What will these provide?

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Sweep

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Hi. I'm getting an Evesham desktop computer, and I've got the choice of three options for a soundcard, and I would like to know how well each of them will work if I'm recording music onto the desktop.

The options are:
Evesham "Business Audio" (standard with their desktops)
Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Music (£55.31 + VAT)
Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Music Fatal1ty (£148.93 + VAT)

So, what knowledge do any of you guys have on these Souncard's capabilities?

Thanks.
 
For recording music...here is what I think:
Evesham "Business Audio" (standard with their desktops)....definitely no
Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Music (£55.31 + VAT).....no
Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Music Fatal1ty (£148.93 + VAT).....no

You'll be 100 times better off if you buy a dedicated recording soundcard/interface. By a company that makes actual recording equipment for people who record and not just from a company who makes it to add on to your store bought computer.

Plus, i wouldn't trust a company that says their sound card "transcends the compromised sound quality of MP3 and other low-quality audio (including Dolby movie sound) and dynamically puts the vitality and impact of the original recording back in!"
B.S.

Look at a company like EMU or M-Audio for quality equipment at reasonable prices.
 
bennychico11 said:
Look at a company like EMU or M-Audio for quality equipment at reasonable prices.
Click to expand...

I think E-Mu and Creative/SoundBlaster are the company.
 
Thanks for your replies. timboZ, what do you think of the ones that were offered to me?

If I really had to go elsewhere, bearing in mind I'm just after a good recording quality at a low price, what would you recommend from here or here?
 
E-Mu 1212m for $150 to $199 USD...10 tracks in (via lightpipe)
E-Mu 0404 for $80 to $99 USD....2 tracks in I think.

I have the 1212m and I think it is a nice card for the price.
 
And you'd feel pretty damn sure the 0404 would provide a pretty decent quality sound when recorded through?
 
timboZ said:
I think E-Mu and Creative/SoundBlaster are the company.
Click to expand...

yeah, Creative aquired E-Mu in 1993
I would still definitely say the E-Mu cards are better geared towards recording than the Soundblaster ones.
That whole "we can make MP3s sound like the original live musicians" is what gets me.
 
Stupid question: will it still be fine for the sound when playing games or DVDs?

Less stupid question: so, would you rule the pure soundblaster ones out completely? Or is there a chance that they might be quite good? Bearing in mind I already have Cubase, so I don't really benefit from the software you get with the Emu 0404.
 
There are few bigger liars than the folks who type up the marketing materials for these soundcards. Ok, the tech pubs writer is probably being lied to and just passing it on, but you get the idea. The hyped claims on the boxes and ads for these type of soundcards, which are really gamers cards, are the stuff of pure fantasy. And specs be damned, they just can't tell you how something really sounds. If you want to use this for any kind of serious audio, I'd suggest seeing if they can either omit the soundcard and reduce the price accordingly, or maybe do a custom config for you with your soundcard of choice and increase the price accordingly. Good luck
 
Sweep said:
And you'd feel pretty damn sure the 0404 would provide a pretty decent quality sound when recorded through?
Click to expand...

When I switched from my soundblaster to my 1212m I could hear a differance.
The main reason I switched was for adat into the computer. I do most of my tracking on my Fostex VF160 and all my mixing on the pc.
 
Recording sound cards would work fine with games, although you're probably going to have to pass up stuff like EAX, which those soundblaster cards almost definitly have. However, a card like the 1212 works fine for games, but I would argue the soundblaster does NOT work fine for recording. Depends on what you're recording for of course, to throw down riffs w/ guitar I used to record in through my laptops 1/8" mic in. It works, but it should only be used for saving song ideas.

If you're concerned about gaming, you could always get 2 soundcards. Otherwise I'd get the soundcard which adds no cost, and purchase your recording soundcard seperatly. There's lots of options, look around and don't rush into it. Its one of the (if not THE) most important part of your studio.
 
Oooh, that sounds like a good option. I get the standard no matter what, so that solves the wasting of a perfectly fine soundcard.

Do you require anything special to install multiple soundcards? Will it complicate things?
 
Sweep said:
Oooh, that sounds like a good option. I get the standard no matter what, so that solves the wasting of a perfectly fine soundcard.

Do you require anything special to install multiple soundcards? Will it complicate things?
Click to expand...

Just turn one off, disable it in the OS, while you use the other. IMHO you should only have one active at any time.
 
if your looking for a basic soundcard that will be good for games and films etc. but still be good for recording then the M-Audio 2496. It is a very highly regarded soundcard, and it is not very expensive.
 
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