This card is driving me crazy!

S

SetTheControls

New member
Okay, so I'm interested in doing some home recording. I've tried in the past, but I have a problem. My old Soundblaster Live! card (referring to the "Live! Drive") just can't seem to get ANY volume behind it at all. I've tried running it from a mixing board (which is supposed to contain a preamp), but all I get is a disgusting amount of distortion. I've tried the "line out" or "headphone" jack on numerous amplifiers, but they don't go through. Even the onboard preamp on my bass doesn't quite cut it.

And if I turn up the volume on the card's input, I get a lot of unnecessary noise. I really want to record, but I'm completely turned off to it by the fact that I have to go through a lenthy process just to get decent volume out of the input (raising volume, saving it as a different file, repeating, etc.). I just want to know what I'm missing, or what the hell I need to boost the signal enough. Yes, I have configured Windows' recording proprties/volume, yes I've chacked my connections, yes I'm using recording software. I just have no idea what to do.

P.S. What exactly is "SPDIF"? There's an in/out on the front, but I haven't the foggiest as to what they do. I salvaged this system out of a scrapped computer, but the card obviously works fine.
 
Well I would suggest that you invest a couple bucks and get a real recording sound card....You can get one for as Low as $99 that will let you record 4 tracks at once at 24 bit 96khz like the EMU-0404 or an audiophile 24/96...


Cheers
 
While it's not impossible to get mildly decent recordings with SB cards, I'd agree with Minion. The old SB Live! cards aren't exactly low noise (I know mind wasn't). I went from a SB Live! card to a TurtleBeach SantaCruz to a M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 card, and by the time I got to the M-Audio card I noticed an audible and pleasing difference. Now I'm an Echo Audio interface, but I'd still recommend something like the Audiophile 24/96 card. Don't know a lot about EMU, but some seem to be happy with them.

Maybe someone else can chime in regarding getting your Live! card working right, and if you don't have money for another card, you'll have to get by.

In regards to your S/PDIF question:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPDIF (probably more than you want to know)

It's simply a digital jack (rca type) that typically allows you to send two-tracks (stereo) of digital audio from your interface, or receive two-tracks (stereo) of digital audio to your interface. You can also use this connection to sync clocks on two different interfaces (if it's implemented this way).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top