Sound Cards

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mrj
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Sound Cards

Post by mrj »

So...

I need to buy a soundcard. Something simple and cheap. Just need to plug it into my monitors and lappy.

I have a Macbook Pro which has a firewire 800 so using that would be ideal. I also have an maudio controller and a yamaha keyboard which I assume I plug into that as well (if not i just plug em in via usb to my lappy which is fine).

Suggestions?
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Direkt
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by Direkt »

something cheap that uses FW800 is not going to be as easy as something cheap that uses USB.

I'm guessing your M-Audio controller and Yamaha keyboard are plugged in via USB? These will most likely not plug into your soundcard (although it can be done with the keyboard if it has MIDI). How many available USB ports do you have, if any?

Does the soundcard need to be portable? How cheap is cheap?
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mrj
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by mrj »

Yeah my yamaha has MIDI, Im currently using a midi to usb to plug it in to my lappy. works perfectly well but I might as well plug it into the soundcard if the option is there.

portability is moot, its just gonna stay at home so it can be reasonably unportable and i wouldnt care, as long as it doesnt take up too much room.

I have 3 usb ports, sounds like I'd need one for my controller though, so that leaves 2.

as for cheapness, at the moment I wouldn't be too keen spending more than $500. I can go up, but yanno would prefer not to.

I don't need anything thats groundbreakingly awesome, just something that does the job.
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Direkt
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by Direkt »

Focusrite Saffire Pro 14
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Focusrite Saffire series is going nuts right now - great soundcards. I have the Pro24DSP, Fents just bought the 6USB last week.

Retailers such as Store DJ are doing these for $349.
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mrj
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by mrj »

yeh that looks about right i reckons. nice one, thanks for the advice.
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Direkt
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by Direkt »

No worries. BTW - It's FireWire and has your MIDI I/O. Even has decent preamps onboard in case you want to record some vocals at any point...
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Fents
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by Fents »

over the moon with my new focusrite 6usb!

can now actually record a mix!

thanks heaps again direktor, the man even came and set it all up! champion.
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by Direkt »

Now worries my man. Happy to help.
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by mrj »

Direkt wrote:in case you want to record some vocals at any point...
i think thats best avoided, for everyone's sake.
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by unsoundbwoy »

i got the pro56 and love it to pieces can't recommend safire range highly enough
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by mrj »

So I ended up getting the Pro24. I was suprised and pleased with the difference it has made, definitely worth the investment. Sounds are so much more sparkly now.
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by flippo »

Got the 56 pro myself a couple of days ago, partly from unsoundboy's recommendation, and the overall good wrap they are getting across the board. Quite pleased!

Although I was a little disappointed when I realised that by 'independent headphone outputs', they mean they are independent of each other, not independent of the other line outs (headphones 1 is a copy of lines 7-8, headphone 2 is a copy of lines 9-10). But I eventually realized that it wont really be a problem for my expected workflow.

Another disappointment was the headphones camps can't really drive my HD-600s anywhere near as well as my presonus card did, so I might have to sort out a headphone amp or use the presonus as a standalone amp.


But the main outs to the monitors are a significant improvement of the presonus! Will def use my rack gear more often now that I've got enough i/o to not t have to constantly patch things all the time.
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Re: Sound Cards

Post by unsoundbwoy »

nice one dave, was gonna reply to your fb msg but my fb is being glitchy

I agree the d/a is a pretty big step up I think,
I only ever go beyond 4 outs for tracking and its either been live or I've used a desk
for headphones, so i haven't run into problems, and if there was there's another 8 by
adat in the rack ;) frustrating about the level, i wonder if you go into the MixControl and
bump up the output on your the mix sending to headphones, do you hit red and noticeable
distortion or colouration or anything? might work okay until you put an amp in the middle?
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