48 Khz error????? Bullshit!!!!

[ntracker]

Hey there,

I readed anywhere that Soundblaster Live! wasn´t a good card to make home recording because it uses 48 Khz internal sampling rate, and because the standard sampling rate is 44.1 Khz, this difference causes syncro error in overdubs, because conversions.
At first I thought it makes sense, but the real life proved that it don´t. I have a Genius Soundmaker Value 5.1 that uses 48 Khz internal sampling rate too, and I am having a cool experience with that.
In truth, I became very intrigated with this comment and decided myself to make some researchs about that. Then, after visit a lot of soundcards sites, I realized that nowadays ALL cards for sale have 48 Khz internal sampling rate, what makes me think that this "syncro error" is bullshit.

Not a poll. Just a observation, ok?

Cheers!

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

What the hell is "synchro error"????
Never heard of it.....

The soundblaster series of cards is certainly not the best choice for recording purposes, but that's more of a sound quality/converter issue as opposed to anything to do with the sample rate....

The only time you will have problems related to sample rate is when you try to use/record WAVs at different sample rates within the same project. Digital signals depend on consistent clocking and that can't happen unless all WAV references being used are locked at the same rate....

The other issue is if you try to work with software that doesn't support the rate of your soundcard... (for example, a lot of free stuff and shareware may have an inherent limitation of working only at a 44.1KHz sample rate.... this will cause huge problems if your soundcard only operates at 48KHz.......... maybe THAT'S the "synchro error" you were talking about.........

 

[TexRoadkill]

The main issue I'm aware of with the SoundBlaster Audigy/Extigy is that they don't really record in 24bit. I don't recall there ever being a problem with sample rates.

 

[Chris Tondreau]

Which cards are you researching?? AFAIK, most of the pro and "prosumer" cards that I know of EXCEPT the soundblaster cards have an internal sampling rate of 44.1, but are capable of working at 48, 88, 96, etc.

Check out the M-Audio site, for example...
Delta 44, Delta 66, Delta 1010, Audiophile 24/96, even the D-Man PCI!!

Then, though I have no experience with these cards, check out other card manufacturers like Echo, RME Hammerfall, MOTU, etc.

Chris

 

[ntracker]

Hi Blue Bear

You approached a lot to what I was talking about, and I think you are right: the problem of synchro error must occur just when you try to use different tracks with different sampling rates. And it´s ok about the freeware that do not works over the 44.1 barrier.

Cheers.

 

[Slackmaster2K]

I've never heard the term "synchro error"...and "synch error" doesn't apply here.

What they probably mean is that downsampling from 48 to 44 can produce unwanted artifacts. But really, this process is not why the soundblaster isn't the best card to record with.

The reason the soundblaster isn't the end all recording card is that a lot of cards a) sound better and b) have better features. That's all there is to it. Don't get lost in the specs, that's for nerds.

You can make decent recordings with the SB Live, but jump up to a cheap prosumer card like something from M-Audio and you'll instantly notice a substantial difference.

The most important thing to consider in the quest for a soundcard is: "how close does what's coming out, sound like what I just put in?" This is the simplest thing in the world, but it takes most people by suprise. Try it. Record a source direct, monitoring the signal via your monitors. Then playback the recording and notice that it doesn't sound exactly the way it did while you were recording it. The only way to tame this variable is to throw money at it.

Slackmaster 2000