help with soundcard and preamp choice.... i'm scared....

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minofifa

minofifa

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Hi all

Thanks guys (i'm sure you've seen this question a million tmes before but i can't find any up to date info about this stuff anywhere else!).

Well i was browsing the interent looking for a new soundcard and pre amp for my computer. It turns out that there are a billion sound cards claiming they are the "industry standard". I know that it's impossible to say which sound card is the best because each has their own taste. I just don't want to buy a total piece of crap. Can anybody suggest some well known models that have a good repution with good recording sound?

Also i have been looking at preamps but have no idead wat they really do. I use a tascam us122 and i don't think it has a premap so i wouldn't know what one does. Are they necessary?? how do they hook up to the recording chain? IF necessary, again, any reputable modles would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again
Darren
 
the head bone's connected the neck bone

24/96 seems to be the industry standard....which cards produce it is another story....how many inputs are you looking for is the next question.... m-audio audiophile 24/96 2 anolog rca inputs and outputs, midi i/o and spdif i/o i have one...and i only bought it after reading about it in here...never woulda known about it if i hadn't. it costs $149. on www.newegg.com you can find the m-audio delta 10/10lt for $110. i dont know all the specs on that but i think it has the same chip as the audiophile and no one seems to bash either of them. also...if you are running window ME...you'll wish you had some new cuss words or a little brother to beat when you get pissed of at it...so 98se or nt or xp will be your best bet. yes your tascam does have pre amps...they are the two 3 prong inputs known as XLR cable inputs. setup goes as Mic->tascam us122-> usb jack
 
hmmm ok i think i may be getting somewhere...
Sound card: i will probably only ever be recording 2 or 3 things at a time so many imputs is not a super big thing for me. I was thinking of a delta 44, 66 or something by echo (layla or gina). What is the reputation of those?

As far as preamps Im still out of it. so a preamp is anything that a mic (xlr) will plug into? I know a preamp is used to take a signal and send it to a sound processor but that still is not useful to me in practical terms. Do sound cards like the audiophile or delta or layla have preamps? do mixers have preamps?

Thanks for the help, i'm getting it (less frustrated already!).

Darren
 
deltas are a little less expensive than echos...both are on the same playing field. usually any xlr on a device like yours or on a mixer is a preamp....be sure to look and make sure it does say preamp though LOL! for shits and giggles I'd preamp everything....but you can pick your poison. i have a GT-6 and i completely forgot that i have a digital out on it so i can run it directly to the sound card and dont have to use my analog outs which i was running through my mixer. everything has a method...all you have to do is find yours
 
and no not all mixers have preamps but a decent little mixer will have atleast one
 
i've been researching and i get preamps now!
Riddle me this then: If sound cards require a preamp to process a mic signal, why go with a delta or an echo insted of a sound blaster audigy 2?
I know that sB aren't very good for recording but if it already comes with the computer is it worth the extra money to get anohter sound card?

Also are there better or worse preamps or do they al perform about the same? Thanks

Darren
 
you cant record with audigy or soundblaster at 24 bit and 96khz....sb records at 16/44 or 48 and playback is in 24/96. also my latency is 4ms with the audiophile vs. my onboard audio which does it at 44ms and maybe 15ms on a good day. latency is the time delay between the audio signal and what i hear out of my headphones or speakers. if your just wanting to mess around and see what you can do then i'd say go ahead and use what came with the computer. pre amps are not created equal..some are made by little women from guatemala. others are made by starving children in india, and some are made in qualified secure factories with labor laws and unions lol.
 
I have a audigy 2 plat. ex

It's a good system but for some reason mine wont record. I have no clue why...I rebooted and re installed it and still dosent work...
 
fldrummer....audigys have been known to have selective breeding tendencies...it could be components in your computer or device usage issues or something not hooked up correctly does your device manager say that its working properly?
 
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