Audio Card Question

**Infinite5ths** · 04-08-2005

Hey folks...first post here.

I am a classical violinist. I record my audio tracks (mostly acoustic violin & piano) to a Yamaha AW16G HDD recorder. I'm very happy with it (and yes...I know it's only 44.1khz 16 bit -- that's OK!).

I'm trying to set up a VSTi based system to lay down some backup tracks for some original compositions I'm writing. I use Yamaha's SQ01 sequencer, which supports VSTi software synths. I want to be able to sequence and play back up to maybe 16 MIDI tracks, all through VSTi soft-synths. Then I will either:

A) Record the audio output of each of these VSTi synths (through my sound card) separately to my AW16G

OR

B) Mixdown (in SQ01) each track separately to a WAV file and then import the tracks into the AW16G via its built-in CD-RW drive.

My problem is that the soft-synths are rather latent & frequently pop, crackle or stutter when I'm playing live (via my MIDI keyboard/controller) and on playback of sequenced MIDI tracks. I know that a better sound card will fix the latency issue. But I need to know if that will also fix the pops, crackles and stutters.

If I understand the system correctly, the CPU, HDD, RAM, OS and other computer specs are more important to the clean sound production of a VSTi instrument than the sound card itself. I understand that the sound card is responsible for the sound OUTPUT, and that the better the sound card, the less the CPU has to work...thus, the more power is available to process the VSTi instruments. This seems to affect the compositional process (where I need to hear all the sequenced tracks at once) more than the final mixdown quality. Obviously, if I plan to record the sound output of my sound card onto the AW16G, then I need a better card for sure.

However, if I plan to mixdown each track independently to a WAV file for transfer to the AW16G via CD-R, then the processing power of my sound card is or is not as important? Keep in mind that I NEVER wish to record acoustic (i.e. from mics) AUDIO to my PC at this point. I only want to get a clean VSTi sound. I'm willing to mixdown each track separately; and I can live with some pops while I'm composing. I'm not sure to what degree the sound card is involved in a software VSTi mixdown to WAV. If the mixdowns in SQ01 are likely to crackle unless I do some major PC upgrades (in addition to the audio card), I would like to find out now.

If I need a card, I'm considering the Audiophile 2496 or one of the Delta series from M-Audio (due to my Windows OS requirements...see below). Note that the AW16G DOES have SPDIF optical inputs, so that provides a low-noise signal path if I end up recording from PC to AW16G.

Thoughts?

CURRENT SYSTEM SPECS

Computer:
AMD Athlon XP 2600
512MB DDR RAM
120GB Western Digital 7200RPM EIDE HDD
Windows 98SE
(Note: I CAN'T STAND XP, and don't want to deal with an OS upgrade to Win2000 right now.)
Sound Blaster USB (*NOT* Live!)
Yamaha SQ01 VSTi capable sequencer

Other hardware:
Yamaha DGX-200 keyboard (my MIDI cntrlr)
M-Audio Uno (MIDI interface for kybd)
Yamaha AW16G

**krushing** · 04-08-2005

Your audio card doesn't take any processing load off the main CPU. However, the crackles in playback probably occur because you have the buffers of the audio card's drivers set so low (to decrease latency to a playable level) that it crackles. I'm guessing you're not going to get a good/latency-no-crackles performance from that audio card. So it's a definitive "yes" for a new soundcard - your choices are just fine, both the Audiophile and Deltas should provide good performance with ASIO drivers.

What I'm more worried about is that Win98SE of yours, it's generally considered to be one of the most unstable and buggiest Windows versions around. XP is the best at the moment, like it or not...but Win2K would be just fine too. I'm also pretty sure many newer plugins can be problematic in 98, or just simply refuse to work. I know the developers have to at least partially re-code their plugins for 98, or make shaky workarounds in them to even get 'em running under it. Hope this helps a bit.

**Infinite5ths** · 04-08-2005

Yup...but I have worked in PC system & network tech support, and the virus problems with XP are horendous...plus, it's the only Windows OS (except for that half-breed they called Windows ME) that randomly uninstalls hardware for no reason. ...not to mention the 'activation' headaches.

I sure wish Windows 2000 were cheaper.

...but then I hate OS updates...so messy.

I'll think about it.

**krushing** · 04-08-2005

True dat. However, I haven't had a single virus on my XP system, and it's been on broadband since I got it. Just keep your firewalls and antivirus software up to date, and that's it...but you probably know that. 98 is workable if you really know your way around it, but as mentioned earlier, more and more plugin developers (except for the biggest ones who have the need to cater for everyone) are simply dropping support for it, since it's so unstable to work with.

**Infinite5ths** · 04-08-2005

That's part of why I'm using SQ01. It's one of the only sequencer packages that still supports 98SE.

There's always more money to be spent...'specially in the computer world. If I buy XP, then I'll want Cubase, and a bunch of expensive VSTi instruments and an iPod and so forth. That's all stuff for later...much later. :-]

**Infinite5ths** · 04-08-2005

Just out of curiosity...

Is XP Professional considered vastly better than XP Home in a music production system?

**jahrome** · 04-10-2005

With the prices of computers at reasonable prices these days..I would opt for a computer for music production only that would never be connected to the internet.

I have been using RME sound cards for several years now. I am extremely happy with these cards...low to zero latency monitoring and excellent sounding.

I sequence VST instruments from my external sequencer (MPC 3000)using RMEs DSP 9652, which has MIDI. No noticable latency.

**hammerfall** · 04-12-2005

Hi folks, first post, looks like you have a nice community here.

Originally posted by Infinite5ths
Just out of curiosity...

Is XP Professional considered vastly better than XP Home in a music production system?

Not at all. Afaik, here are the limitations of XP home compared to XP pro.

- cannot join an Active Directory domain
- no NTFS or print permissions for sharing
- no support for dynamic disks
- no support for Encrypting File System
- only supports one processor (pro supports two), unclear if dual-core will be supported in the future
- no IIS
- no RIS
- no Remote Desktop

None of these have anything to do with audio, in fact it's just less services running. Hope that helps.

**Todd Aaron** · 04-13-2005

I agree with jahrome. I run 3 of my PCs for music and 1 Mac...cuz they are so cheap these days. If you can't swing doing a dedicated PC...maybe you could boot up on a drive that doesn't touch the net.

If you are on a budget...shop around for an OEM XP. They are out there and they are cheap. Even if you keep your 98SE config. XP has gotten alot better over time and now I would say it's pretty solid. I would also recommend the Proteus X and the software that comes with it. I use Logic 7 Pro for my main machine along with a ton of other gear. When I got the Proteus X for a 4th soundcard I wanted to see what all it would do right out of the box. I pretended like I didn't have any other gear and wanted to see what I could do with it.

The Cubasis Creative edition was easy to use and came with some plugins. You get 48 audio tracks before you have to bounce. The Proteus sounds are fair and workable (and there are a ton of 'em)and worked well in this DAW. The real power is importing nice libraries on it. I did convert/load some gigasampler sounds too. (I also run a dedicated Giga3 machine). It's crazy to think that you can get this EMU card (with hardware processing built on the card) and what it can do out of the box. Shop around for this one and you can get it below the $150 price range. I have worked with alot of equipment and this is the best "bang for the buck" on the market by far. This package get's you in the door to what you are wanting to do.