Sound cards

Fez

New PC on the horizon but it seems most have PCIexpress slots now and won't take my trusty old M-audio  sound card. So can anybody recommend a sensibly priced PCIe sound card? Or is external the way to go a' la Focusrite etc?

ecc83

http://www.amazon.com/ESI-Juli-XTe-Interface-24-bit/dp/B008J7LCUS/ref=pd_cp_MI_0

That ^ is the only card I know of at sensible (and still steep!) money in PCI-e format.

This is why I searched about  and found the Asus M5A97 LE 2.0  MOBO that sports two PCI slots to take my two 2496 sound cards which indeed it does admirably.

N.B. Should you go for that board be advised, it does NOT have built in graphics support so budget for a graph card. Does not need to be special unless you are a mad gamer.

Dave.

Fez

Mad but not a gamer - Thanks I will pass that on to my expert PC man.

ecc83

Fez said:

Mad but not a gamer - Thanks I will pass that on to my expert PC man.

FYI I got an AMD FX-6300 6core 3.5G CPU with the deal. The proc' does not support hyperthreading. Not sure what that is about but the whole PC seems bloody quick. Been on all day now and the cores are still only at 27C.

Dave.

PolarityMan

What are your requirements? Do you record music on it? How many channels etc?

Fez

For recording music using Reaper usually one channel at a time, basically a replacement for the M-Audio 2496.

Seen this which is tempting.

ESI Maya 44 XTe PCI Express Audio Interface

ecc83

Fez said:

For recording music using Reaper usually one channel at a time, basically a replacement for the M-Audio 2496.

Seen this which is tempting.

ESI Maya 44 XTe PCI Express Audio Interface

Fez said:

For recording music using Reaper usually one channel at a time, basically a replacement for the M-Audio 2496.

Seen this which is tempting.

ESI Maya 44 XTe PCI Express Audio Interface

Fez said:

For recording music using Reaper usually one channel at a time, basically a replacement for the M-Audio 2496.

Seen this which is tempting.

ESI Maya 44 XTe PCI Express Audio Interface

TBH if you are spending £155 move away from internal cards and buy the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6.

The sound is excellent, the drivers are super solid and I can run mine at 32 samples whereas the 2496 only goes down to 64 (I don't tho' 256 is plenty fast enough for what I do)

Two mic/line/guitar inputs. 2 more line ins at the back (4 analogue tracks) S/PDIF and MIDI.

Bundled with Cubase and Kontakt Player. ...Best AI around at the price or quite a bit more IMHO.

BTW I have an ESI product the 1010e.Ok but a PITA to setup and get the drivers "right". Not sure I trust them to upgrade for Win 10!

Dave.

Heartfeltdawn

ecc83 said:

FYI I got an AMD FX-6300 6core 3.5G CPU with the deal. The proc' does not support hyperthreading. Not sure what that is about but the whole PC seems bloody quick. Been on all day now and the cores are still only at 27C.

I've got the same board with the 6350 processor, near silent and it runs fine. Still gets maxxed out with some soft synths though (U-He's Diva for instance). 

OP, if you're happy with the sound of the 2496 then stick with that. More modern interfaces does have better quality conversion, no doubt about it. I still have a Steinberg UR22 which sounds excellent for the money. The Komplete Audio 6 offers a lot but the software bundle didn't appeal to me at all. 

In the end, I sold my Delta 66 and RME Multiface 1 and am trying to sell my TC BMC-2 monitor controller. I plumped for an SPL Crimson and the sound quality is superb. Using the TC as a DAC was a revelation but the Crimson beats it. 

wave100

Another SPL Crimson user here - latency via USB isn't as good as with my previous M Audio 2496 PCI card (though still very usable) but I definitely feel that my mixes have improved as a result of the better conversion. I also like the fact that monitoring is via hardware rather than software, which I wasn't expecting, but there you go!

Fez

Thanks Guys the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 certainly looks interesting though Traktor is of no interest to me Komplete Elements could be useful.

Now have I got this right if I got Komplete Audio 6 I wouldn't need an internal sound card at all just as much processor grunt as possible?

Heartfeltdawn

wave100 said:

Another SPL Crimson user here - latency via USB isn't as good as with my previous M Audio 2496 PCI card (though still very usable) but I definitely feel that my mixes have improved as a result of the better conversion. I also like the fact that monitoring is via hardware rather than software, which I wasn't expecting, but there you go!

It's just a great unit. The first time I set it up, I played Rhapsody in Blue (Bernstein conducting) and ended up crying with happiness. Slightly longer latency versus vastly improved sound compared to the Delta 66 was a good compromise. 

Heartfeltdawn

Fez said:

Thanks Guys the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 certainly looks interesting though Traktor is of no interest to me Komplete Elements could be useful.

Now have I got this right if I got Komplete Audio 6 I wouldn't need an internal sound card at all just as much processor grunt as possible?

Uh huh. Nothing internal. 

Fez

Thanks @Heartfeltdawn thought I better check.

So How do the units from Focusrite (212 or 214) the lexicon Omega and the M-Audio Mtrack +MKII compare with the NI Complete Audio 6?

Wolfetone

Focusrite is the way to go. No drama, no latency, no heartache.

Heartfeltdawn

^^

There are far more reports of driver issues with the entry level Focusrite soundcards on the forums I lurk in than there have been with the NI Komplete or the UR22. 

@fez

At the price point you're going in there isn't a huge difference in soundcard performance in terms of converters. It really does boil down to the drivers and how they impact on the performance. For that reason I would say to go for the NI Komplete  or the Steinberg UR22 as these are rock solid in terms of driver reliability and perform very well. 

Fez

There's rub it might be a few more squids for NI Komplete but if it really is better then it will be worth it.

Thanks.

dilbert

I use a 2496 and have done for donkeys years. Sadly the weak link in the chain is at the other end of it from the sound card .................... and I ain't talking gear X_X

ecc83

dilbert said:

I use a 2496 and have done for donkeys years. Sadly the weak link in the chain is at the other end of it from the sound card .................... and I ain't talking gear X_X

Agreed, I used to be a big champion for M-Audio but since the Avid take over they have been shite.

Re the SPL Crimson. I am always wary of "night and day" claims about sound/converter quality, there are only SO many AD-D/A chips about and you would be surprised at who uses the same ones at vastly different price points!

I have to confess tho' that I was very taken with the Crimson in the SoS review and, were I to be starting a project studio from scratch I would go for one.....EXCEPT! It has NO expandability!

WTF did they not fit ADAT???!

Dave.

Fretwired

Fez said:

Thanks Guys the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 certainly looks interesting though Traktor is of no interest to me Komplete Elements could be useful.

Now have I got this right if I got Komplete Audio 6 I wouldn't need an internal sound card at all just as much processor grunt as possible?

I use a Komplete Audio 6 - excellent sound quality and rock solid reliability. You don't need an internal soundcard. I recorded my Kraftwerk style track [making music section] with it. Steinberg's UR range is also very good.

Fez

OK another question: Do I really need a quad core processor or would a dual core be OK with an external sound card?

ecc83

Fez said:

OK another question: Do I really need a quad core processor or would a dual core be OK with an external sound card?

No, you do not need a quad processor. We coped very well for years with a 3.0G P4 and 2G of ram.

This assumes of course that you stick to simple "tracking" and don't load a reverb and other FX on every track. Essentially all a more powerful computer allows you to do is more things at the same time but if you have the time you can process later. Of course "Deep Thought " allows of a zillion tracks but even a very modest PC can handle  a dozen easily.

Ten or more years ago, basic computers were indeed marginal for music. Not now.

Dave.