Sound Card/Interface Recommendations

[Darren Pallen]

Greetings. I currently do some voiceover work into a Sound Blaster Live 5.1
with the Live! Drive. Although I am aware that this card is not "Pro Audio"
quality, I really like the fact that the microphone cable plugs directly
into the front of my computer. In addition, the Live! Drive has a
microphone gain knob that makes for easy microphone level adjustment.

I am looking to upgrade into a more "Pro Audio" sound card and interface
solution. I don't mind an external breakout box, although I surely like how
the Sound Blaster sits neatly inside my tower. I am running Windows 2000,
but will probably upgrade to XP. My editing software is Adobe Audition
(Cool Edit Pro).

Here's my wish list for a "Pro Audio" sound card:

1. Convenient microphone plug-in (XLR or 1/4").
2. Microphone gain adjustment in a handy place.
3. Phantom power. I may move to a good condenser microphone soon.
4. Budget of $500.00 or so, but I will spend a little more if need be. I
want to do this right.

What would you buy based on the above criteria? One final question: Do
these "Pro Audio" sound cards offer playback as well as recording? I will
be pulling out the Sound Blaster card completely, and wish to listen to
music or my own productions. Will these cards do this effectively? I'm
thinking along the lines of a Delta 1010 or an Echo offering. There is
probably many more products that I have failed to mention.

I thank you all in advance for your help. Looking forward to your expert
guidance...


Regards,
Darren

[Jan Holm]

Darren Pallen wrote:
> 1. Convenient microphone plug-in (XLR or 1/4").
> 2. Microphone gain adjustment in a handy place.
> 3. Phantom power. I may move to a good condenser microphone soon.
> 4. Budget of $500.00 or so, but I will spend a little more if need
> be. I want to do this right.

Might want to take a look at
http://www.joemeek.com/mq1micromeek.html

Then you'll have an extra 250$ to throw at a new mic !!!

Regards
Jan Holm

[Tommi]

"Darren Pallen" > wrote in message
...

> I am looking to upgrade into a more "Pro Audio" sound card and interface
> solution. I don't mind an external breakout box, although I surely like
how
> the Sound Blaster sits neatly inside my tower. I am running Windows 2000,
> but will probably upgrade to XP. My editing software is Adobe Audition
> (Cool Edit Pro).
>
> Here's my wish list for a "Pro Audio" sound card:
>
> 1. Convenient microphone plug-in (XLR or 1/4").
> 2. Microphone gain adjustment in a handy place.
> 3. Phantom power. I may move to a good condenser microphone soon.
> 4. Budget of $500.00 or so, but I will spend a little more if need be. I
> want to do this right.
>
> What would you buy based on the above criteria? One final question: Do
> these "Pro Audio" sound cards offer playback as well as recording? I will

If you're going to spend around 500$, I'd personally recommend either the
delta 1010 or an St-Audio C-port package. Delta 1010 doesn't have XLR's if I
remember correctly, but the C-Port has two. Check it out at the st-audio
website. It's got a headphone output with volume knob, two preamps(not very
special but what would expect at that price) with nice level knobs, phantom
power, 2 XLR outputs etc..Both the cards I mentioned are very good, compared
to their price. I prefer the C-port however.

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> I am looking to upgrade into a more "Pro Audio" sound card and interface
> solution. I don't mind an external breakout box, although I surely like how
> the Sound Blaster sits neatly inside my tower.

> Here's my wish list for a "Pro Audio" sound card:
>
> 1. Convenient microphone plug-in (XLR or 1/4").
> 2. Microphone gain adjustment in a handy place.
> 3. Phantom power. I may move to a good condenser microphone soon.
> 4. Budget of $500.00 or so, but I will spend a little more if need be. I
> want to do this right.

You aren't going to find an XLR input, phantom power, and a gain
control in a card. There have been a couple of designs that have the
breakout box in a 5-1/4" disk drive form factor so it can mount in a
drive bay and give you front panel access to the connectors, but I
don't think that this ever really caught on.

I'd suggest that you look at the TASCAM US-122. It's a tabletop box
that connects via the USB port, has two mic preamps with XLR inputs,
phantom power, individual gain controls, and it has a very well
thought out monitoring system with controls to mix the input with
previously recorded playback for doing overdubs, and it has a
headphone jack with its own volume control, as well as outputs that
can go to powered speakers or a power amplifier. The preamps aren't
the quietest in the world, but they're adequate, and you can learn a
lot about what you need and don't need for its under-$200 street
price.

> Do
> these "Pro Audio" sound cards offer playback as well as recording? I will
> be pulling out the Sound Blaster card completely, and wish to listen to
> music or my own productions.

Of course.

> thinking along the lines of a Delta 1010 or an Echo offering. There is
> probably many more products that I have failed to mention.

If you're looking in that direction, you'll looking at multi-channel
interfaces. How many inputs and outputs do you need? If two mic,
instrument, or line inputs (you can switch them individually so you
don't have to use two mics, or two line level sources) is sufficient,
I'd go with the US-122.

If you'd like to read more of what I think about it, I reviewed it in
the December issue of Recording Magazine (which probably hasn't hit
the news stands yet).



--
I'm really Mike Rivers - )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Arny Krueger]

"Darren Pallen" > wrote in message


> Greetings. I currently do some voiceover work into a Sound Blaster
> Live 5.1 with the Live! Drive. Although I am aware that this card is
> not "Pro Audio" quality, I really like the fact that the microphone
> cable plugs directly into the front of my computer. In addition, the
> Live! Drive has a microphone gain knob that makes for easy microphone
> level adjustment.
>
> I am looking to upgrade into a more "Pro Audio" sound card and
> interface solution. I don't mind an external breakout box, although
> I surely like how the Sound Blaster sits neatly inside my tower. I
> am running Windows 2000, but will probably upgrade to XP. My editing
> software is Adobe Audition (Cool Edit Pro).
>
> Here's my wish list for a "Pro Audio" sound card:
>
> 1. Convenient microphone plug-in (XLR or 1/4").
> 2. Microphone gain adjustment in a handy place.
> 3. Phantom power. I may move to a good condenser microphone soon.
> 4. Budget of $500.00 or so, but I will spend a little more if need
> be. I want to do this right.

> What would you buy based on the above criteria?

A good audio production sound card plus a mic preamp. Specifically, maybe
something like an Echo Mia plus a Symetrix SX-302.

or maybe:

M-Audio Omni Studio
M-Audio USB Duo
Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96
Roland UA-1000

etc.

>One final question:
> Do these "Pro Audio" sound cards offer playback as well as recording?

Yes

> I will be pulling out the Sound Blaster card completely, and wish to
> listen to music or my own productions. Will these cards do this
> effectively?

Yes.

> I'm thinking along the lines of a Delta 1010

Nope, digital I/O plus line level inputs and line level outputs, only.
Needs mic preamps.

[Peter Larsen]

Arny Krueger wrote:

> > I'm thinking along the lines of a Delta 1010

> Nope, digital I/O plus line level inputs and line level outputs, only.
> Needs mic preamps.

1010LT has mic preamp. I haven't tested it and do not expect to test it.


Kind regards

Peter Larsen

--
************************************************** ***********
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
************************************************** ***********

[ceedub]

You will need pres as well as AD-DA. You might check out a couple of good
Firewire boxes:
MOTU 828 MkII, $750 at GC and Sam Ash - 10 analog I/Os
Presonus Firestation $499 at GC 8 analog I/Os, 2 XLR pres (tube I think)

USB 2.0 = Roland UA1000 $850 at GC

--


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"Tommi" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Darren Pallen" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > I am looking to upgrade into a more "Pro Audio" sound card and interface
> > solution. I don't mind an external breakout box, although I surely like
> how
> > the Sound Blaster sits neatly inside my tower. I am running Windows
2000,
> > but will probably upgrade to XP. My editing software is Adobe Audition
> > (Cool Edit Pro).
> >
> > Here's my wish list for a "Pro Audio" sound card:
> >
> > 1. Convenient microphone plug-in (XLR or 1/4").
> > 2. Microphone gain adjustment in a handy place.
> > 3. Phantom power. I may move to a good condenser microphone soon.
> > 4. Budget of $500.00 or so, but I will spend a little more if need be.
I
> > want to do this right.
> >
> > What would you buy based on the above criteria? One final question: Do
> > these "Pro Audio" sound cards offer playback as well as recording? I
will
>
> If you're going to spend around 500$, I'd personally recommend either the
> delta 1010 or an St-Audio C-port package. Delta 1010 doesn't have XLR's if
I
> remember correctly, but the C-Port has two. Check it out at the st-audio
> website. It's got a headphone output with volume knob, two preamps(not
very
> special but what would expect at that price) with nice level knobs,
phantom
> power, 2 XLR outputs etc..Both the cards I mentioned are very good,
compared
> to their price. I prefer the C-port however.
>
>
>