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sibleypeck

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Those of you who are using any of the various SoundBlaster products (SB16, SB512, SBLive!5.1, Extigy, or Audigy), please tell me:
1)why you chose the one you did;
2)whether it lives up to your expectations;
3)what you would do differently next time, if anything.
 
>1)why you chose the one you did;

It came in my office system, provided by my employer. (SB-64)

>2)whether it lives up to your expectations;

Definitely exceeded my expectations. This due to my prior ownership of the SB AWE32.

>3)what you would do differently next time, if anything.

For this application, playing CDs and mp3s to entertain me while I work on the PC- mostly data entry, this card does the job. Teamed up with an Altec-Lansing set of speakers/amp/sub, I wouldn't change a thing.

For recording, I'd drop the few extra bucks on a real soundcard.
 
drstawl,

I am interested in recording. What do you mean by, "a real soundcard"? Can you recommend any I should consider?
 
sibleypeck said:
Those of you who are using any of the various SoundBlaster products (SB16, SB512, SBLive!5.1, Extigy, or Audigy), please tell me:
1)why you chose the one you did;
2)whether it lives up to your expectations;
3)what you would do differently next time, if anything.
Click to expand...


1. SB Live Value. Chose it for price and the fact that SB's are the standard for desktop sound (not pro recording tho). Owned a Diamond card before and was nothing but trouble.
2. NO!! Customer support sucks BIG TIME!!
3. Buy a real card that has better SNR numbers, lower latency and irecords in 24-bits!

If you want to be serious about recording, you should look at something like the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 ($160)
 
>something like the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 ($160)

Yup. But why stop there?

Decide how many tracks you need to record at once.

Add two. That's Slackmaster's advice and he's right this time.

Look around and M-Audio looks pretty good overall.

But the Darla/Gina/Layla group is nice, too.
 
I really need to record only one track at a time. It's just me. And I can do only one thing at a time.
The mic I use is low-Z, XLR cable. The acoustic/electric I use is Hi-Z. So, the question is: Do I look for a soundcard with XLR and 1/4" Inputs? Or do I opt for the more common 1/4" Inputs only, and use an XLR-to-1/4" Converter until I get a mic pre? (I don't plan to invest in a mic pre or signal processing equipment in the near future - I want to get some decent monitors first.)
 
>And I can do only one thing at a time.

Don't forget that a cool technique is to record more than one version of a live track with various effects and then mix them back together to get a fatter sound. Guitar from a pickup, mixed with guitar from a POD, mixed with a miced cab etc, etc.

And sometimes two mics capture an acoustic guitar better than one. Add a vocal track and you already need more than two.

Slack's rule of thumb stands even if he uses his opposable digit for less savory tasks than picking a guitar string.

Monitors first are a good, logical plan, because you want to be able to hear the difference before you pay the difference.

Although the pre will directly impact the sound being recorded.
 
Sibleypeck.......

I have an CL Audigy Platinum. I love the breakout box feature which sits in a front 5 1/4" drive bay. I hate having to drag the box out from under my desk, plug into the PCI card and begin recording. The front access is great. The Audigy has been mildly slammed in this forum because it is not a true 24 bit card but that doesn't matter to me. I love to play the guitar and recording myself. 16 bit is good enough quality for me to make a few CDs for friends and family. I'm happy with it.

rpe
 
Thanks for the replies, everybody.

I'd like to think that I'm making high-quality recordings, but the truth is I just want to make good demo tapes of songs I write, so I can place one with an established artist. If it turns out I have a talent as an engineer, then I might upgrade to more-professional gear.
I like the idea of the breakout box in the front drive bay. The only thing is my mic is low-Z and has an XLR cable. I would like to avoid using a converter if possible.
Aside from that, knowing my application, do you think one of the Creative Labs cards should be satifactory? Which one would be best?
 
I've owned every Creative card ever made, in my constantly shifting parade of 5-6 PCs that are always in my house. The original 8 bit; SBPro; SB-16; SB-16 SCSI; SB-16 with Roland Sound Canvas daughterboard, Awe 32; Awe 64, Sb-Live, and now an Audigy (which I bought a few weeks ago and have yet to install). They are good game cards and fine for every day computing needs. I have done quite a bit of recording on them, mostly using a SB-Live I have at work to transfer old cassette recordings to CDR. I have also done some "mastering" with a SBLive, playing back 24 bit files with it hacks down to 16 in playback. But I wouldn't do any really important (to me) work with one, and I certainly would not use one in a professional enviorment (i.e. people paying me to do THEIR stuff). There are better cards our there for serious work, some of which are pretty reasonably priced.
 
Re: Sibleypeck.......

rpe said:
I have an CL Audigy Platinum. I love the breakout box feature which sits in a front 5 1/4" drive bay. I hate having to drag the box out from under my desk, plug into the PCI card and begin recording. The front access is great. The Audigy has been mildly slammed in this forum because it is not a true 24 bit card but that doesn't matter to me. I love to play the guitar and recording myself. 16 bit is good enough quality for me to make a few CDs for friends and family. I'm happy with it.

rpe
Click to expand...

How much did you pay for it though? Was it less than the $160 for the 24 bit Audiophile 2496?

Thats the one little point everyone overlooks when comparing the Audigy to the Audiphile.
 
Sibley, you will still need a mixer or a preamp if you use the Audigy. Even if you can get the right types of jacks to hook everything up you will soon be frustrated with the flat, thin sound and possible buzzes and hisses.

If you cant afford a seperate preamp then get a decent Prosumer quality card with a mic preamp built in. Does the Audiophile have a mic preamp, anyone?
 
Tex,

I should have thought that since the Audigy Drive has a gain control on the mic input, that it is a mic pre-amp. Is it designed to fool people?
I think I only need two channels. Originally, I wanted to invest in an Art Pro MPA. But I'll need a compressor or limiter, too. What do you think of the dbx Pro Vocal, or the dbx 376?
And, do you agree with those who recommend buying good monitors first?
 
I havent used those vocal strips so I cant really say. But I can say that if you have any high quality recording aspirations dont waste money on the Audigy. Even if it has a preamp it probably doesnt have phantom power or very good sound quality.

SoundBlasters are decent consumer quality playback cards for music and games but are not recomended for any type of quality recording.

And yes, they are trying to fool people. It's called marketing and all companies do it. They also say it is a 24bit card yet it will not play or record at 24bit ;)
 
RWhite,

What are some of the "better cards ou there" you would recommend for serious work?


anyone,

I feel foolish asking this, but I'll feel even more foolish, longer, if I don't, so here goes:
Is a soundcard basically an A/D Converter and Sound Module, rolled into one?
And if that's the case, shouldn't I be thinking about getting something like a DAL Card Deluxe, and a Roland (I think it's Roland) JV-1080? How do you connect these units to your computer?
 
Tex,
My impression of the Pro Vocal strip and the 376 is that they are there for people who don't want to spend very much money.
I don't want to spend any more than I have to, but I don't want to spend money on useless gimmicks or noisey gear. I'd rather wait and get a Pro MPA/VLA set-up, just because I have more faith in it. But what I'm hoping to hear is that someone who has experience with some of these less-expensive "hybrids" thinks they are a good idea.
 
My next "cheap" card will be the Audiophile 2496, I've heard more than enough good things about it right here at HR. It would do the same types of things as the SB Audigy, but quieter and better. To decide on a more powerful card you would have to make some decisions about how many inputs/outputs you really need.
 
>shouldn't I be thinking about getting something like a DAL Card Deluxe

I'd check them out. I HAD a card deluxe a long time ago. It had stereo I/O on RCA jacks- you could buy the S/PDIF adapter for another C-note- I never did. A high quality card, no doubt, but not as cheap I don't think as the M-audio stuff in the same ballpark.

>you would recommend for serious work?

Our resident recording blowhard highly recommends the Lynx One
 
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