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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: StarkRavingCalm on September 01, 2011, 09:12:16 PM

Title: PC Audio interface recommendations?
Post by: StarkRavingCalm on September 01, 2011, 09:12:16 PM

Hey everyone.

I have a need to get a new audio interface. Mainly for transferring DATs, since I jumped to SDCard-based recording, transfers are a non-issue.
But I still have a TON of DATS.

Currently I am using MAudio 192 PCI card.
I am quite pleased with it but my motherboard is getting a little long in the tooth and I should upgrade.

So the ones I am looking at are:

E-MU 1212M PCIe
E-MU 1616M PCIe
   I like that they both use the same A/D converters as ProTools.

E-MU 0404 USB 2.0
   Different A/D converters but still gets great reviews and I really like the portability of USB.

But I also discovered a USB-based option by Tascam.
I like the Tascam based on my experience with their DA-302 and DR-2D and it does all I need.

http://tascam.com/product/us-144mkii/



What is everyone's opinion\experience with the ones listed?

What is everyone using?

Anything else I should be looking for\considering?

Title: Re: PC Audio interface recommendations?
Post by: page on September 01, 2011, 10:41:52 PM

Does your DAT deck not have spdif out? (I'm trying to figure out why the A/D chip used matters if you could use the spdif out).

Title: Re: PC Audio interface recommendations?
Post by: StarkRavingCalm on September 01, 2011, 10:52:42 PM

It does.

I wouldn't think to transfer DAT over an analog line.

It was more about the quality of the component.

Title: Re: PC Audio interface recommendations?
Post by: dnsacks on September 02, 2011, 03:35:09 PM

don't motherboards still generally provide a legacy pci slot or 2?  If so, I'd just keep using the maudio you have if it doesn't resample.

OR, if your sdcard-based recorder has a spdif in, I'd skip the computer stage altogether and run the dat>sdif>sdcard recorder to x-fer the dats and then import the wavs to your pc for editing.  This should take the risk of a pc resource spike causing a skip/dropout during dat x-fer out of the equation.

Title: Re: PC Audio interface recommendations?
Post by: hi and lo on September 02, 2011, 03:57:49 PM

Quote from: dnsacks on September 02, 2011, 03:35:09 PM

don't motherboards still generally provide a legacy pci slot or 2?  If so, I'd just keep using the maudio you have if it doesn't resample.

They do, but some older soundcards are no longer supported under Windows 7. Alas, my poor Egosys Waveterminal 2496 does not have drivers for an OS beyond XP. :(

Title: Re: PC Audio interface recommendations?
Post by: kirk97132 on September 03, 2011, 01:00:42 PM

Sound Devices USBPre2.  works on PC or mac.  Good A>D and D>A will accept  SPDIF in or Optical in.  Does not require any special drivers to use it.  Plug and play.