Help me choose a soundcard...

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Avatar_k83

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Hey there,

I currently do all my recordings using my PodXt's USB recording capabilities... Its decent enough but I decided that I want to get a "pro" soundcard as I have started building a new project studio.

I record guitars, bass, synth and vocals and due to luck of a good drumset and lots of good mics i program the drums (i have dfh Superior which sounds fantastic). I moslty record one instument at a time.

i also have a TC G-Force and a behringer UltraCurve EQ. I record vocals with an SM58. I monitor throu the Behringers 3031A and I use Cubase SX2 for recording.

I do not have need for a lot of I/O but I would like to be able to route my G-force effects into the signal for monitoring when recording and mixing. Also I beleive that at least two preamps are usefull so i dont have to buy a mic preamp. Maybe latter i'd like to take a good one rather than spend money now and get a "poor" one.

I'm willing to spend about 400-500Euros for the I/O interface.

My choises are:

E-mu 1820M (what about the drivers?)
Echo Layla 3g
Echo Gina 3g (2inports are enough?)
M-audio 1010
RME 9632

I have a read a lot of things on these products the previews days and so i have a headache. please if you have any knowledge or opinion that would be usefull, i would really appreciate it.

Thank you very much, and sorry for any (or a lot??) of grammar and spelling mistakes.

Kostas
 
Here is a biased view for you...Basically i have the M Audio Delta 1010...my local recording studio also uses the 1010, my university studios use the 1010....In my opinion, i think the 1010 is a brilliant soundcard, and also very cheap for what your getting. I think its a good idea to spend the extra bit of cash and get the breakout box rather than the 1010LT.

Again, this is a biased view, so hopefully some other users will let you know about the others you have mentioned..
 
If you buy the 1010, you'll also need to buy preamps or a mixer.

Consider the presonus firepod. It comes with 8 preamps and the flexibility of a firewire interface
 
Thank you for your replies...

The fact is that you confused me a bit.. I was more towards the Echo or the E-mu due to the buid in pre-amps.

Thats why i have some questions.
Is the delta's AD/DA quality better than the other cards? Are the pre-amps on the other cards good enough?

One last question. I have never done this thats why I'm aksing, how do I rout the TC G-force into the chain so i'm able to hear it when tracking but not recording the effects and then to be able to use during mixdown?

Thanks again for your time..
Kostas
 
Sorry for confusing you...

The M Audio Delta 1010 quality is much superior to the others you list. This isnt a biased view either. I was hoping some other people with other cards would post their opinions so you would have a more wider view on it all... I think the best option you can do is find some reviews by recording magazines and find out what they think. (Sound on Sound Magazine, Computer Recording etc.)
 
thanx..

so i have to wait for more opinions to see what everybody thinks

kostas
 
Well, not just that, try looking around for some reviews. i would get some links for you, but unfortunately i have to go to work!! When i get back, ill post some on here!
 
Ok, seems like no one else is inputting views on the other sound cards, i found some reviews as follows:

Delta 1010 http://www.epinions.com/pr-Midiman_M-Audio_Delta_1010_Sound_Card/display_~reviews

RME 9632 http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov03/articles/rmehdsp9632.htm

Echo Gina 3g http://www.cakewalk.com/forum/tm.asp?m=310122

Echo Layla 3g http://www.cakewalk.com/forum/tm.asp?m=310122 (same forum as above, but they talk about them both)

E-mu 1820M http://www.samplecraze.com/audio-tutorials/emu1820m.htm

So there you have it, hope some of those come in handy. It will most probably take you a while to read through them and make a decision, but you dont want to be too hasty when buying something so important. Good luck with your final decision!

Peace :rolleyes:
 
I live on a 1010LT. As long as your CPU's power supply isn't electrically noisy, it's great, but it's a real problem on my G5.

Thankfully, the noise seems to only be in the output as far as I can tell, but the phrase "total lack of shielding" comes to mind.

I'm assuming the full 1010 does a better job?
 
thank you Tifstorey, i guess i have to do some reading now... ;)

dgatwood, thanx for your reply, I wasnt looking for hte 1010lt because my PC is not what you may call "silent" :) but anywway, have you compare it with the 1010 or some other cards? how does it compare??
 
dgatwood said:
I live on a 1010LT. As long as your CPU's power supply isn't electrically noisy, it's great, but it's a real problem on my G5.

Thankfully, the noise seems to only be in the output as far as I can tell, but the phrase "total lack of shielding" comes to mind.

I'm assuming the full 1010 does a better job?
Click to expand...

The 1010 with the breakout box is much better for that reason, my mac is very silent, but i still have the breakout box as far away as i can, and then have my mixer again, further away. Better to be safe than sorry ;)
 
After lots of reading and reasearch, I lead towards the 1010 and the Layla3G. The advantage of the Layla are the build-in Pre-amps. But if the 1010 has better quality i will buy this instead and maybe later I'll get a good pre-amp. Does it have better converters?

I have the SM58 witch is dynamic, so i will be able to use it with the 1010 until i have more money to get the pres. Is that true?

thanx in advance...
 
Correct, I use SM58's with my Delta 1010 all the time. All sounds good my friend :rolleyes:

Im currently saving up for a decent Pre amp for my set up. Ill let you know if i come across any decent ones. (if you havent seen one already!!)

Peace :rolleyes:
 
I'll most propably get:

M-audio Delta 1010
M-audio DMP-3 or TAMPA
TC Powercore firewire

What do you think of these pres? And have you any experience with the TC PoCo?

Thanx
 
Avatar_k83 said:
What do you think of these pres? And have you any experience with the TC PoCo?

Thanx
Click to expand...

I use the TC Powercore at University, and its amazing! Ive been trying to get one for ages but i cant really afford one until i come out of Uni. Theyre so powerful, and top quality! If you can afford one of these babies, go for it!
 
TC poco is a no 1 choise i suppose, i want something powerfull for my recording & mixes, i have a very good tone due to the PodXT+G-Force for live uses... Either the hardware effects for reverb and such is very expensive (M3000,PCM91,Fireworx etc) or somehow cheap so i dont know if it is good enough (MPX1, TC M-0ne XL, etc).

I got some money that I was waiting for a long time from my previous work so the thre products i mentioned are afortable for my now.

Tifstorey once again i have to thank you for your kind help and your time..

kostas
 
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