit irritating. This would, of course, be less of an issue if the Layla 3G was permanently wired up to a hardware mixer but, for those trying to manage without a mixer, audio levels have to be controlled via your host application or the Console. Given both the price point and the unit's audio performance, these are, however, very minor quibbles.
Conclusions
As a PCI-based interface, the Layla 3G may be less appealing than a USB or Firewire-based device to those who might want to adapt to laptop use in the future. However, if you're looking for something to slot into a permanent studio setup featuring a desktop PC or Mac, it certainly has plenty to offer. In this context, the only major problem with the Layla 3G is that it gives musicians yet another multi-channel audio and MIDI interface to choose from!
The third generation of the Layla line is most certainly up to Echo's usual standards and is capable of very good results. It is likely to have fairly wide appeal amongst the serious home/personal studio crowd — while many in this position might aspire to something like the Digi 002 Rack or MOTU 828 MkII, unless the other elements of the studio setup are all as well specified, it is debatable whether the extra few hundred quid would generate noticeable audio improvements for many users. The Layla 3G provides a very functional audio and MIDI interface and is backed by Echo's strong history in delivering stable and efficient drivers. At this price point, I expect it to sell very well indeed.
Extra Atracktion
I reviewed Tracktion back in the April 2003 issue of SOS. While the software has undergone various updates since that time, and is now available for both Windows and Mac OS, its basic operation remains the same.
Tracktion: not your average MIDI + Audio sequencer!
As described in my original review, Tracktion 's author, Julian Storer, decided to approach the issue of MIDI and audio sequencing from a very different perspective to more mainstream applications. As a consequence, those with experience of Sonar, Cubase or Logic (for example), might find Tracktion a little left-field to start with. This said, the intentionally stripped-down feature set makes for a very efficient learning curve and it offers a perfectly functional sequencing environment. Bundled free with Layla 3G, it ought to be a very welcome addition for someone just starting out with computer-based recording.
Pros
- Very respectable audio performance.
- Builds on Echo's good reputation for audio and MIDI products aimed at musicians.
- Sensibly priced.
Cons
- Input metering on front panel somewhat basic.
- No hardware control for output level.
Summary
Given Echo's well-earned reputation for their audio/MIDI interface products, it would be expected that the 'third generation' version of the Layla ought to do the business straight out the box. It doesn't disappoint — with this combination of features and price, the Layla 3G ought to have wide appeal.
information
£429.99 including VAT.
Photo: Mike Cameron
Despite the obvious attractions of portable recording systems based around laptop computers, high-quality compatible audio hardware is scarce. That looks set to change, however, now that Echo Audio have adapted their popular Mona and Layla 24 interfaces for laptop use.
The Mona and Layla rackmount units connect to a laptop using a specially designed PCMCIA card and cable. Users with laptop and desktop computers can switch the rackmount unit between the two, as long as they have both the PCMCIA card and the PCI card.
Those looking to buy an audio interface for a desktop computer are faced with a difficult task in choosing from the extensive range of PCI, FireWire and USB-based products on offer. For the laptop owner, though, there are far fewer options. To begin with, by no means all laptops have FireWire ports, and opting for a USB interface (arguably not the wisest decision at the best of times) can be particularly problematic if your machine doesn't have one of the relatively few reliable USB chipsets. The only other option has been to find an interface which uses a laptop's PCMCIA (or 'CardBus') slot, but aside from Digigram's VX Pocket and RME's new Hammerfall DSP, these have been thin on the ground. Now, however, American company Echo Audio have just released two of their well-established and well-respected audio interfaces, the Mona and Layla 24, in laptop versions, employing a CardBus card and newly designed interconnect cable instead of the original PCI card.
Lap Records
Photo: Mike CameronThe Mona and Layla 24 are clearly aimed at different types of users. Both use a CardBus card that links to an external, 19-inch rackmount unit housing A-D and D-A converters along with a range of analogue and digital audio connections, but the features on offer differ significantly. The Mona is something of an all-in-one solution, with built-in mic preamps, phantom power and metering. Its six analogue outputs make it suitable for monitoring and mixing in 5.1 surround format, and the inclusion of an eight-channel ADAT interface provides extra flexibility.
The Layla, however, is probably better suited to the user who already has a mixer and/or outboard mic preamps as it offers eight analogue inputs and outputs that operate at line level only, along with eight channels of ADAT-format digital I/O, but has no metering. Both have S/PDIF connections on dedicated phono sockets, and the ADAT optical connection can also be switched to handle S/PDIF optical instead. Sadly, though, ADAT and S/PDIF can't be used simultaneously even if you opt to use the phono sockets for the latter. Both the Mona and Layla provide word clock I/O, and the latter adds MIDI as well (see the Specifications box for more details).
Both the Mona and the Layla rackmount units look and feel exceptionally well put together. The brushed aluminium front panels give them a very classy air, and the feel of all the controls and connections inspires confidence. The interfaces connect to the CardBus card using a 12-foot cable sporting a computer-style nine-pin plug at the breakout box end and a compact 30-pin connector which plugs into the card itself. I'm pleased to say that both the Mona and Layla use decent IEC 'kettle-lead' mains power cables.
In Use
They say that first impressions count for a lot, so it was unfortunate that the first time I tried out the Mona and Layla was in conjunction with an Apple Titanium Powerbook that was clearly struggling with some sort of software conflict and may well have had a damaged CardBus slot. I won't go into details, but let's just say that most of the recordings I made were of various expletives and gnashing of teeth, all in crystal-clear 96kHz, 24-bit audio of course! After this inauspicious start I tested with a Gateway laptop running Windows 98.
Opening up the Mona's packaging first of all, I was met with an absolutely unmissable single-sheet leaflet entitled 'For best results do this first!' which described the hardware and software installation procedure. An auto-booting installer on CD-ROM offered to install Windows drivers, the bundled Cubasis VST software, and product manuals (in PDF format, together with Adobe Acrobat Reader if necessary). I opted pretty much for everything, and after shutting down the laptop, inserted the CardBus card and connected the rackmount unit to it. On booting up once more, Windows detected the new hardware, installed the necessary drivers, and I was up and running. A more hassle-free installation I couldn't imagine.
Echo provide drivers in ASIO format (as used by the bundled Cubasis VST and other sequencers) along with WDM and VXD drivers for the various incarnations of Windows, including 98, ME, 2000 or XP. If you have a Mac you'll need OS 8.6 or higher. In Windows 98's Multimedia control panel the input and output options for the Mona or Layla are accurately reflected, as are Layla's MIDI connections, and I had absolutely no trouble persuading Windows to route audio via the interfaces, although Echo recommend disabling playback of Windows' system sounds.
A software console for configuring the Mona is included as part of the installation, and a capital letter 'M' in Windows' Taskbar provides easy access to it. Initially the Mona console can be a bit confusing, but it's covered in depth, along with all other aspects of the interfaces and their software, in the excellent PDF manual. The console allows latency-free hardware monitoring to be set up between any input and output, and other essential aspects of the Mona's operation, including clock source, can be configured with it. A preference page opens up some other setup options, and it was very nice to see a dither option for the digital inputs here.
Installing the Layla 24 was similarly straightforward, but its console software is necessarily more complex to cope with the greater number of analogue inputs and outputs, and of course instead of a capital 'M' in the Windows Taskbar you get an 'L'. The console also includes some MIDI configuration options. In both cases, I was impressed with how easy installation of these interfaces was. Echo have clearly done a very good job, and their Windows and ASIO drivers seem to be absolutely reliable.
The Mona is designed as an all-in-one recording system offering mic and guitar preamps as well as line-level I/O.The Layla provides a well-specified eight-channel analogue interface with the addition of ADAT and S/PDIF digital I/O, word clock and MIDI.
Recording With Mona & Layla
The PCI version of the Mona was reviewed in Sound On Sound by Martin Walker back in October 2000. He commented then on its excellent sonic performance, particularly in terms of dynamic range and accuracy. I can only agree with him — both the Mona and the Layla 24 are fine-sounding interfaces with superb on-paper credentials. I've always found good A-D converters to be characterised by noticeable clarity and separation in the treble registers, and a subjective 'sweetness'. The best I've heard are those in MOTU's 1296 interface as well as some dedicated outboard converters such as the Apogee Rosetta. For the price, you wouldn't expect the Mona or Layla to sound quite like a Rosetta, but they get mighty close, and having a 96kHz option makes you feel pretty good even if you never have cause to use it!
I do, however, have some reservations about the Mona's guitar inputs, which to me sounded a touch weedy. For comparison purposes I recorded guitar (and then bass) directly through the Mona's inputs, and then through an M‑Audio DMP2 outputting into one of the line inputs. The cheap-and-cheerful DMP2 can hardly be described as esoteric, but it's an astonishingly capable little mic preamp and DI box. In all cases, and with very careful level matching, guitars sounded fuller and somehow more articulate going through the DMP2. I had few complaints with Mona's mic inputs, though as you might expect, a good, dedicated outboard voice channel still sounded subjectively better.
My only other concern about the Mona and Layla is to do with the connection between the CardBus card and the breakout cable, which looks like it could suffer if, say, something was inadvertently dropped on it. Echo have assured me that they decided on the card/cable connection only after extensive testing, and that there have been no problems with all the laptop units they've shipped so far. Nevertheless, I still feel that it's a potential weak spot — not necessarily for a home-studio setup, but maybe for a travelling rig. At one point, for instance, I experienced a spike of digital noise on all four inputs of the Mona when I slightly repositioned my laptop, causing the cable to be lightly strained, though I'd stress that this happened only once, and was not a problem at any other time during the several weeks I had the interfaces on test.
Conclusions
Both the Mona and the Layla 24 sound excellent and, with virtually no exceptions, proved very reliable during the time I spent with them. They were easy to set up and nice to live with, and would be suitable for both the first-time audio interface buyer and, by virtue of their word clock connections, a more experienced user looking to add a mobile recording setup to a pre-existing studio. It's also worth mentioning that Echo sell their PCI and CardBus interface cards separately from the rackmount units if need be, so both the Layla and Mona can easily be shared between desktop and laptop systems.
Ultimately, the Mona and Layla 24 are among the best-specified PCMCIA/CardBus based interfaces on the market, and are available at a price which competes with similarly specified PCI and FireWire-based products. The fact that neither is expandable might be a problem for some, but for the majority of laptop users, who want a good-sounding interface to use at home and on the road, they're the business.
Specifications
As I mentioned in the main text of this review, the Mona and Layla differ significantly in the range of inputs, outputs and other features they offer. The Mona's analogue inputs are all on the front panel in the shape of four combination XLR/quarter-inch sockets. Plugging in an XLR cable configures an input for microphone-level operation, whilst the quarter-inch sockets are for balanced or unbalanced line-level signals. They'll also handle a high-impedance guitar input, courtesy of the front-panel 'Guitar' switches. All four inputs have trim controls which can dial in up to 60dB of gain for the mic preamps, and up to 40dB for the line-level inputs (50dB with the Guitar switch depressed). Phantom power is available to all four mic inputs, and turned on or off with a front-panel switch.
The Mona's six analogue outputs are on balanced (+4dBu) XLRs and unbalanced (-10dBV) phonos. There's optical digital I/O switchable between ADAT and S/PDIF formats, and a dedicated S/PDIF input and output on phonos. BNC connectors for word clock (in and out), a three-pin IEC mains socket, and the nine-pin breakout cable connector round off the rear panel. Finally, on the front panel, there's a power switch, a remote footswitch socket, a nice loud headphone output (with volume control) and four 10-segment input level meters.
The Layla, in comparison, is more of a 'no frills' interface. The front panel has only a headphone output with volume control, and a power switch. Around the back there are eight software-switchable -10/+4dB line inputs and outputs, all on quarter-inch sockets and all balanced/unbalanced. There are the same arrangements for ADAT and S/PDIF as the Mona, and in addition to a pair of word clock BNCs there's MIDI In, Out and Thru.
The on-paper audio performance of the Layla and Mona is the same, and both achieve very impressive results. Frequency response for the balanced line inputs is 10Hz to 22kHz ±0.25dB with 110dB dynamic range (A-weighted). For the outputs, dynamic range is greater still at 115dB (A-weighted). Both A-D and D-A converters are 128x oversampling designs with 24-bit resolution, and support sample rates from 8kHz right through to 96kHz.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality.
- Robust construction.
- Easy to use, with well-written drivers for PC and Mac.
- Hardware monitoring and decent latency performance.
Cons
- Not expandable.
- S/PDIF and ADAT I/O aren't available simultaneously.
- Card/cable connection doesn't inspire confidence.
- Manual supplied only in PDF format.
Summary
The Mona and Layla Laptop are probably the most versatile PCMCIA-based interfaces currently available, and amongst the best-sounding regardless of computer connection method.
information
Echo Layla 24 96
Echo Layla 24 96 Drivers
test spec
Echo Layla 24 96 Pci
- Echo software and drivers used: v6.00.
- Gateway 466MHz Pentium II laptop with 128Mb RAM, running Windows 98.