[Joe the audio guy]

Curiosity question: I have a series of wave and other files on the hard
drive that I am thinking about processing on a pc that has only a standard,
cheap sb card. I have decent software installed (Samplitude) and I'm
wondering if the card will make any difference in quality as long I don't
try to record with it. Isn't processing, effects, etc done through software
and the pc itself and not the card? So, since the files are already in wave
format, my belief is that it really shouldn't matter about the card.

Thanks,
Joe the audio guy

[Scott Dorsey]

Joe the audio guy wrote:
Curiosity question: I have a series of wave and other files on the hard
drive that I am thinking about processing on a pc that has only a standard,
cheap sb card. I have decent software installed (Samplitude) and I'm
wondering if the card will make any difference in quality as long I don't
try to record with it. Isn't processing, effects, etc done through software
and the pc itself and not the card? So, since the files are already in wave
format, my belief is that it really shouldn't matter about the card.

Yes. However, if you ARE doing any processing, you will have to use the
card for monitoring. And you may make bad decisions if your monitoring
sounds poot.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Arny Krueger]

"Joe the audio guy" wrote in message
...

Curiosity question: I have a series of wave and other files on the hard
drive that I am thinking about processing on a pc that has only a
standard, cheap sb card. I have decent software installed (Samplitude)
and I'm wondering if the card will make any difference in quality as long
I don't try to record with it.

The sound card on a DAW that is only used for editing, is itself only used
for monitoring.

Your DAW software might even render the audio you edit into a dumbed-down
format that is only used for monitoring. That way, any old audio interface
can be used for editing, even though the format of the file you edit is
something that is far more exotic.

Isn't processing, effects, etc done through software and the pc itself and
not the card?

Right. DAW software processes audio numerically.

So, since the files are already in wave format, my belief is that it
really shouldn't matter about the card.

Right you are.

[Mike Rivers]

Joe the audio guy wrote:
Curiosity question: I have a series of wave and other files on the hard
drive that I am thinking about processing on a pc that has only a standard,
cheap sb card. I have decent software installed (Samplitude) and I'm
wondering if the card will make any difference in quality as long I don't
try to record with it.

If you're doing processing that you can do without making decisions
based on hearing what your processing sounds like, then, no, the sound
card won't matter. If someone tells you "always compress a mix at a 3:1
with 6 dB maximum compression" and you want to do that, you can set that
up just by watching the screen. You don't even need speakers. On the
other hand, it would be silly to do that without hearing it first. You
might not like how it sounds. And it might sound better (or worse)
listening through your sound card than it will to someone listening
through another setup.

Many people think that once you get over the basic crappy equipoment
hump, the D/A converter (the part of your sound card that you listen to)
should be one of the first things that you upgrade. That way, if you're
doing crappy work, you'll know it. If you're doing good work, you can
hear how to improve it.



--
If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach
me he
double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers
)

[[email protected]]

It doesn't matter but how will you know if it sounds crap if you can't
hear it properly?

[Arny Krueger]

wrote in message
...
It doesn't matter but how will you know if it sounds crap if you can't
hear it properly?

I find myself doing a lot of mixing and editing with really good headphones
and the audio interface in relatively new computers. Works for me.

[Ethan Winer]

I am thinking about processing on a pc that has only a standard, cheap sb
card.

Just to clarify since nobody else mentioned it, a current SoundBlaster card
is just fine to listen through and make mixing decisions. It is 100 times
more transparent than your loudspeakers and your room.

--Ethan

[Phil W]

Ethan Winer wrote:
I am thinking about processing on a pc that has only a standard,
cheap sb card.

Just to clarify since nobody else mentioned it, a current
SoundBlaster card is just fine to listen through and make mixing
decisions. It is 100 times more transparent than your loudspeakers
and your room.

Haha, probably! ;-)
When I used to have a SB live card some years ago, I found there was a "bass
boost" (like on a boombox) compared to the "Terratec EWX2496" that I
upgraded to.
Meanwhile, I´ve exchanged the Terratec with a "M-Audio Delta Audiophile
2496" because of issues with the EWX driver - generally the "same" card
anyway. Soundwise, I didn´t notice a real difference between EWX and Delta,
but a quite noticable one when I hear a SB live somewhere else.
The 2496s don´t have this "bass boost" and sound more transparent, but for
not too critical editing, a SB live or better should be alright. Just get to
know its sound and try it.
I´ve heard good mixes from people, that even used cheapo on-board sound
cards - which are probably worse than a "SB live".

In case, you don´t like the results or don´t feel you´re improving with the
SB, there´s still the option of getting a Delta2496 for about 90$. You could
even spend more, but this one should suffice as a step-up from a SB live. I
use mine as standard soundcard for everything on my pc - that includes
normal listening to music or stuff from the web, as well as DAW use.

Better monitoring is often a good thing, but the sound card is only one
factor of quite a few...

The quality of the converters on your sound card or its drivers does *not*
affect the processing, that any DAW software does. As Mike Rivers and others
already explained very well...


Phil

[Arny Krueger]

"Phil W" wrote in message
...

Ethan Winer wrote:

I am thinking about processing on a pc that has only a standard,
cheap sb card.

Just to clarify since nobody else mentioned it, a current
SoundBlaster card is just fine to listen through and make mixing
decisions. It is 100 times more transparent than your loudspeakers
and your room.


When I used to have a SB live card some years ago, I found there was a
"bass boost" (like on a boombox) compared to the "Terratec EWX2496" that I
upgraded to.

One problem is that Creative Labs has marketed umpty-dump different cards as
SoundBlaster's, and it is even hard to discern exactly which of a zillion
current models is the specific "current SoundBlaster" card that Ethan is
talking about.

That all said, the vendor (Creative Labs) seems to have cleaned his act up
about 5 years back, and much of what he sells is really pretty good. For
example, the current (is it still current? ;-) ) SoundBlaster 24 bit card
costs less than $30 and gets the job done well enough for monitoring.

FWIW, eMu is owned by Creative labs, and their stuff ranges from really
good, on up.

[Ethan Winer]

Phil,

When I used to have a SB live card some years ago, I found there was a
"bass boost" (like on a boombox)

Usually that stuff can be disabled, along with other FX, in the sound card's
control panel. I've done a lot of listening tests and never noticed anything
like that with SoundBlaster cards.

--Ethan

[Phil W]

Ethan Winer wrote:
Phil,

When I used to have a SB live card some years ago, I found there was
a "bass boost" (like on a boombox)

Usually that stuff can be disabled, along with other FX, in the sound
card's control panel. I've done a lot of listening tests and never
noticed anything like that with SoundBlaster cards.

Hi Ethan,

I know, what you mean. There was everything turned off, that should be
turned off. But there was no switch for "bass boost". So, I guessed, it´s
because SB live cards are rather gamer/consumer oriented overall and thus
have a fixed "loudness" curve like it could be found in older hifi amps.
Sorry, I can´t describe it more appropriately, but there was a definite
difference in sound between both cards.
When I first listened to some music on the EWX, that I´d heard often enough
through the SB, I felt like "oooh, where´s the bass gone?" - yes, the card
was the only thing, that was exchanged, everything else in the chain was
exactly the same as before.

Probably, my ears are different to yours, but I´ve heard reports from other
people who made the same change and all of them said the same, as I
mentioned above. Therefore, I assumed my impression was not too subjective.
;-)


Phil

[Carey Carlan]

Ethan Winer wrote:
I am thinking about processing on a pc that has only a standard,
cheap sb card.

Just to clarify since nobody else mentioned it, a current
SoundBlaster card is just fine to listen through and make mixing
decisions. It is 100 times more transparent than your loudspeakers
and your room.

Only becomes an issue if you want to introduce analog processing. While it
may be a lot better than the reproduction devices, I'd like something
better going thourgh an analog loop. (Does anybody do that anymore?)

[neats]

Hey Joe, good point. However, an audio interface is an entirely
differant kettle of fish because it's recording and replaying the
audio for you not your pc soundcard. Point to note, M-Audio have
released firewire/ usb versions of it's PC cards (like the Delta
Series of which i own a 2496). I do not have a firewire desk but also
own a usb Fast Box Pro and can tell you the differance is not between
the soundcard and the interface but in the amount of $$ you fork out
for quality equipment. Speakers & headphone quality is determined by
response range. Can you hear the cymbal bleed?. Alternatively if you
use home stereo speakers with bass boost it will sound tinny when you
play in your car radio if it doesn't have the same system. What's it's
really about is getting an accurate reproduction of the what you
created in your software and then making good choices. So technically,
if it doesn't make a differance to you no, you don't need a soundcard.
If you can hear the differance then yes you do.

[Peter Larsen[_3_]]

Phil W wrote:

I´ve heard good mixes from people, that even used cheapo on-board
sound cards - which are probably worse than a "SB live".

The on board card in this here laptop is quite usable for playback.

Phil

Kind regards

Peter Larsen