Multiple soundcards?

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exojjl

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Question:

Can i hook up multiple sound cards to my computer? I can use a PCI card, then i can use my onboard audio as well at once? Or I can hookup two PCI cards also?
 
If you are trying to get extra In/Outs on the cheap, forget it.
The cards will likely drift apart in synchronization as their crystal clocks beat separate time.

It's a fools game... just spend a bit more and get a card with more I/O.
 
My old Echo Gina has a sync in and out to allow it to be daisy-chained to sync with other devices from Echo (Layla and Darla). Maybe other sound cards can do this as well.
 
You can hook up two or more PCI cards if they were designed that way. For example I have two Layla 24/96 cards, giving me a total of 16 inputs. The cards' wordclocks are synced via a BNC cable.
 
alright. thanks everyone!!
I think im just going to scrap my going digital idea and stick with analog. It just sounds better to me. I can get better results for half the cost, why not!?!?!?!
 
I don't know what analog equipment you are using, but I've recently purchased 2 Tascam DTRS machines for the going rate of a Tascam TSR-8 1/2 open reel machine. While it (analog) may sound better (subjective) you will always have tape hiss in some form or another to deal with, ontop of the cumulative self-noise of your other equipment. I have always hated tape hiss, even before there was an alternative. I used to get very clean results with my TSR-8, but the hiss was still there on quiet passages.

Going digital with a PC seems to be cheaper than ever these days also.
 
really? its cheaper? I think my Teac A-160 tape deck i obtained at a garage sale for $5 sounds better than recording on my $80 Soundblaster Audigy2 card. And thats not even with high end tapes or whatever. But yeah, the tape hiss is anoying, most of the time. MY tape deck has a Dolby NR switch on it, i flip it and significantly the hiss is removed (not all unfortunately) But it appears to retract from the sound. of course, i just import it to the computer. I find the noise and hiss reduction capabilities in CooleditPro work pretty good.
I still love the warmer sounds from analog though.
 
Try not to compare any audio equipment to a Soundblaster card. Though they like to make you think that they designed them with recording in mind (marketing wise) they are merely for listening and gaming. A good entry level card will cost you around $100. And for digital audio recording, that's cheap. But, you will get a nice clean signal that can be edited very easily in any possibly imaginable way. Some cards that come to mind are:

Echo MiaMidi
M-Audio 2496
E-MU 0404
 
cawhite12 said:
Try not to compare any audio equipment to a Soundblaster card. Though they like to make you think that they designed them with recording in mind (marketing wise) they are merely for listening and gaming.
Click to expand...

Indeed. You're comparing a $5000 tape deck that you got used for $5 to a $5 sound card that you bought new for $80. :D
 
dgatwood said:
Indeed. You're comparing a $5000 tape deck that you got used for $5 to a $5 sound card that you bought new for $80. :D
Click to expand...

what?!?! are you serious my Teac A-160 tape deck cost $5000 new?!?!!?
yea, i know soundblaster cards are mostly for gaming and listening to music, I purchased it mostly because it could do 24bit and it sounds better than the onboard audio. I forget the model, but theres this M-Audio im thinking of getting that runs around $150, its sounds to be very decent. Double the price of my soundblaster, but im sure its way more than double the recording quality. I should have just saved for it instead of the soundblaster.
 
The recording capabilities of the mentioned soundblaster card are a joke, pick up maybe the m-audio delta44+omnistudio breakout on ebay for $140 or so shipped? Quite a deal if you ask me
 
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