soundcard question

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bone

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Hi,
I'm using cakewalk G/T Pro and I'm having alot of fun with it! I bought myself a new computer for Christmas and the soundcard is a SoundMAX by Analog Devices. It sounds ok, I guess, but how can I tell if another, like the Audiophile 2496 I've been reading about , is any better? Is it just somebodys opinion or is there a rating of I/O range or something?
I'm recording myself one instrument at a time...Guitar, Bass,Vox, and FruityLoops for drums...doing modern hard rock.
My O.S. is Win.XP and I have a Pent. 4 processor.

THANX,
Bone
 
Hey Bone, welcome to the site.
I'm not familiar with your soundcard, but some of the basics involve type and quality of converters, bit depth and type of I/O.
For what you're doing you'ld want to have 1/4" ins so you don't have to reduce to 1/8". If you decide to add midi to your tunes, does your card support it?

What mics are you using?
 
Take a direct source of say a guitar or any solo instrument (like from a POD or even a CD) and listen to it through your soundcard. Now hit record.

Listen to the sound of what you recorded vs. the way it sounded when you were monitoring. Does it sound exactly the same? Nope. If it does, then you're not at a point where you're listening properly. Don't worry, it doesn't take long.

The better the converters on the soundcard, the more realistic it'll sound. The audiophile sounds better than your soundmax thing, because it has better converters. Numbers don't help much unfortunatetly.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Don't know too much in general but I do have the 2496, and it's really nice, doesn't have as mani I/O as some but the sound quality is really nice and good latency as well, one of the best Laj purchases of 2001, er, yeah.


laj
 
Get the specs from the soundcard manufacturer or the soundcard manufacturers website.

Then, compare the specs of your soundcard with the "other" soundcards you are interested in purchasing.

You can also do a search on this BBS on "soundcards". I know we did a poll here at HR.com about 6 months to a year ago, on that subject. ;)
 
Whoa...Thanx guys...

Good idea recording a cd on a track! I'm gonna do that right now...My budget is $200...I have a sennheiser evolution 835, I paid almost $100 for it...it's an upgrade from what I had...I guess a good condenser mic would be next...then a better mixer..then..well, you guys know...it never ends...DOES IT??

Thanx Again,
Bone
 
thats a decent enough mic...id get an audio buddy preamp and a Delta Audiophile soundcard......$80 + $160.......

just have someone give you an early birthday present for the $40 over budget......
 
Thanks for the advice Gidge... I'm sold on the Audiophile BUT do I need a PreAmp for a Dynamic mic? I didn't know you could/should do that!? I've been using my Yahaha powered pa for a mixer, It's better than my tascam 4track, but there's no "gain" knob for any of the channels, would the Audio buddy take the place of that knob, Or would it take the place of the whole mixer?

Thanx again, hell week for this newbie smooth after 2 posts...

Bone
 
bone -

I looked into the Sounmax card that you have. Best I can tell it is a "consumer playback card". The reviews on it were good for stuff like gaming...or, playing mp3s etc. Compared to SBLive! and some stuff like that. I could never find manufacturer website..or exact specs...but, I assume it has 1/8" input only.

So, good that you are sold on the audiophile. It will work much better.

I am with Gidge totally, the Audio Buddy is a good sounding preamp. You can and should use one with a dynamic mic. Preamps are not just for phantom power etc - they have a certain "color" that they add to the sound. Really expensive preamps sound a certain way.."warmer" etc. The audiobuddy is cheap...and to me is fairly "transparent" which is what you want out of a cheap pre. But, it will give you much better sound than the audiophile alone. Plus..the audiophile doesn't have XLR inputs (pretty sure on that at least)...so, the audiobuddy will let you use XLR cable connections from your mic...and give you phantom power etc. for the future when you get that condensor. good luck
-wes
 
a decent preamp will do more for your sound that i can start to explain.....

a dynamic mic HAS to have a preamp to go into the soundcard....of course the preamps in a old 4 track or your powered mixer could function as the preamp, they dont do it very well....

if you have a local music store that carries the Audio Buddy, see if they'll let you take it home....then:

1)record a track using the PA mixer preamp and then one with the Audio Buddy...

2)play them both back and listen real good

3)go back to the store to pay for your new preamp

of course you could always continue using that PA mixer until you can afford about $200 for a preamp and then you could get something really nice......you may think thats alot but there are guys here spending ALOT more than that on a preamp....its a VERY important part of your sound.....
 
Thanx again...

I NEED an Audio Buddy!! Guitar Center sells them for $100...Did you guys say you got it for cheaper, $80...G.C. would match it if I knew where they sold it for that at.
I have to wait a week for the soundcard though...I guess they go thru quite a bit of them...$149

Gidge...you have 4444 posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must have THE
home studio!!!!!

Bone
 
nah Gidge is just a cheapo who buts in on every thread ;) kidding.

yeah, my post was a little misleading - the 1/8" input on your soundcard (well, the mic input...IS a preamp..just not a very good one.)

Gidge - what $200 preamp were you refferring to? Another midiman? I am really interested in RNMP...was it supposed to be out Dec 2001, or Dec 2002? From what i've read i still can't tell.
 
bone
http://www.zzsounds.com/searchresults.music?z=1281990185087&l=1&b=p&w=buddy

wes,
you got me....M-Audio DMP3.....the Audio Buddy evolved into the DMP2 which evolved into the DMP3.......

post count does NOT indicate knoledge or quality of home studio..only indicates free time on hands:D :D :D

my studio is VERY meager...

500mhz celeron Computer w/380mb ram and a 7200rpm Maxtor Hard Drive

Delta Audiophile 2496

Behringer Autocom compressor

Delta DMP2 preamp

2 Joe Meek Vc3Q preamps

Shure sm57 mic

Marshall mxlv67 mic

Johnson J-Station

as soon as i get some drums to record im getting a pair of Behringer ecm8000's.......
 
Thanx for lookin up my soundcard & stuff Wes480...

OMG!! Thanx gidge...you saved me $20 on the Audio Buddy, G.C. AND musicians friend have it listed for $99... Twenty dollars is alot to me, that can go along way if you need it to ya know.

So you have the J Station,,how do you like it? I'm a guitar player and I have a Marshall and a 5150II that I like when I'm playing loud/live but I'm thinking of getting an amp simulator like the J station or pod, although I've never been a big fan of them, maybe because I've never had a use for them before, but late at night I don't like cranking my amp up.

Thanx guys,
Bone
 
if you are recording at night, i would recommend either amp modeling(like a J-station which i love btw) or re-amping...record the guitar direct and later when you can make some noise, run the direct track into your amp, crank it and mic it...im not sure about the specifics of the hardware youd need but im sure the guys in the guitar forum can help...

if you are used to a Marshall and a 5150(killer amp), the J-Station may seem like a toy to you...but it can give you some very usable tones and pretty good effects and makes a great direct box for bass also ( has a few bass amp models).....for someone like me the J-Station is all i need.......
 
Last question on this...

Yea I'm gonna need it for Bass...Ya know what sounds cool is my metalzone pedal...Thats what I've been using, right into my soundcard...is there anything wrong with doing it like that? Also thinking of J station because both my amps make nasty noise...is there a way to use the metal zone with the J Station?

Thanx again,
Bone
 
you wont want to use the Metal Zone after you get the J-Station....the JS has better distortion tones......
 
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