Best inexpensive soundcard for playing midi

[fabkebab1]

Hi there guys -
I posted previously about soundcards, but I have had a reality check about how much time I really have for fiddling, and my question has become much simpler:

Is there a cheapish ($100) card I can buy which has a good, high quality set of sampled "instruments" for midi playback.

A long way back I bought a Gravis Ultrasound which was probably good enough for my needs, but since replacing my computer with a faster, newer one I am back in the stone age music wise - The midi drums etc sound so horrible they make me want to weep!!

so does anyone have any sound cards reccomended for midi? I already have a digital recording studio, so I am not so interested in the mic/line in and out functions.



for an example of my music exhibiting the horrid midi sounds, try this song:

Try "The Cheer Up Song" at
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/6/deadmanscornermusic.htm

can you reccomend a card which can improve the nasty drum/bass/instrument noises? (Ok so the vocals arnt much either...)

thanks

 

[brzilian]

Onboard MIDI synths on soundcards are C-R-A-P. Why don't you just use VST or DXi softsynths instead?

 

[sonnylarsen]

I know people don't much like creative cards, but the audigy or SBlive handle midi very well and support high quality sound fonts. Both have decent midi sounds built in and would serve your purpose. But brzilian is right about softsynths. Then it doesn't much matter what sound card you are using. Right now I almost exclusively use livesynth pro with Sonar and it rules.