PC Sound Card Recommendations.
Posted by: niceguy235uk on 01 January 2006
Hi all,
Just thinking of upgrading my pc soundcard (using internal one at the mo) so that i can get some vinyl on to cd to clear up a bit.
Does anyone have any ideas which would be a good one to get?
Cost not too much of a problem.
Cheers!!
Just thinking of upgrading my pc soundcard (using internal one at the mo) so that i can get some vinyl on to cd to clear up a bit.
Does anyone have any ideas which would be a good one to get?
Cost not too much of a problem.
Cheers!!
Posted on: 03 January 2006 by J0N
how much are you willing to spend? and are you looking for internal or external?
Posted on: 03 January 2006 by Jono 13
check out m-audio, both internal and external, 96/24 interfaces with all the necessary software.
also try http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ for cleaning up software.
Jono
also try http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ for cleaning up software.
Jono
Posted on: 03 January 2006 by Guido Fawkes
I think the Griffin stuff may be Mac only, but you don't need a sound card to use it - you just plug your plug your PU leads into an adapter and then into the USB port and it does all the equalisation in software on the computer. See this link for details on their products.
Otherwise Jono 13 has recommended some really nice products - I know somebody who uses m-audio stuff and works very well.
Otherwise Jono 13 has recommended some really nice products - I know somebody who uses m-audio stuff and works very well.
Posted on: 04 January 2006 by Sir Cycle Sexy
Sorry Jono but for all it's merits and despite the 'Audiophile' moniker the M-Audio 2496 has failings.
And Niceguy, that is not the question you need to ask.
First, the line level input on that thing is phono which contradicts Naim's strict signal earthing policy. Just about every other soundcard uses 3.5 jacks which having a ground common between stereo channels sits rather better with the correct Naim strategy.
Also, Naim rightly optimise their players for factory pressed Red Book 16/44.1 audio CDs and although CDRs burned to this standard work and sound fine they never sound as good as a good factory pressed CD. Given that CDRs look alien to the player they're the weak link so I'd question what value there is sampling beyond the 16 bits and 44.1KHz you'll be burning at.
Being aimed squarely at amateur musicians you'll find all the wrong software in the M-Audio bundle. Downloading your own probably means Audacity. Now, Audacity falls over a lot for me but YMMV and to be fair it's a free download (there's a bigger 'crap allowance' for free stuff apparently, see Wikipedia, Open Source etc) but maybe people will tell you it does all that stuff you don't need to like capturing at 24/96, dithering and sampling down to 16/44.1. I say always look a gift horse in the mouth if you pay the vet bill.
At 20 quid (f OEM) Creative's 24-bit Live is 'Good Enough' (TM Jerry Pournelle) and point two, there's a suite of bomb proof software including a hard disc recorder and a wave sample editor. Most indies will sell you an OEM inc install CD, DSG probably won't.
However Niceguy, the question you need to ask is about Creative X-Fi. You said money wasn't too much of problem, I went there and a month on I'm still collecting my thoughts. I can't do that for you in one night but I can tell you it changed everything beyond vinyl and CD.
More when I get time.
C
Oh, lastly, whatever card and approach you choose, successfully creating track indices from your vinyl sides is probably best done in something like Mike Looijman's CD Wave Editor before burning with eg Nero as because Naim are fastidious in their adherence to Red Book, you need to be too.
And Niceguy, that is not the question you need to ask.
First, the line level input on that thing is phono which contradicts Naim's strict signal earthing policy. Just about every other soundcard uses 3.5 jacks which having a ground common between stereo channels sits rather better with the correct Naim strategy.
Also, Naim rightly optimise their players for factory pressed Red Book 16/44.1 audio CDs and although CDRs burned to this standard work and sound fine they never sound as good as a good factory pressed CD. Given that CDRs look alien to the player they're the weak link so I'd question what value there is sampling beyond the 16 bits and 44.1KHz you'll be burning at.
Being aimed squarely at amateur musicians you'll find all the wrong software in the M-Audio bundle. Downloading your own probably means Audacity. Now, Audacity falls over a lot for me but YMMV and to be fair it's a free download (there's a bigger 'crap allowance' for free stuff apparently, see Wikipedia, Open Source etc) but maybe people will tell you it does all that stuff you don't need to like capturing at 24/96, dithering and sampling down to 16/44.1. I say always look a gift horse in the mouth if you pay the vet bill.
At 20 quid (f OEM) Creative's 24-bit Live is 'Good Enough' (TM Jerry Pournelle) and point two, there's a suite of bomb proof software including a hard disc recorder and a wave sample editor. Most indies will sell you an OEM inc install CD, DSG probably won't.
However Niceguy, the question you need to ask is about Creative X-Fi. You said money wasn't too much of problem, I went there and a month on I'm still collecting my thoughts. I can't do that for you in one night but I can tell you it changed everything beyond vinyl and CD.
More when I get time.
C
Oh, lastly, whatever card and approach you choose, successfully creating track indices from your vinyl sides is probably best done in something like Mike Looijman's CD Wave Editor before burning with eg Nero as because Naim are fastidious in their adherence to Red Book, you need to be too.