[PC] Please recommend me a soundcard

[breaksbaron]

As my man said the 'Emu 1616m' is a quality soundcard

[nowaysj]

Check ebay man, there is one in the uk in your price range right now.

[alphacat]

The Tweakheadz write-up of outboard soundcards/audio interfaces is pretty informative, esp. w/ all of the comparison charts starting on page 3 - I think the prices cited are USD $, so your price'd be .62 % or something like that:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_fo ... studio.htm

This stuff is hard, because it seems there's always at least one person out there with a horror story for any given piece of hardware. But yeah, have heard more problems than props for the M-Audio stuff the last couple years. MoTU makes excellent gear but not sure about PC support w/ them either.

[zitanb]

Thanx guys this thread rocks. I also am looking for a PC soundcard, budget is not a problem, but I'm a noob so no sense it going off the deep end LOL. This card does look like a great recommendation thanx again E-Mu 1616 (they've taken the 1820 off the market as mentioned): http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp ... duct=15189

One further noob question though. My musio bud suggested that an external soundcard (audio interface?) is a useful idea, so that later on you can connect it to a laptop and play live (keys + mix). Then I could play my keys through Ableton (or whatever) and take advantage of the different (vst) sounds.

This is the E-mu option for the laptop right: https://www.studica.com/products/produc ... ctid=49985
(other audio interfaces at http://www.emu.com/products/category.asp?category=610)

Should I consider the external / laptop option ???

I'm reading this article (as suggested chur alphacat) and it pretty much seems to answer this question, that the laptop setup (and USB interfaces, but maybe firewire) are NOT such a good idea (particularly for PC):
http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_fo ... -page2.htm
(which echos your guys comments).

I'm more concerned about having a play with production right now, and seeing if I can fit keyboard parts into a mix so PCI looks like the go. But I wondered, do you all generally have two setups for production and for playing live??

Just wondering. Big Up.

[nowaysj]

Of note, the pc card version of the e-mu 1616(m) is discontinued. I think they felt the pc card technology was out dated as most laptops carry an express card slot i think it's called, if they do even have a slot.

That doesn't mean the interface isn't useful or even the best possible lap top interface.

I use the pci version for my production machine, and just picked up the pc card version for my lappy for $135 on ebay. That's in us dollars. Every aspect of the card worked, no latency and all the rest.

[zitanb]

Of note, the pc card version of the e-mu 1616(m) is discontinued. I think they felt the pc card technology was out dated as most laptops carry an express card slot i think it's called, if they do even have a slot.

That doesn't mean the interface isn't useful or even the best possible lap top interface.

I use the pci version for my production machine, and just picked up the pc card version for my lappy for $135 on ebay. That's in us dollars. Every aspect of the card worked, no latency and all the rest.

Right thanx heaps. So as long as I can get a pc card on ebay (like you did) I can use the same I/O interface (?) for both setups (with PCI card in my PC) I'm sorted. Right???

[nowaysj]

Does your laptop have a pc card slot? Make sure of that.

I was trying just to get the pc card component, but they are harder to come by solo, instead I got the whole emu 1616 pc card interface, this includes the pc card and the 'break out box'.

For the price it is a steal.

[zitanb]

Actually (LOL) my laptop needs replacing .... but yeah it had a pc card slot ... and will replace it with a labtop with pc card slot.

Right so you ended up with two complete setups (including "breakout box") one for production and one for live?

Ebay looks good - wonder if they ship to NZ =)
http://cgi.ebay.com/E-MU-Cardbus-1616m- ... 4838593694

If I start with the PCI version, it is likely these laptop versions will still be available on ebay for the next couple of months ???

I've always been good at software, rather than hardware lol, so it would be nice to have one model to work with.

Thanks so much for your help bro.

[mickledan]

sorry wheres a 1616m for less than £250?

they do PCIe version also :O

[nowaysj]

I bought the pci 1616m new for $350 from guitar center. I bought the pc card 1616 used on ebay for 135$.

While I was shopping around, I saw a 1616m on ebay in the uk that was translating to $250, don't know what thats in pounds.

[mickledan]

that translates to a good deal in pounds..

[nowaysj]

Does it?

[zitanb]

Since posting this I been making tunes with USB -> MIDI n on-board sound, it works well. I just need to add vocals.

Any slighly cheaper suggestions with MIC pre-amps in them? Stick with EMU (Like 1212M)? The local guys are saying EMU is no longer supported and everyone is using MAUDIO .... true or not true?

DSF knows so much more than my local sound stop LOL.

Thanx. Z.

[nowaysj]

M audio spends a grip on ads and marketing bro. Those shops I'm sure make more money off the maudio stuff, so they try to sell it harder. Do whatever you want though bro.

[juxta]

RME is super dope if you can afford it..

[zitanb]

M audio spends a grip on ads and marketing bro. Those shops I'm sure make more money off the maudio stuff, so they try to sell it harder. Do whatever you want though bro.

LOL - yeah I thought so. I think I need to take the plunge get a credit card and buy online (1212M is actually cheap as)

My mate is raving about EMU too. He says he has problems with MAudio on PC ( but that its great on MACs).

Thanx cuz.

[nowaysj]

You know you can buy used, off of ebay. I don't know if there is a robust ebay community in your neck of the world, but I see deals galore on ebay. I see 1616m's for $250, easy. You can pay with pay pal, which doesn't require a credit card. Re the card, I wouldn't use the card if you don't have the money.

[zitanb]

Chur cuz. We have trademe - but its no ebay lol. My mate hooks up a US shipping address somehow - so might do that with ebay. And yeah paypal is a good a idea. I can prob cover it, its just $250US = $400NZ ... will save up

Having said that my local store will be selling M-Audio for more than that lol - and it will crap out on my PC.

Its amazing how far you can get with onboard sound and usb-midi, but soundcard/monitors/decent headphones are all must haves.

Big Up. Z.

[nowaysj]

U know, I have a full force production rig, with krk rp5's and a matched sub, and an mpk49 and a pad kontrol, but I've been doing almost everything on my laptop, with little tiny 1/2 inch speakers... what is wrong with me? Occassionally I plug it into my stereo just to hear a little better what is going on down there, but still.

[zitanb]

Lol - but why not if its working for you? I would *noob* guess you would use your monitors and such to make sure your lower end sub/bass sounds are coming through the way you want.

I'm still surprised that I can get the majority of a tune working on shitty headphones without a soundcard (got a decent processor though). Particularly since I'm just learning in that - its a buzz. That and midi - distracted me for months lol. But its a no go for vocals. *So much* to learn its crazy so am pretty patient.