Using TWO soundcards of different make?

[trogdor]

I was wondering if it might be possible to combine more than one different soundcard for recording/playback simultaneously.

More specifically, I have a delta 1010. I would kind of like the convenience of mixing on an external analog mixer, and noticed that I can get a used Echo Darla (2ins, 8outs) on ebay for a little over $100 (compared to around $400 for another 1010).

Do you think it work to pick up some extra outputs on the cheap if I don't really need more inputs and am strapped for cash? Or would there be driver/some other kind of issues?

 

[69ShadesofRed]

I don't have personal experience with either, but I've heard/read that the Echo stuff doesn't play well with others.

 

[Jim Y]

Ideally, to run more than one card you should join up the audio clocks so they run at exactly the same sample rate. Usually, all you need to do is connect s/pdif out of one card into the s/pdif in of the next. If the cards have Word Clock connectors - use that instead. A card recieving the external clock must be set run like this - you can certainly do that with a Delta cards control panel - don't know about Echo but I expect you can.
Sonar, for instance, can use more than one card without the s/pdif sync provided the card with the largest audio buffer size is selected as the record/playback timing master. This works most reliably only on playback in my experience.

 

[AlChuck]

But if you track through the Delta only, and use the Darla for sending playback only out to the mixer, you should be fine. That is, don't try to use the cards simultaneously unless you can lock the clocks to the same reference as Jim Y said.

 

[trogdor]

Thanks you guys that makes sense...

The only thing I'm wondering about is how I would be able to activate outputs for both cards in my software. In cubase SX I use the "Delta ASIO" drivers which only makes the delta ins and outs show up. Is there someway to use two different audio drivers at once (delta and echo)?