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Sound Card Confusion.

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darkstar darkstar is a male

Amateur DnB Producer

Registration Date: 11-10-2007
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Hi everybody! (Dr. Nick reference not intentional, I assure you Tongue

)

I want to get a new soundcard. I'm using a shitty little Philips Aurilium external card currently that decides it wants to change to 3d mode everytime I play a sample, so I want to move on. My speakers are logitech X-540s, so I need the 5.1 input.

I've been looking at the Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi XtremeMusic as a possible option, but then I see HT Omega and Auzentech and I get lost in features.

I want these following things.

Low latency (ASIO, what the fuck does ASIO 2 do?)
Full duplex (I've been told I need it)
Multi-client support
An okay price (AU$250 would be good or cheaper)

Can anybody help me out? I'm using a Korg microKONTROL and a Samson Q1U USB mic, I don't care about the mic so much but I want a good set-up with FL because I plan on purchasing a mixer or pad unit in the near future.

My computer is a 2.4G P4 with 1GB RAM, so if it's the computer that you think needs changing, let me know.

Any comments would be appreciated.

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This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by darkstar: 19-11-2007 10:40.

18-11-2007 02:18

BattleDrone BattleDrone is a male

2161... the future.

Registration Date: 30-12-2005
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I have the M-audio Audiophile 2496 and it does what you ask for and the price is well within range too.

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19-11-2007 00:29

darkstar darkstar is a male

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It does surround, does it?

I need a card that lets me turn off channels, if possible. I want the ability to just work in 2.1 or expand it to 5.1 (NO HIGHER) for games and movies.

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19-11-2007 10:34

darkstar darkstar is a male

Amateur DnB Producer

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what about the revolution 5.1? will that do what I need it to? the latency mainly?

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19-11-2007 10:37

BattleDrone BattleDrone is a male

2161... the future.

Registration Date: 30-12-2005
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If you put it that way, forget my card. It's just stereo, the 2.1 should be selfmade by adding a sub. No 5.1 or anything, this is a regular audio production card. Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi is not bad at all I heard.

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19-11-2007 12:49

darkstar darkstar is a male

Amateur DnB Producer

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Anybody got that card? Or a similar setup to me? I need help?

@Battle,

I took a look at ur card and it's awesome, jsut a question, MIDI inand out in preference to USB-MIDI? What are the pros/cons of this?

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20-11-2007 01:24

Soi

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Don't know too much about surround and 5.1 in daily life, but i reckon you need at least 5 outputs, so that brings you in the multiple input+multiple output range of soundcards, and their pricetag, off course.

But chances are most likely, that your soundcard does not decode digital surround sound signal (dunno about SPDIF), it will only output it. Only a surround sound receiver can decode to a 5.1 speaker setup. So your soundcard should have the necessary amount of output channels for a surround speaker setup, but playing audio back in surround is entirely up to the audio program. Cubase SL, SX and other software of the like have "surround mix modes". The program itself mixes audio to any available output channels of a device for surround sound.

good thing is, that you can f.e. daisychain multiple 'smaller'/'budget' soundcards, i use a Presonus Firebox f.e. and this 'budget' soundcard already offers me 24/96 4in 6 out firewire connections, so that's already pretty much in mini-home-studio environments.

I think there are a lot of related soundcards on the market that suffice your needs..

But if you're lucky, the MOTU 828 MK2 can be found at VERY good prices here and there....

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20-11-2007 13:18

darkstar darkstar is a male

Amateur DnB Producer

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I'm using FL.

I have 5.1 speakers.

I want a sound card that allows me to use my Korg microKONTROL with FL at a lower latency.

I don't care about how many spare inputs/outputs I have.

I want a card that allows me to connect up what I have and use it much better than I can with this shitty Aurilium.

I work in 2.1, just like everyone else. I don't want to make music in 5.1, tried it in cubase and got very frustrated.

I watch movies and play the occasional game of UT2004, which would benefit from an improvement in spatial awareness.

I would like the ability to turn off or disable channels so that 5.1 wasn't trying to overwhelm my 2.1 music production setup.

In terms of music producing, I have one of the most amateur setups available, I don't know a thing about firewire or most of the technologies you guys throw around.

Do I really need something as big as the 828mkII for what I do? Seriously?

I don't even record samples!

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This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by darkstar: 21-11-2007 03:17.

21-11-2007 03:15

darkstar darkstar is a male

Amateur DnB Producer

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I didn't mean for that last post to come out harsh. I just really need a better idea of what I'm doing here. Please, somebody help.

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28-11-2007 09:31

Crispy Liquids Crispy Liquids is a male

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I'm also quite interested in a new soundcard, basicly because I have a new PC with windows damn vista on it... Sigh... Takes away all the extra memory I got with it! (not that it matters much with onboard sound, bah, aldi should put some more effort into that ;-) )

Anyways, my Sound Blaster Audigy did a good job with my windows XP previous PC, with that difference that I'm running a duocore now with twice the memory (divided by two because of vista). In any case I think the latency would definately be enhanced just with my duocore. I'll try the audigy in my vista, if it even is compatible, and see what the outcome is ;-)

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30-11-2007 02:07

Greyone Greyone is a male

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I'm also interested in a new soundcard as i have some sort of reverb now on my onboard soundcard.

30-11-2007 20:20

Friscko Friscko is a male

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Registration Date: 12-03-2005
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quote:

Originally posted by Greyone
I'm also interested in a new soundcard as i have some sort of reverb now on my onboard soundcard.

i have reverb on my onboard soundcard when it's set as games or film, so when it's in dolby surround mode..

maybe check if yours also has something like that?

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30-11-2007 20:25

Friscko Friscko is a male

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oh and if anyone can reccomend a cheap and simple soundcard, just to have 2 rca outs (left and right Shocked

) and a headphone out, please do so!

the cheaper the better!

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30-11-2007 20:27

darkstar darkstar is a male

Amateur DnB Producer

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It seems many of us are having sound card difficulties.

I've never had a reverb problem because it's always been something that could easily be deactivated, I don't leave any settings alone when getting anything new Tongue

I'm hearing mixed messages about this Creative card i want. Somebody please help me make sense of this, I've listed what I want and I need somebody with a bit of know-how and understanding to explain what the benefits of buying one card over another, this firewire stuff, basically setting my options out for me.

Please.

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01-12-2007 01:21

Greyone Greyone is a male

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quote:

Originally posted by Friscko

quote:

Originally posted by Greyone
I'm also interested in a new soundcard as i have some sort of reverb now on my onboard soundcard.

i have reverb on my onboard soundcard when it's set as games or film, so when it's in dolby surround mode..

maybe check if yours also has something like that?

no its because i had some beer over my laptop (not my fault) Frown

+ my sound-output is fucked( broken ) so i cant play livesets with my laptop

= i need new laptop + new speakers (active - Allesis) + new external sound card (m audio preferable / external)

01-12-2007 11:49

Paracyte Paracyte is a male

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Got ESI Julia and had no troubles ,just know what to buy ROFL

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02-12-2007 00:55

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