How Many Soundcards In Your PC?

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CudBucket

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I currently have both my original Creative Labs Live and an M-Audio 2496 installed my PC. Did any of you replace your original cards with your "recording" soundcard and use it as your main card as well?

I'm thinking it might be better to pull the Creative Labs card out, as well as the stock Altec/Dell speakers/sub off my PC and just use the 2496 and BX5as for all my PC's sound.

Dave
 
CudBucket said:
I currently have both my original Creative Labs Live and an M-Audio 2496 installed my PC. Did any of you replace your original cards with your "recording" soundcard and use it as your main card as well?

I'm thinking it might be better to pull the Creative Labs card out, as well as the stock Altec/Dell speakers/sub off my PC and just use the 2496 and BX5as for all my PC's sound.

Dave

You really need advice on this?
 
TravisinFlorida said:
You really need advice on this?

It's just a question. That's a great way to make new members feel comfortable asking for help. And don't bother telling me to search. I've already done that. Thanks for the help.
 
For trouble's sake, I wouldn't uninstall it. I would disable it though and just listen through my monitor speakers.

Welcome to the forum.

6
 
sixways said:
For trouble's sake, I wouldn't uninstall it. I would disable it though and just listen through my monitor speakers.

Welcome to the forum.

6


Thanks. I guess I'm just trying to find out if it's typical to add a recording card while leaving the standard audio card for general PC purposes or if the recording card replaces it. In general.

Thanks again.

Dave
 
CudBucket said:
Thanks. I guess I'm just trying to find out if it's typical to add a recording card while leaving the standard audio card for general PC purposes or if the recording card replaces it. In general.

Thanks again.

Dave
I suppose it would be sort of like keeping your moped to go to the shops, when your Ducati is in the shed.
 
You really don't gain anything by taking it out, unless you are having some soft of hardware conflict. I'd just disable it for now. In the future, you may want to take your interface and use another computer with it, then you still can listen to whatever on your old PC.

I've got a Firewire 410 that I use with my laptop...but my regular soundcard is still in there so I can use it when I am away from my desk for DVD's, MIDI recording, etc.

6
 
Windows (if that's what you are running) really doesn't let you use the two at the same time. I'd just take it out. Disabling it is ok too but taking it out ensures that everything will be trouble free for the 2496... plus it opens up a PCI slot that was going to waste.
 
mrT said:
Windows (if that's what you are running) really doesn't let you use the two at the same time. I'd just take it out. Disabling it is ok too but taking it out ensures that everything will be trouble free for the 2496... plus it opens up a PCI slot that was going to waste.

I actually have them both running at the same time. The 2496 is only used for recording. But I was thinking of adding the M-Audio SBX subwoofer to my BX5a's and thought: "I wish I didn't have two sets of speakers on my PC". Hence, my question.

And yes. I'm running XP.

Thanks.

Dave
 
I woudl suggest leaving it in if it is not causing any conflicts. It gives you a nice and easy way of referencing your mixes against computer speakers and a consumer-grade soundcard.
 
fraserhutch said:
I woudl suggest leaving it in if it is not causing any conflicts. It gives you a nice and easy way of referencing your mixes against computer speakers and a consumer-grade soundcard.

That's a good point, thanks.
 
Hey cud, I build my recording computers as just that "Recording computers" nothing else. I have a seperate computer for internet/porn/games/whatever in both my studios. I have used creative labs cards with pro audio cards in the same computer and have always had some little glitch/problem as a result. Recording is one of the most intensive things you can do to a computer, and with that in mind there is a lot that can go wrong with them. I have used stock and aftermarket cards in one computer and not noticed a severe problem, but it is a good rule of thumb to just use one card. If you cannot build a computer just for recording and must use your multitracking computer for internet and everything else, then it is up to you how to set it up. Do you need surround sound for gaming? Or is recording the thing of the most importance for you? One sound card = less problems. Two computers = ALL problems solved (including not having to worry about losing all your songs and hard work because of some stupid virus you got in a yahell chat room) Hope this helps.
 
Hollowdan, unfortunately, I can't, at the moment, set up a dedicated recording PC. I've have both my Creative Labs and M-Audio card in the machine for over a year now without issue. Not even one. But once I got serious about recording, in the last few weeks, I upgraded my monitor from 15" flat to a 19" DVI flat, got a dual mic pre, BX5a's and was considering the SBX sub. That's what got me to thinking I should probably get rid of the CL card and Dell speakers just to remove clutter. At this point, I'm not sure what I'm going to do but since I don't have any issues, I'll leave it for the time being.
 
If you're going to keep both since you have no problems I'd open up msinfo32 and make sure your recording card is on its own IRQ. If not move it to a different PCI slot and check again. That'll help make sure that things stay working even when you're in some heavy stuff. and for my .02 I ran an audigy 2 platinum with a 2496 and it gave me a decent amount of shit, I think you got lucky.
 
mrT, I've been reading more and more about people who had issues with multiple audio cards and I have to say I'm surprised. I installed a new 2496 into my Dell and haven't had a single issue. But since it seems my scenario is the exception, I think I'm going to yank the Creative Labs card and Altec speakers and just use my M-Audio gear for everything that comes out of the PC.
 
I'm running two M-Audio Delta 410s and they're fine. Minus some early conflicts, they've been great since it was ironed out.

If you aren't having any problems, and still use the card, keep it. If you don't use it, take it out. If anything, it would add to the performance of the airflow/cooling capabilities of the PC.
 
Why not jsut try it, and see what happend? If you have isues, remove the Creative Labs card.....

There *are* a number of cards that need to be the SOLE audio card and will nto run if there is another audio card in place.. Your's apparently is not one of them, so why worry about something that may not happen? If you're not having any issues, you're not having any issues.

Now stop worrying like an old lady and go record some music already! :D
 
Speaking of Multiple Sound Cards...

Not to hijack the topic here but I've got a question about more than one sound card.

I'm currently running an M-Audio OmniStudio to a Delta 66 sound card and want to increase my input capability. Does anybody know if I can add an M-Audio Octane connected via ADAT Lightpipe to a WaveCenter PCI card? If I use only the Octane I will increase to 8 inputs but I loose monitoring capability via the OmniStudio which is very convenient unless I add more equipment. I'd like to keep the present set-up also or is there a cheap workaround?

Thanks for helping a newbie!
 
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