I want to buy a sound card to use for running Arta and other similar software in a pc running XP, checking low distortion oscillators or in some cases amps in conjunction with my HP339A. Balanced and unbalanced operation might be useful; in otherwords some flexibility.
It seems to me the first decision needs to be internal pci or extenal USB. The USB like a Emu 0404 seems like it would have less noise if powered separately with a linear power supply but all factors need to be considered together.
I have also seen Juli@ and M-192 pci cards recommended here on this site. There also are newer design cards available but maybe not necessarily better. I think $300 is the most I want to go with less being obvioudsly better.
How important is the use of an external USB card or does it not make much difference in reality? Does it make sense to look at cards other than Julia, Emu 0404 or M-192 given the price restriction of $300 tops?
What is best card for purpose in your view?
I have read through many threads here without reaching a conclusion so any comments will be useful.
Thanks for any help given.
It seems to me the first decision needs to be internal pci or extenal USB. The USB like a Emu 0404 seems like it would have less noise if powered separately with a linear power supply but all factors need to be considered together.
I have also seen Juli@ and M-192 pci cards recommended here on this site. There also are newer design cards available but maybe not necessarily better. I think $300 is the most I want to go with less being obvioudsly better.
How important is the use of an external USB card or does it not make much difference in reality? Does it make sense to look at cards other than Julia, Emu 0404 or M-192 given the price restriction of $300 tops?
What is best card for purpose in your view?
I have read through many threads here without reaching a conclusion so any comments will be useful.
Thanks for any help given.
I have used creatives X-FI ,It is an execellent card that won't break the bank.
And I feel that you would have a hard time finding anything better for price unless you plan on going all out with an Auzentec or Asus card.
I am currently using an Echo Systems GINA24 and I love that card although it has been discontinued.
I have not had any problems with it and the sound is incredible.
It is a 4in/8out 24bit full duplex card.
I haven't any experience with the USB types but I have read some reports that they have latency problems more so then the slot based ones and that the EMU systems are the better ones to get as far as latency goes.
I also have a phillips PCS706 16 bit card is very good but you would have a hard time finding that one besides it is a 16bit card.
I have read many good things about turtle beach cards in the past and I was going to get one once but I never did and I am not sure of their status lately.
I have not tried any of my earlier Sound Blaster cards as I never liked the sound quality that came out of them comparded to the phillips card that I got back in 2001.
Some say the Audigy and SBLive is good but never got any of those.
Beware of the specs on some of the cheapy cards as they claim that they are 24bit but are actualy 16bit on the record side and some (most) don't support more than than 48khz sample rate anyhow.
I hope that gives you a little better idea of what to look for. jer
And I feel that you would have a hard time finding anything better for price unless you plan on going all out with an Auzentec or Asus card.
I am currently using an Echo Systems GINA24 and I love that card although it has been discontinued.
I have not had any problems with it and the sound is incredible.
It is a 4in/8out 24bit full duplex card.
I haven't any experience with the USB types but I have read some reports that they have latency problems more so then the slot based ones and that the EMU systems are the better ones to get as far as latency goes.
I also have a phillips PCS706 16 bit card is very good but you would have a hard time finding that one besides it is a 16bit card.
I have read many good things about turtle beach cards in the past and I was going to get one once but I never did and I am not sure of their status lately.
I have not tried any of my earlier Sound Blaster cards as I never liked the sound quality that came out of them comparded to the phillips card that I got back in 2001.
Some say the Audigy and SBLive is good but never got any of those.
Beware of the specs on some of the cheapy cards as they claim that they are 24bit but are actualy 16bit on the record side and some (most) don't support more than than 48khz sample rate anyhow.
I hope that gives you a little better idea of what to look for. jer
I'm using an M-Audio 192 in an XP machine and it is fabulously quiet. Performs flawlessly- noise is not an issue.
I'm using the USB EMU 0404, works great with Arta, noise floor of 130 dB.
see http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/equipment-tools/180003-audio-signal-generator-fft-scope.html
see http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/equipment-tools/180003-audio-signal-generator-fft-scope.html
I use an M-audio transit USB soundcard. I use it with Fuzzmeasure and with software of my own design. No idea on Arta though
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