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 ?
Rack 5"1/4 or not necessary ?

"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

(Remove spamblock to reply)

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

you'll also need ADAT....this one is very cool though

--

Jonny Durango

"Patrick was a saint. I ain't."

http://www.jdurango.com



"Lorin David Schultz" wrote in message
news:Nxc%d.76179$gJ3.75907@clgrps13...
"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

(Remove spamblock to reply)

"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 ?
Rack 5"1/4 or not necessary ?

First off, let me echo the other comment indicating that carrying a
desktop PC to remote 2-channel recording sessions should only be done
if you think that it hurts so good. A Behr MX1002 and a NJB3 is so
much more portable and user-friendly than a desktop PC. BTW the NJB3's
most recent firmware upgrade which must be a year old by now, is a joy
to use for remote recording. It wasn't bad before, but now its just a
joy to use.

But, if you are sure you want to do that desktop PC remote location
recording self-abuse thing, let me recommend the SoundBlaster Live!
MP3 (cheap, a little dirty but really not all that bad) or the
Terratec Phase 22 (really pretty nice for about 3 times the money).