Sound Cards

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_3_

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People, I'm here to tell you that it pays to put some cash into the sound card. Just because it's in a computer and is digital, doesn't make it sound good. If you can't afford a name brand pro or semi pro card, at LEAST get a Sound Blaster Live Value, the specs on it are exaggerated, but it's still the sweetest card for $50 you can find.
I recently went from an SB Live to a Gadgetlabs 496 4 track card, plus added the digital S/PDIF daughtercard. The sound difference is totally awesome, and the noise floor ( The level on the meters in Sound Forge or such that shows when nothing is hooked up to the card while in record mode) is non-existent. The SBLive showed approximately -55db noise, I couldn't really hear it except at high volume with no signal, but it is there, unlike the better cards which are super quiet. My dynamics are noticably hotter (better) and latency is undetectable.
There's no worse thing you can do than to try to use the high powered programs that are available today, on a card that comes standard in most computers, and probably cost else than a pack of Marlboro's. Get a card, and get to recording!!!!
 
AMEN!

Yes... that's why I am getting a Creamware Pulsar II DSP card. I've been dealing with cheapy soundcards for too long now, putting too much on the external devices (sampler, synth, etc..) and nothing on the computer audiowise.

Thanks _3_ for posting.

Hey 3... are you the 3 from MW?

Take care
 
Well let me put in my two cents worth.

I get asked all the time by new digital musicians how to get a good sound from their music on their computer.
And most of the time- I always point to their sound card- they have powerful machines with more memory and hdd space then they will ever need -

and then they option for the cheap sound card- or even worse- anything integrated into the motherboard!!!

I highly recommend that you get a pro grade sound card- usually easily detectable by the abilty to plug in instruments directly (1/4 inch plug sockets, dual rca jacks, SPDIF IN/OUT jacks) and by having multiple sound output channels (so you can send them to external mixers, monitors or recorders).

I have gotten excellent results with the GINA card from ECHO AUDIO - and it is cost effective. They have more expensive models- but for the lite production needs I have in my home studio- It works fine- and the sound is great.

I have a friend who purchased the SOUND BLASTER LIVE PLATINUM (which I think at least looks like the best of the consumer grade cards- I have not listened to any of his recordings but the specs looked respectful - for the price!)

The sound card's digital to analog and analog to digital converters are one the most crucial elements of the pc recording process (just like they are in samplers, ADATs Mini Discs etc)- so you cannot go cheap! Unless you want your music to sound that way!!

You need a great sounding sound card - to make great sounding music.
 
The GINA is good... A friend has one and it works very well. I think it is a bit old now though.
 
The sound blaster live platinum has been a star buy for me. All the ports are easy to access, full duplex, runs all my software synths, built in MIDI ports etc. Well worth the investment (£150 over here)
 
Mo Music

Hey, Pulsars and Ginas are great, I hear good about the Live Platinum too. I've been curious, maybe someone can enlighten me: are the A/D's on the platinum any better than the rest of the SBLive line? Or is it just an add-on to the live cards?
I have the Gadgetlabs card, as i stated last time, but I use my Live Value to record certain things, especially from tape sources. I can hear a big difference when I record with the gadgetlabs card, the sound is fuller by far, but the SBL is not lame by any means.
We're getting a small project ready, some acoustic stuff, gonna take advantage of the 4 tracks in on the GL 4/96, one big reason to buy such cards if you're willing to spend $200 or more on sound cards.
 
Re: Mo Music

_3_ said:
are the A/D's on the platinum any better than the rest of the SBLive line? Or is it just an add-on to the live cards?
Click to expand...

I think it is better... However it is still Sound Blaster.. mmmm hehe which I don't really like a lot beyond gaming.
 
FUNKYG said:
Well let me put in my two cents worth.

I get asked all the time by new digital musicians how to get a good sound from their music on their computer.
And most of the time- I always point to their sound card- they have powerful machines with more memory and hdd space then they will ever need -

and then they option for the cheap sound card- or even worse- anything integrated into the motherboard!!!
Click to expand...
HEHEHEHEHEHEHE.

I've got a HoonTech Digital XG with a daugther bracket for SB Live and 4 extra Digital Connections. Love it.
Almost 200 $. Well spent. The extra digital ins and outs are great! I can mix between them and the loss of quality = NONE!

Trying to remove analog recording noise. Suggestions?
 
fuzzy laptop area

Wellllll ..is there a good soundcard out for a laptop?| am running an ASUS 600 mhz laptop with 128mg of RAM. As i also run a G4 with a digidesign 001 24bit, when i hear the results of the generic laptop cards recordings they, er, don't exactly stand to attention.
I guess it also depends on microphone placement and type of mic, or the quality of line input from whatever type of line input one is lining in.
Wish u all happy lining in, dining out, and gttin' on up!
 
i-clan

hey man yeah laptop sound cards are not very good.

BUT you can buy something called a PCI RACK which will basically add PCI ports to your laptop, just like a regular computer. Just pop in ANY soundcard, and boom your laptop becomes really good for sound.

;)
 
really?|?|\\\\\\\...even...

could i put a Pulsar or digi001 in even?
and will Asio2 drivers work in that setup?|?
 
ignore previous

Thanks for the info on the PCI Rack!
Don't worry about previous question, it's jumping the gun a bit.
I shall suss out the availability of the pci rack here first with a Sydney dealer, then sort out what sound card i might need.
Thankyou very much for the info, ManofcoolInsight
I like this Site. Very!!
 
CardBus

i-clan,
If you can't get the PCI Rack, look at the Hammerfall DSP, it's a CardBus (PCMCIA)... I read quickly about it on http://www.rme-audio.com and it's brand new. Although, it's digital only.
Cheers

[Edited by pierre on 02-28-2001 at 04:02 AM]
 
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