FD-4 or sound card?

[Bob Sordahl]

A question to those with more experience...Am I better off buying a Fostex FD-4 or a better sound card? I want to record and burn CD's of my own guitar, midi synth and vocal music. I have a multi track recording program on my computer, but it seems noisy by the time I record 2 to 4 tracks.

[Jim Marquard]

Most will respond that you should go better sound card. If you have a decent computer that might, indeed be the way to go as long as your talking about a recording card with software. Many more possibilities. But the Fostex FD-4 is a decent unit with some cool possibilities. And when you do upgrade to more tracks, it will make for a great mix down recorder. 16 bit (same as CD and DAT) and still have editing capabilities. So it would be valuable in the future, regardless, unless the industry gets rid of CD's and replaces them with something new. I don't know if the FD-4 will allow you to go direct to a scsi cd burner, but it does have optical-digital outs. Musician's Friend has them for $299.99, without storage devices, right now on their site www.musiciansfriend.com at this time. Worth a look.

Peace, Jim

[Bob Sordahl]

Thanks for the input Jim.

I already own a zip drive, so I suppose if I can get an FD-4 for $259.00 it's a no brainer huh?