Topic: Opinions on soundcards

[shane]

Okay you guys were great w/ my DAT opinion poll now how about this one?  I've decided on the Panasonic DAT but I'll need a good digital soundcard for transfers.  Any suggestions?  Keep in mind I'll be installing it myself and such.  Knowing that I'd rather get an external one just because it would seem easier to me.  Any opinions out there?  Thanks.

Shane

[jmerin]

http://www.sonicsense.com/nterface.htm

[nickgregory]

audiophile 2496 is very easy to install if you just know how to crack open the case and plug it in...~$150

[shane]

That was one of the cards I wazs looking at.  I am kind of deciding between that or an Audiophile 2496 USB.  A guy on ebay has the USB model right now for $160 buy it now.

Shane

[Brian Skalinder]

Shane - internal soundcards are a breeze to install, don't sweat it.

[shane]

If I were to install a new soundcard would I remove the one that came w/ my machine or just add this one?  I guess this may seem like a pretty basic question but I really have no idea.  
And is there any real benefit to having an internal over an external?

Shane

[jmerin]

Take out the old one and put in the new one.  It is really easy.  Internal cards are much faster and cheaper.  What type of computer do you have , meaning CPU.

Jon

[Brian Skalinder]

If I were to install a new soundcard would I remove the one that came w/ my machine or just add this one?

Depends.  Most PCs these days have an internal integrated soundcard, meaning you can't physically remove it without substantial effort.  Though you can disable it easily enough in the OS.

And is there any real benefit to having an internal over an external?

For analog transfers in which the ADC process is occuring in the soundcard, absolutely.  The innards of a PC is not an ideal environment for performing the ADC process:  noticeably noisy.  For analog transfers, you're better off with an external ADC.  But if you're just doing digital transfers, no benefit to external over internal.

[shane]

Take out the old one and put in the new one.  It is really easy.  Internal cards are much faster and cheaper.  What type of computer do you have , meaning CPU.

Jon

I have a 1.6G processor.

Shane

[shane]

For analog transfers in which the ADC process is occuring in the soundcard, absolutely.  The innards of a PC is not an ideal environment for performing the ADC process:  noticeably noisy.  For analog transfers, you're better off with an external ADC.  But if you're just doing digital transfers, no benefit to external over internal.

I'll be doing digital transfers via a Panasonic sv-3700 (coax).

Shane

[George]

I personally own a Echo miaMIDI card for spdif and it is extremely easy to install.  All i had to do was uninstall my creative card and remove the software for it.  The install the Echo software, shut down the pc.  Remove the creative card, pop in the echo card and start the pc back up.  Just followed the menu's from there when they popped up (regarding finding drivers and the such) and was done in a matter of minutes.  The echo card is a big step up in terms of playback compared to the Creative card (audigy 2 by the way).  S/pdif is also pretty easy at getting to sync up with the console3 program.  Too bad the card lacks optical in/outs.