Sound card for music production

Leon · #1 02-21-2006, 01:44 PM

So, when I have saved enough money, I want to invest in some production hard/software. I would buy my own computer and connect my stereo speakers to it. I already have Reason, but maybe I'll buy some other software, I'll have to see. But my main question is: Is there a really good soundcard that you recommend?

My experience with CREATIVE soundblasters is really good. I checked their website and the "Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ Elite Pro" (yay) seems pretty good, although pricey. I'll have to consider if I will pay the price or not. Is there a cheaper/better alternative? Let me know, thanks.

Professor · #2 02-21-2006, 05:56 PM

anything but a soundblaster. get some kind of firewire device. m audio makes some good ones, and that will leave you set up for when you are ready for m-powered protools. i have both an audiophile and a firewire 410....not at the same time...but i've used them both. mostly i'm using the 410 now. it's solid and most software platforms recognise it...ableton, reason, reaktor...etc...and protools now.

Future Proof · #3 02-21-2006, 08:08 PM

I'd get an M-Audio Delta series... good ASIO drivers, good 24-bit sound quality, not too expensive. I ended up getting the Delta 1010 with a breakout box but I'd only get something that elaborate if you're going to be doing alot of live recording.

King of Snake · #4 02-22-2006, 11:25 AM

just make sure it plays vinyls

Leon · #5 02-22-2006, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King of Snake

just make sure it plays vinyls

That's SOOO last century!

TheRev · #6 02-22-2006, 10:14 PM

EMU is making some nice cards these days though it may be out of your price range.

If you come across some money somehow plop down on an RME card. Bout to get a Multiface myself.

Three words: Zero CPU Load

That's right....all channels running.

Zero CPU Load

Camiel · #7 02-23-2006, 05:40 AM

I'm working with an M-audio Audiophile USB card. Works perfectly with Ableton, my SH101 and MS2000.

gormster · #8 03-15-2006, 05:14 PM

My sound card cost fifty dollars. It was the cheapest one I could get with onboard MIDI. I have absolutely zero problem with it other than Cubase doesn't recognise it as surround, which is not really a huge deal.

I know you can reduce your CPU load and etc. by getting a more expensive sound card, but just get a better CPU. Or a mac, if you're going to be exclusively using it for music-making. I've never used one for that purpose but I hear that they are good at it.

I've got a P4 2.2GHz, and 768MB RAM. My PC only struggles in the densest part of a Reason song that has got to have more than a hundred devices. Possible much more, I haven't counted them all and a lot of them are in Combinators. If you've got a good amount of RAM (1.5-2GB) and a decent processor (c. 3GHz) then you don't need to worry about a fancy sound card, and both the RAM and processor can be used for things other than music.

Short n Sweet: Don't bother.

Renze · #9 03-17-2006, 12:13 PM

I can recommend E-MU. Using the 1616 Cardbus interface myself (for laptop). They also have nice PCI cards for desktop PCs, check out the 1212m <- the 'm' means really good AD/DA converters, found in Digidesign ProTools HD systems!

Edit: the 1212m costs € 199 @ Feedback

splattered123 · #10 03-18-2006, 12:38 PM

I'm just getting into this myself, i have a P4 3.2, D865 Intel Mobo, 1gb 400mhz ram, two 80 Sata II HDDs, and a Radeon 9000 series (not sure which one off the top of my head)

I don't need a ton if in/outs at the moment so i went with the E-MU 0404 sound card, you can get them for $75-$99 and they're supposed to be great cards as long as you have a decent PC to run em.

The Audiophile 2496 is pretty much the same thing as the 0404, except it has lil' RCA outs as opposed to the 1/4 TS outs of the 0404 and maybe better drivers depending on your system.

Both have unbalanced outs, so be careful if radio interference is a problem where you live. If it is, you might just want to save up longer and invest in a card/audio interface with balanced outs. I think the E-MU 1212 has balanced i/o

You should invest in a pair of monitors(speakers) too... i got the KRK Rokit RP5 monitors... $135 a piece with full warranty.

Are you going to be using soft synth stuff mostly? I plan on using Reason/Cubase/FL6, and a bunch of Native Instrument VSTs. You can just use your computer keyboard but most people prefer a midi controller and i already have my eye on one... haven't bought it yet though.

If you are going to be recording live instruments at all, you will need to invest in an external mixer with decent mic preamps...

Ok so i'm just in the purchase/research/experimentation phase and all of what i've said thus far might be bogus, but this is a good site to go check out...

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm