Recommend a dual use soundcard?

[Garry Sharp]

I've just built a new PC and think that it's time to upgrade my soundcard(s). Up to now I have had an Audiowerk 2 linked to my monitors for mixing (I don't use a card to record, just to mix imported .wav's from a Yammie SIAB) and a SoundBlaster linked to some multimedia speakers for when my daughter comes to stay and wants to watch her Red Hot CP / U2 / Coldplay DVD's on the PC.

At Massive's suggestion my monitors are Wharfedale Diamonds, and I would like a single card that both mixing and "leisure" go through, it would all sound good on the W'dales. The EMU1212M looks good but won't take an audio input from my DVD drive?

My mobo has a port to take analogue or digital in from the DVD drive - if I used that and then selected a PCI soundcard as the audio device would that do?

Apologies for the disjointed post - I've never built a PC before and after the last 24 hrs am awash with more tech speak than I ever wanted to know

 

[Stealthtech]

I used an audiowerk8 for quite awhile without a hitch although it was only 16-20 bit.
If you need a high end card with limited inputs take a look at the RME line or Lynx.

 

[brzilian]

I've just built a new PC and think that it's time to upgrade my soundcard(s). Up to now I have had an Audiowerk 2 linked to my monitors for mixing (I don't use a card to record, just to mix imported .wav's from a Yammie SIAB) and a SoundBlaster linked to some multimedia speakers for when my daughter comes to stay and wants to watch her Red Hot CP / U2 / Coldplay DVD's on the PC.

At Massive's suggestion my monitors are Wharfedale Diamonds, and I would like a single card that both mixing and "leisure" go through, it would all sound good on the W'dales. The EMU1212M looks good but won't take an audio input from my DVD drive?

My mobo has a port to take analogue or digital in from the DVD drive - if I used that and then selected a PCI soundcard as the audio device would that do?

Apologies for the disjointed post - I've never built a PC before and after the last 24 hrs am awash with more tech speak than I ever wanted to know

What are you looking for - an internal 5.1 decoder or AC3/DTS pass through to an external 5.1 receiver?

If you're looking for the first, forget about it if you want a quality recording card as well.

 

[Garry Sharp]

Thanks for the answers. Was looking at mid rather than high end, don't need 5.1 (it's in a back bedroom!) and won't use it for recording. Anyway, I've just bought an audiophile 2496, which seems pretty well rated by people here.

Thanks again.