Reasonable soundcard for PC?

herke · Post by **herke** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:04 am

Hi,
Just built a new PC and am currently using the onboard sounds. It was quite a good motherboard and had a reasonable spec for the onboard sound (8.1 surround etc) but it has TERRIBLE hum/noise etc. Every time the processor does something you can hear it.

I dont use live for DJing (yet...) and just want a soundcard that isnt noisy!

Will an audigy do it? is there any advantages/disadvantages to using an external one?

Cheers!
Neil

darkcatt · Post by **darkcatt** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:04 pm

this is why you need an external sound card. On the low cheap end you can ebay and external audigy with fire wire (30 bucks). If you go higher you can look at the mbox ( digidesign can be proprietary sometimes) I am a fan of the presonus firebox.

You are getting eletromagnetic interferance.

What ever you get make sure it is firewire and external

Hope this helps

herke · Post by **herke** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:02 pm

Hi, thanks for your reply, will USB2 not do the job? dont actually have a firewire slot on my motherboard for some reason! I thought usb2 was quicker nowadays anyway.

The Mbox looks good but a bit more than i was looking to pay, though the audigy is a bit too cheap - so something in the middle

Cheers

darkcatt · Post by **darkcatt** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:05 pm

go on ebay and you can get a fire wire pci card for 2 dollars new

then I would look at the presonus. USB 2 was faster and then they came out with the next generation Firewire. USB will work for a while but it is more prone to latency as it just doent have the bandwidth that you need.

Cheers!

radib · Post by **radib** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:22 pm

i´d also say firewire (or maybe even pci) instead of usb.

Briden · Post by **Briden** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:47 pm

are there NO decent internal soundcards that are suitable?

i was planning on getting an maudio 24/96 an old card, but super stable, low latency.. i thought it would be good enough?

seems, installing a firewire card and buying an external breakout box will be more expensive, more complicated, less portable, and doesn't give much benefit?

i don't hear any hum..

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:54 pm

You can use an internal card, it'll likely not be as noisey too. I'd say Emu 0404 or 1212m, or the Echo Mia Midi are your best bests. Stay away from Audigy cards, not really meant for pro audio apps like LIve.

Briden · Post by **Briden** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:08 am

nah, i wasn't going to go for audigy, that is for sure.

but emus are pretty pricy... how's maudio?

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:16 am

PCI is better than USB and Firewire. USB and Firewire devices connect to cards that sit on the PCI bus, you're adding a layer of hardware and software between you uP and sound card. But you can use USB and Firewire in more places.

Firewire vs. USB, I've heard it both ways which one is better. I have no problems with USB. I get 8-30mS latency depending on how stripped down of a Live Set I'm using (playing synths with low latency or a HUGE DJ set where I don't care about latency), Ediorol UA-101.

How much do you want to spend?

Briden · Post by **Briden** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:32 am

i wanna spend as little as possible and have it work! spent about $50 CAD and got a edirol UM-1EX it works.

i am able to send midi to ableton, i am most interested in adding a few things to a dj set, and a few FX hooked up to extra controls on the djm800 so latency shouldn't be too much problem..

of course i think a pci solution would be better, i'd rather do this all on the soundcard, maybe i'll go 19" rackmount who knows..

i am having fun though!

Michael-SW · Post by **Michael-SW** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:27 pm

I got a ESI Maya44 PCI card that I'm very happy with. 2 stereo ins, 2 stereo out, pre amp and real 48 V phantom power. Cheap too.