recomendations on sc with 5/6 outputs

XC-C30 · 10-22-2006, 03:42 PM

Hi,

in order to use the thuneau frequency allocator for my 2.1 active sound-system (so it is actually 4.1), I need a soundcard with 5 or 6 outputs. I know there are PCI cards who have that many, but I rather use a USB-card because of the possible HDD-interference with PCI.

anybody who knows of such a card? thanks

XC-C30 · 10-22-2006, 03:48 PM

ok, damn, really have to do some more reading

.... I was looking for a card with 6 rca-outs, but thanks to my bro (really, thank you Joachim/JC!) I now know, I could also use one with 3 3.5stereo outs..... how stupid could I be

edit: one more thing, I really would like it to use 24bit in order to play dvd

edit2: needs to be ASIO-compatible

RedGTiVR6 · 10-23-2006, 07:38 AM

have you seen the stickey at the top of this forum that includes a bunch of USB/fire wire cards?

btw - not just 1/8" but you can also use 1/4" TRS jacks and just make custom RCAs. I'd go that route before 1/8" for sure.

XC-C30 · 10-23-2006, 08:41 AM

yes red, i've seen the sticky. problem is, most of the cards are only 16bit, but the few that are 24bit don't support ASIO....

yesterday I thought I found the perfect card for my needs (ESI gigaport AG), but that one also is 16bit.... Then I looked at an audigy2 NX, but that one seems to have trouble with the ASIO drivers and it seems to make the frequency allocater crash... (so I've read that at the thuneau forum)

RedGTiVR6 · 10-23-2006, 08:54 AM

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...e410-main.html

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...hile-main.html

Not USB, but an option if you have room.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...10LT-main.html

durwood · 10-23-2006, 09:40 AM

You might have to go the PCI or Firewire route instead of USB.

I am not sure, but I don't know if USB bandwidth can do 8 channels using ASIO. There is not much buffering going on when you use ASIO instead of the regular microsoft direct sound or wavemapper from my understanding.

Red-
I'll add those to the USB/firewire soundcard list.

XC-C30 · 10-23-2006, 09:54 AM

will be firewire than, cause I'm a little sceptical about PCI (HDD noise, cd-rom noises, mouse clicks).

Or I could just get a 16bit card, would it really be that bad with dvd?

durwood · 10-23-2006, 10:13 AM

I think you should be ok. bit depth is basically associated with dynamic range. 24 bits allow you to have a dynamic range greater than 100dB while the best you can with 16 bits is around 96dB. What does this mean? It gives you a more accurate sound, more detail, less artificial. Here is a good explanation.

http://www.pcrecording.com/dither.htm

I used a PCI soundcard folded over the top of my M10K using a PCI rsier card and as long as I didn't run any IDE cable too close to the soundcard I didn't have any noise issues on my analog outputs.

XC-C30 · 10-23-2006, 12:31 PM

ok, thanks durwood. gonna go with the ESI gagaport than, I think. I'll be watching DVD ony occasionally, so as long as music-cd's sound as thet should, it's all that matters.... and since cd's are recorded at 16bit....

XC-C30 · 10-23-2006, 01:23 PM

most important is music-quality, because I recently joined a team that's competing in EMMA, just since a week or two. and I'll be joining them in competing next season (for SQ that is, SPL, not so much my cup of tea

)

durwood · 10-23-2006, 01:26 PM

Cool. SQ is where its at.

Oh and the ESI is a 24bit card.

XC-C30 · 10-23-2006, 01:37 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by durwood

Cool. SQ is where its at.

Oh and the ESI is a 24bit card.

damn, really wasn't quiet awake when i read the specs

thanks for the notice durwood

ok, that's solved than I guess?

so it's ASIA-supperted, 24bit and has 8 analog line-autos, am I correct? (just verrifying, 'cause maybe I overlooked somethin (again

)

edit: why do I keep typing ASIA instead of ASIO?

edit2: analog outs instead of analoq autos (damn..... and I don't even ever touch alcohol

)

durwood · 10-23-2006, 01:43 PM

hahaha. Let me know how that turns out for you. I am interested in going that route too...if it works. I bet a few other would be interested too.

Quote:

why do I keep typing ASIA instead of ASIO?

Maybe you have been having to many of these

Just kidding.

Happy Tuning

XC-C30 · 10-23-2006, 01:51 PM

not gonna be using full potential of the frequency allocator at the moment though. It requiers a P4 2.0 to ise full potential, and I'm only running an AMD duron800 at the moment (well, not running anything at the moment actually, but gonna be soon)

RedGTiVR6 · 10-23-2006, 01:53 PM

what are you doing about eq, time alignment, and phasing?