Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to alt.audio.equipment,rec.audio.tech,alt.comp.hardware
Kompu Kid Kompu Kid is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 24
Default Seeking USB sound card recommendation

Hello All:

I built myself a new computer. Unfortunately the sound card on the
motherboard turned out to be not very good.

To experiment with a USB soundcard, I got Creative X-Fi Surround 5.1.
It was around 60 bucks at Fry's.

I am finding that the sound quality is pretty good. However, I don't
think I will ever use the features I see on this card. My main goal is
to convert some older tapes and records. Occasionally I may listen to
some MP3s through my computer speakers.

So I'm wondering if there is anything similar to this Creative
soundcard that may be cheaper but gives me about the same quality.

Any suggestions?

Deguza
  #2   Report Post  
Posted to alt.audio.equipment,rec.audio.tech,alt.comp.hardware
Paul Paul is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default Seeking USB sound card recommendation

Kompu Kid wrote:
Hello All:

I built myself a new computer. Unfortunately the sound card on the
motherboard turned out to be not very good.

To experiment with a USB soundcard, I got Creative X-Fi Surround 5.1.
It was around 60 bucks at Fry's.

I am finding that the sound quality is pretty good. However, I don't
think I will ever use the features I see on this card. My main goal is
to convert some older tapes and records. Occasionally I may listen to
some MP3s through my computer speakers.

So I'm wondering if there is anything similar to this Creative
soundcard that may be cheaper but gives me about the same quality.

Any suggestions?

Deguza


The CM108 is a stereo USB sound solution selling for $20. I don't
know if you'd use the word "quality" while standing near it, but
it is cheap. It comes with a short USB extension cable, in case
the area around your USB jack is cluttered.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829128002

(This might not be exactly the chip used in that $20 product, but
this is probably close. It uses 16 bit converters in and out.)

http://www.cmedia.com.tw/pdf/USB/CM1...Sheet+v1.0.pdf

I think I'd just keep what you've got. Too much of a nuisance
testing the $20 device and being unhappy with it.

Paul
  #3   Report Post  
Posted to alt.audio.equipment,rec.audio.tech,alt.comp.hardware
Mr.T Mr.T is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,108
Default Seeking USB sound card recommendation


"Kompu Kid" wrote in message
...
I built myself a new computer. Unfortunately the sound card on the
motherboard turned out to be not very good.

To experiment with a USB soundcard, I got Creative X-Fi Surround 5.1.
It was around 60 bucks at Fry's.

I am finding that the sound quality is pretty good. However, I don't
think I will ever use the features I see on this card. My main goal is
to convert some older tapes and records. Occasionally I may listen to
some MP3s through my computer speakers.

So I'm wondering if there is anything similar to this Creative
soundcard that may be cheaper but gives me about the same quality.



Almost anything! :-)
However since you already have the Creative, why exactly are you looking for
something similar now?

MrT.


  #4   Report Post  
Posted to alt.audio.equipment,rec.audio.tech,alt.comp.hardware
AZ Nomad[_2_] AZ Nomad[_2_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 79
Default Seeking USB sound card recommendation

On Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:16:56 +1000, Mr.T MrT@home wrote:

"Kompu Kid" wrote in message
...
I built myself a new computer. Unfortunately the sound card on the
motherboard turned out to be not very good.

To experiment with a USB soundcard, I got Creative X-Fi Surround 5.1.
It was around 60 bucks at Fry's.

I am finding that the sound quality is pretty good. However, I don't
think I will ever use the features I see on this card. My main goal is
to convert some older tapes and records. Occasionally I may listen to
some MP3s through my computer speakers.

So I'm wondering if there is anything similar to this Creative
soundcard that may be cheaper but gives me about the same quality.



Almost anything! :-)
However since you already have the Creative, why exactly are you looking for
something similar now?


The cheapskate probably wants to exchange it for something cheaper
following the age old advice of "if it works, fix it". He'll continue
the process until he gets sometihng that doesn't work.

  #5   Report Post  
Posted to alt.audio.equipment,rec.audio.tech,alt.comp.hardware
kony kony is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 45
Default Seeking USB sound card recommendation

On Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:20:36 -0700 (PDT), Kompu Kid
wrote:

Hello All:

I built myself a new computer. Unfortunately the sound card on the
motherboard turned out to be not very good.

To experiment with a USB soundcard, I got Creative X-Fi Surround 5.1.
It was around 60 bucks at Fry's.

I am finding that the sound quality is pretty good. However, I don't
think I will ever use the features I see on this card. My main goal is
to convert some older tapes and records. Occasionally I may listen to
some MP3s through my computer speakers.

So I'm wondering if there is anything similar to this Creative
soundcard that may be cheaper but gives me about the same quality.

Any suggestions?

Deguza



Buy a proper PCIe sound card, no need to tie up the USB
bus/CPU. Then again, it's not worth bothering with. You'll
have to try several USB products to find one and then it's
not worth the tiny bit of money saved as the tiny ones that
hang out of the USB port like a flash thumbdrive probably
aren't going to sound as good for output, but maybe for
input/recording though this is just speculation, I've not
had a chance to pop open one of those and examine it.


  #6   Report Post  
Posted to alt.audio.equipment,rec.audio.tech,alt.comp.hardware
kony kony is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 45
Default Seeking USB sound card recommendation

On Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:41:54 -0500, AZ Nomad
wrote:

On Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:16:56 +1000, Mr.T MrT@home wrote:

"Kompu Kid" wrote in message
...
I built myself a new computer. Unfortunately the sound card on the
motherboard turned out to be not very good.

To experiment with a USB soundcard, I got Creative X-Fi Surround 5.1.
It was around 60 bucks at Fry's.

I am finding that the sound quality is pretty good. However, I don't
think I will ever use the features I see on this card. My main goal is
to convert some older tapes and records. Occasionally I may listen to
some MP3s through my computer speakers.

So I'm wondering if there is anything similar to this Creative
soundcard that may be cheaper but gives me about the same quality.



Almost anything! :-)
However since you already have the Creative, why exactly are you looking for
something similar now?


The cheapskate probably wants to exchange it for something cheaper
following the age old advice of "if it works, fix it". He'll continue
the process until he gets sometihng that doesn't work.





Probably true, though Kompu Kid was off to a pretty bad
start if looking for cost effectiveness instead of features
and chosing Creative... and thinking $60 was a low price for
merely needing sound I/O for low-fi tapes and records.

For tapes and records the motherboard line-in would probably
be quite fine to record them, though the record player would
probably need go through an amp/pre-amp instead of direct to
a sound card line-in jack.
Reply
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Seeking help on sound card ! Arny Krueger General 25 February 11th 08 07:49 PM
Seeking help on sound card ! pg Audio Opinions 25 February 11th 08 07:49 PM
Seeking help on sound card ! Arny Krueger Pro Audio 25 February 11th 08 07:49 PM
Seeking help on sound card ! pg Tech 37 February 11th 08 07:49 PM
Seeking help on sound card ! Richard Crowley General 3 January 25th 08 06:57 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:46 PM.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AudioBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Audio and hi-fi"