"Daneel" wrote in message
...
I intend to buy a new computer based on an Asus motherboard and a
Pentium IV
(socket 775) platform in a Windows XP Pro and Mandrake Linux 10.x
environment.
I want to record live performances with 2 analogic input microphones.
I want not professional quality but good enough.
I need optical in and out.

Could you help in the choice of the sound card: SoundBlaster or
Terratec
(must work under Linux and Windows) ?
USB or PCI ?



Neither. Both are consumer toys. They add ridiculous amounts of noise
to the signal, will frustrate you when you try to edit because they
resample everything to/from 48K on the way in and out, and use absurdly
poor connectors (3.5mm minijacks).

If you want cheap, try these:

http://www.edirol.com/products/info/ua5.html

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...SB-main-1.html

http://www.tascam.com/Products/US-122.html


If you want something "minimally pro but not fancy" try these:

http://digidesign.com/products/mbox/systems/mboxhw.cfm

http://www.frontierdesign.com/produc...erpcimain.html
(You'll need separate mic preamps for this one)

http://www.rme-audio.com/english/digi96/digi96pa.htm
(No direct mic inputs one this one either)



--
"It CAN'T be too loud... some of the red lights aren't even on yet!"
- Lorin David Schultz
in the control room
making even bad news sound good

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