How bad are Fraudigys for Home Recording ?

[JayX]

Nothing really serious, just messing around with something like Reason , and stuff for video work etc.

I ask, because the PC I'm buying is a little bit skimpy on the PCI front. 3 PCI slots in total, but it has a Live inbuilt chipset which is handy, so I wont be moving my Audigy 2 from my old box across. Great. 3 Slots open for now.

I was thinking of adding an M-Audio for a more serious card, but the case I'm getting isn't wonderful for airflow, so I'll be removing the top IO panel and putting a blowhole in to improve this. Now the Audigy ZS (think thats the one) internal has a nice black IO 5.25" panel which would obviously be pretty handy. Can't install a second PCI audio card because the lack of PCI slots (i'm sure I'll have 2 other PCI things added eventually.. Satellite card and DVStorm or something similar as no PCI 1x's) so would have to be an external solution....

Or perhaps plump for the ol' Terratec DMX 6fire, and combine it with the onboard? Is the 6fire being replaced with a newer, still internal, solution any time soon? Or should I just go external IO/Breakout anyway?

Thanks! (Won't be adding anything for a few months as the system will be upgraded bit by bit from its (still powerful!) base as I have the money.)

 

[minofifa]

meh, if the audigy is what you have to work with, it'll probably be ok. Lets be honest, the people who don't like it either pretend to know what they are talking about to fit in around here, or really don't like it because they have tried it, as well as other soundcards and really notice a difference between 24/96 recording and 16/44.1. Personally i have even used integrated soundcards for recording and have had decent results. Obviously i'm not gonna cut a perfect album with an integrated soundcard but i did save 1000 bucks by not getting the latest lynx card.

try it out, if you hate it, ebay it and move on. if you like it, you've saved yourself some cash on a good multi-purose soundcard

 

[flipper2004]

I use an Audigy platinum ex which has the external breakout box, I find it superb to use and have never had any problems with it. Plus using the creative driver I get just 2ms of latency which aint too bad either. It also gives multiple inputs and optical i/o.

I dont worry too much about the sample rate debate, Ive notived that many people will add some tube distorion at the mastering stage anyway, kinda makes the digital clarity aspect redundant. I look back to pre digital recordings too, when many of the music worlds greatest sounding recordings where made on four track tape and they still hold there own today

Flipper
Manchester
UK