upgrade from m-audiophile 2496

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tone_aot

tone_aot

Owner of ToneJonez.com
Hey folks. I'm looking for an upgrade over my audiophile 2496. The better my ears get, the more i realize weaknesses in my gear! :D I don't need alot of inputs. All i record is vocals with one mic(1 input), or either i'll record audio from my triton, which is just a 2 inputs(left/right). I record these things one at a time so i really only need 2 inputs. I need to know what soundcards would be a "wow" difference in the 100-300 dollar range. I want something with better converters and more depth to the sound, as far as stereo image and hi frequency. I've heard that EMU and ECHO cards sound better than the audiophile but i'd like more opinions on that. Alright guys, shoot away!
 
tone_aot said:
Hey folks. what soundcards would be a "wow" difference in the 100-300 dollar range. I want something with better converters and more depth to the sound,


100 - 300 will get you nothing, for better converters you will have to get up into the at least the RME range, more than 300.

My .02
 
Not even noticeable? Dang. Can't wait till i get a high paying 9-5.
 
So getting an emu or echo would be like a sideways upgrade?
What about a "wow" or "noticeable" outboard A/D converter in the 100-300 range?
 
WOW. I've been going thru and listening to people's recordings who use the firebox at soundclick.com and all of them sounded great!! I think i'm sold on this box, also seing that people say pci is being phased out. Wow. If i got this box, i'd be able to ditch my behri mixer because the firebox has the outs for my monitors and a headphone out. I gotta get that box! Also, seing that firewire cards are crazy cheap, this would be great. Only question is, how is the midi? I'm using midi to sync my Triton and software. If the midi isn't great, could i still use my audiophile for the midi? And, does it have asio? Kinda curious about latency with this box. I think i'd buy it alone on the fact that these recordings sound good and i could ditch the behri mixer!!
 
Your behringer mixer's preamps are probably what is limiting the quality of your sound, more so than your 2496, if I had to guess.

Maybe you could try a nice preamp. If I was recording just one mic, that is where I would spend my $ first. Then the mic, THEN the soundcard.
 
OH. I already know the preamp sucks!!! I plan to get an m-audio dmp3. The main reasons i like the firebox is because it has more ins/outs, and i think someone said the converters are better. Also, i wanna get a firewire unit because i'd like to get a new computer in the next few years and pci is getting phased out. I also like the fact that it doesn't use rca ins/outs.
 
PCI will be around for awhile, it aint going no where soon.
 
Take this with a grain of salt, as I haven't used the units mentioned,
but Perhaps an Echo Audiofire 4 at 295$: Audiofire 4
Converters are supposedly decent:
http://www.homerecording.org/bbs/showthread.php?t=214642

It has 2 mic pres built in that are most likely better than the behringers
as well as 2 line ins for hooking up the DMP3 if you decide to get that.
Just a suggestion as it is the one I'm contemplating getting myself - there are numerous alternatives.
 
That's the same as the firebox. It also has 2 mic pres and 2 line inputs. There are about 3 different units like this(Firebox, m-audio 410, the one you mentioned) that i know of. Out of the three, i think i'm going to go with the firebox because they say m-audio drivers suck and i just wanna plug the bad boy in an start recording!!
 
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