External Sound Card?
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Not sure of the quality, but...
http://us.store.creative.com/Sound-B...B0017QQQAE.htm
http://us.store.creative.com/Sound-B...B002651ZNI.htm
http://us.store.creative.com/Sound-B...B0017QQQAE.htm
http://us.store.creative.com/Sound-B...B002651ZNI.htm
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"is THERE such A thing"
Yes.
Quality is mostly good overall but KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF THOSE USB ONES.
That said
If you want to use a good external soundcard you better off with FireWire external ones.
Yes.
Quality is mostly good overall but KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF THOSE USB ONES.
That said
If you want to use a good external soundcard you better off with FireWire external ones.
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TC, what you want is a DAC. DAC stands for Digital to Analogue Converter.
Now, every sound card has a DAC on it. (the signal always needs to be converted from a digital one to an analogue one for your speakers/cans) However, when someone says DAC, they're usually referring to an external DAC. These usually get hooked up via USB or Optical to your computer.
I can make some recommendations, but I need to know your budget first. A nice starter unit is the uDAC or uDAC-2.
Now, every sound card has a DAC on it. (the signal always needs to be converted from a digital one to an analogue one for your speakers/cans) However, when someone says DAC, they're usually referring to an external DAC. These usually get hooked up via USB or Optical to your computer.
I can make some recommendations, but I need to know your budget first. A nice starter unit is the uDAC or uDAC-2.
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The cheap ESI Duafire or the more expensive ESI QuataFire 610.
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I was hoping to get it under 150. Cheaper if I can. I also was going to be gettign a digital receiver soon with an unknown set up but I could plug into that also if it defeats the purpose of me getting a sound card then maybe I shouldn't but what do you guys think?
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Quote:
I have one of these. Too bad the Windows 7 64bit drivers stink. I still get pops and cracks while playing music. Works great on 32bit, or 64bit with less than 4Gb of Ram. Last things I read is it was an issue with addressing over 4Gb of Ram. After rounds with Creative, which is from my home town, I gave up.
Originally Posted by 3dfxvoodoo  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102020 |
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Quote:
All I have is 64bit at home now.
On my old work laptop with 32bit Windows Vista/7 it worked flawlessly. On my desktop with 32bit and 4Gb of Ram, there were no issues.
On Windows 7 64bit with 6-8Gb of Ram, pops and cracks when listening to music/movies. Never happens during gaming.
/Edit
I have it currently connected to a set of 5.1 M-Audio Studiophile LX-4 speakers, and it was on a 4.1 Klipsch Promedia set previously. On 32bit it was an awesome solution for a portable sound card.
Originally Posted by pistons50 My laptop wont have 64bit but my comp has 64bt win 7 and I have 6gb of ram. So I will have problems with that? |
On my old work laptop with 32bit Windows Vista/7 it worked flawlessly. On my desktop with 32bit and 4Gb of Ram, there were no issues.
On Windows 7 64bit with 6-8Gb of Ram, pops and cracks when listening to music/movies. Never happens during gaming.
/Edit
I have it currently connected to a set of 5.1 M-Audio Studiophile LX-4 speakers, and it was on a 4.1 Klipsch Promedia set previously. On 32bit it was an awesome solution for a portable sound card.
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God, do I have to go over this again?
Ok then.
USB is like a network hub (infact it even says it in the device manager for those that didn't already realize this), and hubs can only send ONE package at a time.
That means that you can only have one thing sent at a time on those USB buses.
So if you use USB mouse, USB keyboard, USB harddrive (external) and then you want to use a device that is meant to be continuous along with these?
So you know use a device that runs at 1/4 of it's speed since it is now in queue with other devices mentioned above.
That's why Firewire is better.
Not only is it better since it's less occupied with other devices but it also has more power and can power up the device without external power source if you use FireWire 800 and if the device isn't a complete studio device of course.
Originally Posted by Maytan I've got to ask, what do you find wrong with a USB DAC? If anything I'd go Optical after USB. |
Ok then.
USB is like a network hub (infact it even says it in the device manager for those that didn't already realize this), and hubs can only send ONE package at a time.
That means that you can only have one thing sent at a time on those USB buses.
So if you use USB mouse, USB keyboard, USB harddrive (external) and then you want to use a device that is meant to be continuous along with these?
So you know use a device that runs at 1/4 of it's speed since it is now in queue with other devices mentioned above.
That's why Firewire is better.
Not only is it better since it's less occupied with other devices but it also has more power and can power up the device without external power source if you use FireWire 800 and if the device isn't a complete studio device of course.
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^That
Originally Posted by Ecchi-BANZAII!!! The cheap ESI Duafire or the more expensive ESI QuataFire 610. |
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Quote:
A DAC isn't going to use the extra power of FireWire, and most of them can be powered right off the USB hub. (I'm talking portable units like the uDAC/Audinst/MM02, not high-end units or amps etc.)
I don't understand your whole concern with USB. For playback, USB is perfectly fine. Maybe for recording FireWire's superiority in timing would be more critical.. Don't forget, if you go FireWire, there's no way for you to provide yourself with galvanic isolation. With USB, you can purchase something like a USB ADUM4160 dongle. Getting your DAC off of your computer's ground will be much more beneficial than switching to FireWire.
Originally Posted by Ecchi-BANZAII!!! God, do I have to go over this again? Ok then. USB is like a network hub (infact it even says it in the device manager for those that didn't already realize this), and hubs can only send ONE package at a time. That means that you can only have one thing sent at a time on those USB buses. So if you use USB mouse, USB keyboard, USB harddrive (external) and then you want to use a device that is meant to be continuous along with these? So you know use a device that runs at 1/4 of it's speed since it is now in queue with other devices mentioned above. That's why Firewire is better. Not only is it better since it's less occupied with other devices but it also has more power and can power up the device without external power source if you use FireWire 800 and if the device isn't a complete studio device of course. |
I don't understand your whole concern with USB. For playback, USB is perfectly fine. Maybe for recording FireWire's superiority in timing would be more critical.. Don't forget, if you go FireWire, there's no way for you to provide yourself with galvanic isolation. With USB, you can purchase something like a USB ADUM4160 dongle. Getting your DAC off of your computer's ground will be much more beneficial than switching to FireWire.
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