what sound card should i get

[tenebre]

Im curious as to what would be th best PC soundcard to get.. i want a 24 bit one with xlr inputs as well as normal ones... i would like 10+ inputs as well.. i wil be using this card with cakewalk pro... any ideas or suggestion would be very helpful please email me
johnsonj@st-louis-exch01.army.mil

 

[omnipotent]

I would love to help you but you need to be more clear with what you are after. The best soundcard for you depends on what you need it for. Also I'd rather answer here because then other people can see what everyone posts and it could help them to, also then people won't continue to give you the same info as someone else.

Could you answer a few questions for me so i can help you with your problem.

Do you have a budget?

Do you want a mixer for your XLR inputs?

Is it's main use midi or audio?

How many inputs do you need?

Do you need digital inputs of any kind?

What outboard equiptment do you have (or will have)?

Is it for PC or MAC, and what speed is it?

From the info you have given i can suggest many things. Try a search here under soundcards, go to sites like www.midiman.com and the echo and MOTU site (sorry i'm not sure where they are). Next time try to be more specific.

omnipotent

 

[skweeks]

There's an add on a mag i have for a motu box with like either 16 or 24 balanced 1/4" ins, and just a stereo headphone out for like $1499 list... that might be the best deal for you, and then you could get like 2 Art Dual MP's with the left over $500... i haven't tried it (analog for me), and some of my specs may be off so check it out for yourself, but it might be a good start for searching...

 

[tenebre]

Originally posted by omnipotent:

Could you answer a few questions for me so i can help you with your problem.

Do you have a budget? under 2k for the card

Do you want a mixer for your XLR inputs? have it on witht he software already

Is it's main use midi or audio? audio recording

How many inputs do you need?12-16

Do you need digital inputs of any kind?not really

What outboard equiptment do you have (or will have)? all run through computer

Is it for PC or MAC, and what speed is it? pc i have 3 400,850, and 900

 

[ola]

>>Do you have a budget?
>under 2k for the card
That gives us pretty many choices

>>Do you want a mixer for your XLR inputs?
>have it on witht he software already
I assume that you mean that you want to plug your gear, including mics, directly into the soundcard and thus need one with preamps. Right?

>>Is it's main use midi or audio?
>audio recording
Good, 'cause I don't now the first thing about midi.

>>How many inputs do you need?
>12-16
What are you recording that requres that many inputs? Just curious. Do you need preamps on all of those 16 ins? If so, it's probably going to be more expensive than buying a mixer and have only line ins on the soundcards. I write soundcards as I don't know of any single soundcard with 16 ins.

<snip>

>>Is it for PC or MAC, and what speed is it?
>pc i have 3 400,850, and 900
900Mhz? That will probably do


I would suggest that you check out Hoontechs Audio DSP24 sound card and the exernal boxes that you can plug into it.

Let me know how many unbalanced 1/4", balanced 1/4", XLR line and XLR with preamp and phantom power ins and outs you need.

If you need:
16 phantom powered balanced XLR ins with preams (or line in)
16 balanced XLR line out.
All 24/96.
Full duplex

Then you would need two DSP24+ADCIII+DACIII setups, which would cost about $1600 total (they just lowered the price). If you need less of some I/O types, you could get away cheaper. I have not tried the above setup so I feel a bit reluctant to recommending a $1600 system that I haven't tried. However, I have their cheaper DSP24+ADC/DAC2000 setup (same soundcard, cheaper breakout box) and it's working just fine.

However, 16 simultanious I/O in 24/96 will do nasty stuff to your hard disks so the limitation may lie there rather than in the sound card. Do you need 16 channel full duplex? If so, what the heck are you recording?

Let us know what you are going to record with this monster setup so we can be more precise in our recommendations (guesses?).

It just struck me that if you're going to do all in the computer, you only need two line outs to your monitor system, right? If so, you could get the above setup but without the DACIII boxes but just a simpler two channel unbalanced stereo line DAC box. Hoontech have those to.

Again, let us know what how you plan on using the system and it will be easier to help you.

/Ola

BWT Omnipotent, do you play Archmage by any chance?

[This message was never edited. The below text is a lie]

[This message has been edited by ola (edited 04-26-2000).]

 

[omnipotent]

Ok here goes,

You have two main options, using a soundcard with XLR's or XLR converters, and using a soundcard with balanced jacks going into a mixer.

OPTION 1
The only thing i can really think of is syncing up a layla 24 or 2 with some Monas. I'm sure there are other options, but i think in the long run you would prefer to have a mixer.

OPTION 2
This is my prefered option. With this option you have heaps of options for sound cards and mixers.

For a soundcard you should look at all the ones avalible. I think the ones that would suite you best form the info you gave me are; two Delta 1010's (This will take you to the end of your budget though) or if it is possible (i'm not quite sure), syncing a Delta 1010 with a Delta 44, a layla synced with a gina, and of corse how can we forget motu(go to there web page and pick the combo that best suites you).

Also i should have asked before, do you need XLR's on all channels? if not then you may ber able to get the PC Digi001, which seems to be an amazing package. This would leave you money to spare; or you could just get two stereo preamps, like the ART dual MP and put them on any soundcard(you wouldn't need a mixer).

For mixers you may be very limited with the remains of your budget, if you can get the money i could recomend a mackie 1604(8 direct outs and 4 sub groups, giving you 12 outputs to your mixerand the LR for monitors). Otherwise you are left with Behringer, but go to your local store to check.

Hope I could help
omnipotent

[This message has been edited by omnipotent (edited 04-26-2000).]