Sound Cards and A/D converters

[Kremovich]

Recently I posted asking for advice on getting a motherboard, and I was advised to get a different soundcard, so...

What's the best sound card for my money, and why is the soundblaster no good?

I was also wondering about A/D converters on a budget. Don't know much about these, I've seen them range in price from $150 for some Digidesign model to in the thousands for an Apogee.

Advice on monitors is welcomed too... I know there are other threads about this. Looks like opinions are all over the place regarding NS-10s. I am looking also at Yorkvilles, Tannoy and KRKs. Only really need some good nearfields at this point.

Thanks

[silversound]

Well firstly soundblasters work fine for audio comming from games, dvds,mp3, and the like. And if your not really sure if computer based recording is for you, they can work fine in the interim. Beware however they may negatively alter your initial experiance. As far as audio recording goes they are terribly ill suited. There are serious latency issues which means your overdubs will be late in relation the the original music, as well as any software instruments you may eventually use. Secondly the sound quality will be less than desireable, and you will end up with less than cassette quality.

[Kremovich]

Thanks... I'd rather buy something I'm going to use for a while that's going to work well for multitracking. I'm sure it'll work better than my 16 bit generic sound card I recorded my band's last album on, but I've read often that soundblasters aren't great for it.

M-Audios (Delta/Audiophile) look to be priced well. Anything I should avoid or look out for?

[thearnicasync]

Hi...

I'd put more into your soundcard than your nearfields. I'm not sure exactly, but decent nearfields can be had for $200 or so these days. Sure, their not Genelecs, but you get used to them and they sound great compared to your stereo. I've got the Alesis M1 Actives, and they're fine. Bass is tough to mix, though...I can never really get it right, but I also mix in a bedroom full of stuff. I don't know. I'd go to www.zzounds.com, look for inexpensive powered monitors, and read the customer reviews.

Don't get me started about M-audio. I'm mad at the deltas, quattros...always some sort of interface issue that, in the long run, really eats up time you don't want to spend doing anything but recording. Seriously.

Good luck.

[ctmsound]

RME Hammerfall!

As for soundblaster cards, they're not even full duplex so don't even think about recording with those pieces of shit. Their drivers and software are a nightmare as well. I had one for a week just for my gaming PC and it was the biggest pain in the ass i've ever encountered. Even creative labs tech support sucked mad donkey dick. excuse my language, but it's the sad truth.

[Kremovich]

So does someone want to recommend something that WILL work for me?

[EasyGo]

M-Audios (Delta/Audiophile) look to be priced well. Anything I should avoid or look out for?

I've had the M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 for about a year, and I like it. It's your basic 2 in/2 out full duplex with MIDI and some form of digital I/O (SPDIF?).

In a past life, I had the video game type sound card that came with my PC, which sounded pretty lousy.

I would recommend the 24/96 provided it works with your system. I'm pretty clueless about hardware compatibility and such; only trial and error for me. I use an Athlon 1.3 Mhz running Cool Edit Pro/Soundforge on Win 2000, and it works great for me.

[ctmsound]

Well, the first question would be, what are you recording? How many inputs, outputs do you need? Stuff like that. Give us an idea of what you'll be doing and I could definitely recommend some gear for you.

As for motherboards, Asus is a very trusting and respectable company. They make the best mobos I've ever seen/used.

[Kremovich]

I'm going to be recording the basics; drums, guitar, bass, keys, vocals... Rock/electronic stuff. But not all at once. I usually just put (up to) 6 mics into my (ugh... Behringer) mixer and then send it into my stock 16 bit soundcard. Obviously, this isn't the way to go.

I'd like something 24 bit able to take whatever I can throw at it (which isn't much!). And I don't know if it's necessary to have a decent audio recording interface in addition to a A/D converter, or if they're the same thing, or what. But I don't know anything about them, so I have come here in search of advice.

I need to record worse than anything because I have so much material and nothing to do with it. Plus I'm on a budget (like most of us), but I have quite an ability to make decent recordings on completely crappy equipment. So if I have some stuff that's affordable but not top of the line, I will be more than satisfied.

As far as motherboards go, I've been advised to go the route of Asus multiple times, so I'm sure I'm going to get one of those.

Thanks for everyone's help.

[jayrope]

rme hammerfall i'd say aswell.
monitors: event 2020 passive used. if you have money left then get the active version 2020bas

[Dreamland_Rebel]

try the aardvark Q-10. i like mine a lot. 8 I/O with DA converters + pre's and 2 extra insersts.

[jayrope]

ah a/d converter: apogee rosetta, then back d/a with rme hammerfall. also nice and 96 ready

[Rick Hunter]

MOTU 828.

This will not let you down ever. Unless you break it...in half.

[Kremovich]

Apogee and an RME Hammerfall? Maybe you need to be reminded of what the word "budget" means...

thanks for the suggestions though. I did buy some BAS 20/20s that should be here next week. I will check out the MOTU 828.

[jayrope]

2020bas and motu 828 will do the job. just get the mk2 (motu) since it supprts word clock already

well done mister.

j