*** Hey who can help me find a good Laptop sound card plz?

[Jonny B]

Happy new year everyone,

Im looking about and wondering which is a decent and not to pricey sound card, just need 2 lines out. Low latency and portable.

Got a new laptop, Ive got a Indigo Dj (PCMIA slot) but wont work in new laptop. The new one Ive read comes out of the slot easy and that's no use live!

Any suggestion appreciated.

Cheers

Jonny B

[SubFunk]

have a look at NI's Audio DJ line... might be for you?, they are all great cards!, for the money you pay!, just check if the features are what you are looking for.

[Jonny B]

thanks sub, a NI one is top of my list at the mo, but open to further suggestions

[SubFunk]

well, my personal take on NI cards is that they are really good for DJ / Live use, reasons i personally think so are:

they are physically built very well to fly around in bags or cases, they are also super light and pretty small, saving lugging around a lot of weight.

they sound fantastic, seriously fantastic for the money you pay.

they are fairly cheap, i mean an 8 I/O for 400 euros!? well nothing to complain about. a 2 by 2 for 100 euros!?

they have only phono/chinch type connectors which i think is clever for a performance card, not for a studio card, though... but if you travel or tour and loose or damage a cable a chinch to chinch you get everywhere, even in the middle of the night from some dude having one laying around at home (you know what i mean?) the issue that it's not balanced is not very big, you are in 99% of cases likely to connect to unbalanced DJ mixers (chinch connection!!!) with cable runs under 2m anyhow.

another card i like for lower money is the presonus firebox, if you want more of a studio / live card hybrid. but it's FW and i don't know if you are on a mac or PC?

motu is also great (good 'hybrid' as well) if you are on OSX (loads of trouble under windows), but that goes into the more expensive level...

hope that helps.

[Jonny B]

cheers sub

I'm using a PC btw

NI soundcard is winning for me at the mo, want to order something tonight,

any one else got a say?

cheers

[4.33]

a spoon of tar:

my ni ak1 has developed several issues after a year of rather mild usage
- mic in coming loose...z-sh-tch
- headphone out.. same story
- crashes if i touch it with static electricity hands

also, their support is a fucking joke.
i had this problem with the midi in right from beginning (it would choke up on midi information) and i emailed support, which replied that this is not a known issue. so i can go fuck myself.

[d-track]

novation nio

[Jarvisimon]

Go for a combination soundcard and controller.

I use one of the cheapest "Behringer UMA 25S", the keyboard is awful but the controller is great, the soundcard isn't the best but it's good enough.

The only thing I think is missing is phantom power for a decent mic.

I've recently gotten it going with Live's user script and it's instantly changed my working method for the better.

Of course there are better controllers, preferably get something on Live's controller list, to ensure better integration but other than that, the Behringer is good enough for what I do.

Alternatively again, think about getting the Zoom H4, it's a portable 4 track recorder and a soundcard with phantom power but no midi.

[rikhyray]

Happy new year everyone,

Ive got a Indigo Dj (PCMIA slot) but wont work in new laptop. The new one Ive read comes out of the slot easy and that's no use live!

Any suggestion appreciated.

Cheers

Jonny B

Not big deal, almost gave up on it but than got idea to secure it with little , flat toothpick from Swiss Army Knife (can get them for 1$ each at camping supply shops). It secures it so well I could pull entire notbook with the cable.
Though have better, more expensive cards the DJx is used most unless I need inputs.Have it since over a year no issues with any computer ever.
Otherwise there is new Presonus http://www.presonus.com/products/Detail ... oductId=58 that myself want to check out - more ins, less size than other cards and supposedly good sound.

[anachroschism]

I just got my Audio DJ 2 yesterday, only needed a laptop to club mixer with cueing and had heard bunch of opinions on it all positive. They are all correct.

best damn bang for buck in pro audio today, i couldnt be happier with it. sounds fantastic, cues LOUD, smaller than my smokes and simple. Get it, dont pass go, dont collect 200$, run right now and buy one. DO IT.

just really happy that i ended up solving my need with the best for the least money, that never happens:)

[#1thelark]

Got a new laptop, Ive got a Indigo Dj (PCMIA slot) but wont work in new laptop. The new one Ive read comes out of the slot easy and that's no use live!

Any suggestion appreciated.

If you were happy with your old PCMCIA audio... then you could stick to it by using a pcmcia-to-expresscard adapter if you got a expresscard slot in your new pc. It's a less-than-ideal solution but it should work.