Sound Card for Semi-Professional Recording

Stildawn

Stildawn

New Member
Hello. I just brought a new computer (see below)

Im really into Music and have my own band etc. Im looking at getting a sound card that is designed to plug instruments into the computer and getting a semi-professional result. Im not after super high end studio quality just something that works and possibly comes with software etc (ive heard that garage band on mac is good, but I use PC)

My old computer has a soundblaster audigoly (or something like that) I tried a few recording with reasonable results but wasnt really what im after.

Any ideas.
 
P

PC eye

banned
Sound cards in general are not really made for plugging guitars or keyboards into directly. You would first have to plug them into a mixer and then patch into a card by way of 1/8" mini jack, RCA phono plug, or digital audio input.

The highest end Creative X-Fi Fatality models see the panel for input/output installed into one of the 5 1/4" drive bays for easy access. The other option is an 8 in -8 out digital recording setup you install in a pci slot. The price tag then climbs a bit. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829121010

A more flexible mic, line in, and instrument type using fireware is seen at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829999003

Those are the high price item while there are some for half that amount like Presonus fireware recording setup seen for $299- at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829999005

That isn't much more then the Creative model seeing an analog to digital converter found at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102015
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
PC eye said:
Sound cards in general are not really made for plugging guitars or keyboards into directly. You would first have to plug them into a mixer and then patch into a card by way of 1/8" mini jack, RCA phono plug, or digital audio input.
Click to expand...

Thats not really true, there are a lot of companies making cards with 1/4 inch plugins built in and even have pre-amp technology as well. There is also a whole host of devices that use USB to allow connections to your computer, sort of as a external sound card. Patching from a mixer to a 1/8 inch jack would cause considerable quality loss and not to mention the issue with recording latency.
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
PC eye said:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829121010

A more flexible mic, line in, and instrument type using fireware is seen at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829999003

Those are the high price item while there are some for half that amount like Presonus fireware recording setup seen for $299- at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829999005

That isn't much more then the Creative model seeing an analog to digital converter found at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102015
Click to expand...

These devices are terribly overpriced interfaces for all the more he wants to do. Cheaper options that can do twice as much are available.
 
Stildawn

Stildawn

New Member
Haha well I just basically sent them the above post. But I live in New Zealand.

Anyone know about the actual cards themselves?
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
A device like this: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/US122LTNT/ it similar to what I use and the quality is unbelievable! It also comes with software to handle latency and patches it to Cool Edit or Pro Tools depending on what you use.

This is another good choice if you want mutiple inputs: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Omega/

And finally the Line6 toneport is hailed as one of the best affordable USB recording setups ever: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TonePortUX2/

Best part, all of these are under $200! If your gonna order recording parts, order from a dealer that specifies in that area. They can help you get it set up and offer software updates and lifetime assistance for everything you buy. Newegg is for computer parts, let them stick to that.
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
Last edited:
Stildawn

Stildawn

New Member
Sorta like a pci card. I can get the instrument into normal sound jacks etc. I have a mixer etc. Just after a card that will be able to handle and record the sound that ill be pumping into it with keeping the quality that my amps guitars etc produces.

Like what sorta setup does the MAC Garage Band use to get their quality?
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
Stildawn said:
Sorta like a pci card. I can get the instrument into normal sound jacks etc. I have a mixer etc. Just after a card that will be able to handle and record the sound that ill be pumping into it with keeping the quality that my amps guitars etc produces.

Like what sorta setup does the MAC Garage Band use to get their quality?
Click to expand...

What type of output are you using from your board?
 
Stildawn

Stildawn

New Member
Well with my old computer the audilogy only had the normal input jack (like head phones) cant remember the size lol but you know what I mean. So i converted to that from normal guitar lead size lol.
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
Stildawn said:
Well with my old computer the audilogy only had the normal input jack (like head phones) cant remember the size lol but you know what I mean. So i converted to that from normal guitar lead size lol.
Click to expand...

So you want to go analog 1/4 inch to 1/4 on the board? Does your board have any digital outs or SPDF?
 
P

PC eye

banned
ukulele_ninja said:
Thats not really true, there are a lot of companies making cards with 1/4 inch plugins built in and even have pre-amp technology as well. There is also a whole host of devices that use USB to allow connections to your computer, sort of as a external sound card. Patching from a mixer to a 1/8 inch jack would cause considerable quality loss and not to mention the issue with recording latency.
Click to expand...

The current card being an Audigy model would be seeing 1/8' mini jacks in use. The devices seen there are simply to show the type of options available that offer an improved sound quality.

ukulele_ninja said:
These devices are terribly overpriced interfaces for all the more he wants to do. Cheaper options that can do twice as much are available.
Click to expand...

Overpriced? Not actually when considering the types of equipment used by semi pros as well as professionals. Once you start getting into high end digital recording expect even higher price tags.
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
PC eye said:
The current card being an Audigy model would be seeing 1/8' mini jacks in use. The devices seen there are simply to show the type of options available that offer an improved sound quality.



Overpriced? Not actually when considering the types of equipment used by semi pros as well as professionals. Once you start getting into high end digital recording expect even higher price tags.
Click to expand...

He's not looking for a pricey interface though, he just needs a capture device really. I dont think you got that. He's already mixing on a separate device.
 
P

PC eye

banned
The Creative model shown earlier rolls all that up into one bundle for the price seen there that being their top model card. Any X-Fi card will see the 1/8" flexi jack for mic or line-in while the higher models seen the 5 1/3" front panel added.

If price is the main concern then the model seen at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829130001 also sees line-in, line-out, and mic in jacks there. But you can imagine the quality of anything being recorded.
 
Stildawn

Stildawn

New Member
Hah this sounds all confusing.

Basically I dont need/want multitracking ability (multiple sounds signals into computer at once) as me and my band always record with the separate track process (usually playing along to metronome etc) and not the live type (all instruments at once)

So just one line into the computer is required, mainly after the capture thing (as above) so that what is coming in is recorded as good as possible. The input mode isnt really a hassle as Im sure I can figure out how to get it into any line (1/4, 1/8 etc)

Lol I hope this narrows it down some. My friends of my friends father runs a radio studio, and they have sound desk (basically a big mixer) going into a sound card (pci type) on the back of their computer. Something like that.
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
Lol, I work in a radio station in Ohio and we have the same setup with the board running into the PCI-e card. Those cards have multiple inputs though and are going to run you in the thousands! I work in radio and I do recording on my home computer so Im not gonna steer you wrong here. This guy here: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1212Mv2/ Is really going to be your best option for the price and quality of your what your going. Its a dual card setup, meaning you have one card that controls inputs and one that controls outputs. If you dont want to run anything back to the inputs on your board, go with this: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/0404.

These cards are designed for people that are doing recording on computers that are not dedicated audio machines.
 
Stildawn

Stildawn

New Member
Haha ok. So whats this "run anything back to the imputs on your board" mean??

Also whats the beneifts of the a board controling outputs etc?
 
massahwahl

massahwahl

VIP Member
Stildawn said:
Haha ok. So whats this "run anything back to the imputs on your board" mean??

Also whats the beneifts of the a board controling outputs etc?
Click to expand...

For starters I should have asked, what program are you using to record with? Like, Audition, Cool Edit, Pro Tools, Cakewalk, Steinberg, etc...

The returns from the card would be used if you want to use your speakers as monitors or your board to monitor. Also, I dont know how much equipment you use, but you would also use the outputs as effects sends if you use any equipment to do a final mixdown or tape machine.
 
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