Help! I need a soundcard for Windows 98!

[twangbuck]

I need a soundcard for recording on a Pent III running Windows 98. I'll be using Cakewalk Pro Audio 9. I need something that sounds better than by Soundblaster Live card. Please help! Oh, I don't want to spend more than $100. Any suggestions?

 

[ez_willis]

I have an adat/edit card that will work with 98. What do you plan on recording?

 

[MadAudio]

My old computer is a PII running Windows 98 and I got a used M-Audio 2496 that worked just fine with it.

 

[twangbuck]

ez willis and Mad Audio: I'm recording one track at a time: drum machine, guitars, bass, vocals, some keyboards. I'm not doing midi. what kind of interface do your cards have? In other words, what do you actually plug into? any latency issues to worry about? Are the cards zero latency hardware monitoring, or software monitoring? I've heard bad things about software monitoring with win 98.

 

[beezelbubba]

ez willis and Mad Audio: I'm recording one track at a time: drum machine, guitars, bass, vocals, some keyboards. I'm not doing midi. what kind of interface do your cards have? In other words, what do you actually plug into? any latency issues to worry about? Are the cards zero latency hardware monitoring, or software monitoring? I've heard bad things about software monitoring with win 98.

Go with the Audiophile 24/96.$100. I don't think you'll have any problem.Go to MAudios website for details.
BTW,XP can be had for less than $100.I'd think about that upgrade sometime soon.I was glad when I did it.

 

[ez_willis]

ez willis and Mad Audio: I'm recording one track at a time: drum machine, guitars, bass, vocals, some keyboards. I'm not doing midi. what kind of interface do your cards have? In other words, what do you actually plug into? any latency issues to worry about? Are the cards zero latency hardware monitoring, or software monitoring? I've heard bad things about software monitoring with win 98.

The adat card has 1 lightpipe input and output. If you don't have any equipment outputting this format then it won't do you any good.

Do you have an adat?

 

[MadAudio]

The 2496 has RCA ins and outs.

 

[kojdogg]

just wanna throw another suggestion in the ring-- an Echo Mia (not the MiaMidi). I have one in a desktop I'm not using much now, and had another one in a P3 670mhz computer that was running Win 98 and ran Cakewalk HS 2002 on it without much trouble for a few years. It has the same ad/da converters as the 24/96 and has trs ins and outs.

 

[brzilian]

I need a soundcard for recording on a Pent III running Windows 98. I'll be using Cakewalk Pro Audio 9. I need something that sounds better than by Soundblaster Live card. Please help! Oh, I don't want to spend more than $100. Any suggestions?

Is there a reason why you would chose to throw more money at this obsolete system?

Why would you not save up money for something newer?

You are doing a huge disservice to yourself by using Win98. For one, Microsoft officially stopped supporting the OS earlier this year.

$100 not spent on soundcar would be 1/4 of the price of a newer system.

 

[beezelbubba]

Is there a reason why you would chose to throw more money at this obsolete system?

Why would you not save up money for something newer?

You are doing a huge disservice to yourself by using Win98. For one, Microsoft officially stopped supporting the OS earlier this year.

$100 not spent on soundcar would be 1/4 of the price of a newer system.

The $100 dollars would not be wasted.The card(24/96 or MIA)could be used with future machines.
I recorded happily on win 98 for years and only upgraded to XP because I had the cash and knew eventually it would have to be done.98 or XP, I don't think I've ever used any support from Microsoft.
Point being, pretty much every aspect of twangbuck's system could use upgrading.The order of upgrade is irrelevant.The soundcard is as good a place as any to start.

 

[danny.guitar]

I would suggest the 2496. It's one of the only ones I know of in your price range. I just recently got another one (after having to go back to the SoundBlaster Live) and the difference is pretty obvious. Much more clarity and no out-of-sync issues when recording.

It's also got a MIDI port.

 

[brzilian]

The $100 dollars would not be wasted.The card(24/96 or MIA)could be used with future machines.

Not if newer systems no longer make use of PCI slots...

 

[ez_willis]

Is there a reason why you would chose to throw more money at this obsolete system?

For the record, I'd have sent him the adat card for shipping.

 

[beezelbubba]

Not if newer systems no longer make use of PCI slots...

As far as I know the latest, fastest machines still offer a couple PCI slots.
Someone recording on a soundblaster/PIII/Win 98 machine is probably not worried about making the $100 dollar jump to tommorows computer.This way of thinking seems to logically lead one to wait to make any improvement until Windows Vista drivers have matured.
I'm not trying to argue, but I some of us po' folk need to upgrade one component at a time.My last computer upgrade was 4 yrs ago.That was from a celeron 533 to a duron 1gig.The duron was a year or more obsolete at that point.2 years ago I upgraded my sound card from a blaster to a 24/96 and moved from 98 to xp.Then I replaced my cheap speakers with some Wharfedales.I'm hoping to upgrade to an Athlon 64 soon, which will also be old technology.
Baby steps!The perfect is the enemy of the good.
Do you have any specific recommendations that this man should do with his hundred bucks, that won't entail using less than state of the art technology?'Cause I could really use advice of this nature!

 

[Dogman]

As far as I know the latest, fastest machines still offer a couple PCI slots.
Someone recording on a soundblaster/PIII/Win 98 machine is probably not worried about making the $100 dollar jump to tommorows computer.This way of thinking seems to logically lead one to wait to make any improvement until Windows Vista drivers have matured.
I'm not trying to argue, but I some of us po' folk need to upgrade one component at a time.My last computer upgrade was 4 yrs ago.That was from a celeron 533 to a duron 1gig.The duron was a year or more obsolete at that point.2 years ago I upgraded my sound card from a blaster to a 24/96 and moved from 98 to xp.Then I replaced my cheap speakers with some Wharfedales.I'm hoping to upgrade to an Athlon 64 soon, which will also be old technology.
Baby steps!The perfect is the enemy of the good.
Do you have any specific recommendations that this man should do with his hundred bucks, that won't entail using less than state of the art technology?'Cause I could really use advice of this nature!

You could also use a good, swift kick in the nurtz.....but I'm about 2500 miles away.

Next August work for ya?

 

[beezelbubba]

You could also use a good, swift kick in the nurtz.....but I'm about 2500 miles away.

Next August work for ya?

I'll PM you my number.My wife can prob'ly help you out!

 

[ez_willis]

As far as I know the latest, fastest machines still offer a couple PCI slots.

I bought a new computer for my girl's office last week. 3 pci slots available. Used none of them.

 

[danny.guitar]

What's the benefit of the new PCI express slots? Are they faster or something when using a PCI express device?

 

[DigitalDon]

Since you're using an old OS like Win 98SE you might as well look at something like the Aardvark 24/96. 4 combo (XLR and 1/4") inputs. Here's one on eBay now: http://cgi.ebay.com/Aardvark-Direct...ryZ41784QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I used an Aardvark Q10 for years with CW 9.0 and Win 98SE. Actually I've had two Q10's for a while now running on Sonar 4 Producer and Win XP. Keep in mind Aardvark went under a couple of years ago so there's no manufacturer's support. Drivers are available online if needed.

I think I still have my original Cakewalk PA 9.0 if you want it - no charge. Don't buy it if you don't have it.

DD