Newbe soundcard question

J Gretch · Post by **J Gretch** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:59 am

I downloaded maxcraft 3 yesterday and it didn't take me long to see that I'm going to need a better soundcard.I've done a few searches here and found some good info but I have a question.

Is there a deacent card that I could get at BestBuy or CircuitCity to get me by untill I get around to buying a top shelf device online?

YouTube · Post by **Acoustica Greg** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:31 pm

Hi,

Well, I don't know what Best Buy or Circuit City have stocked in their stores, but I see that Best Buy's web page lists the M-Audio Fast Track Pro.

Why do you think you need a better sound card? What kind of problems are you running into? What kind of recording do you want to do?

Hereare some sound devices to consider.

Greg

J Gretch · Post by **J Gretch** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:51 pm

I'm having about a 1 or 2 second delay between my live guitar and the sound coming out of the computer.And I'm getting a warning message refering to latency when I try to monitor.I went and looked in the preferance tab for my sound card and there realy isn't anything there that I can tweek.

I could probably tell you more when I get home in front of the computer that has Mixcraft on it....I'm at work right now but I'm getting ready to leave shortly

Thanks for the quick reply,I would love to get this program running smoothly this weekend.

Stef66 · Post by **Stef66** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 3:08 pm

Im surprised to see Acoustica recommending only USB or Firewire devices...

What about PCI cards?
Im really getting no audible latency with my PCI Sound Blaster Audigy II ZS.

And i don't think they are very pricey units either?

Was just wondering.

YouTube · Post by **Acoustica Greg** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 3:43 pm

Hi,

There's no reason we shouldn't have PCI cards on that list. Of course, I'll have to change the name of the FAQ. Heh heh.

Greg

Dew · Post by **Dew** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:16 am

hmmmm
I'm running a standard realtek ac97 that came with the computer and no problems but I do have a gig of ram and I know that's gotta help.
Dew

J Gretch · Post by **J Gretch** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:14 am

Thanks for the feedback guys I had a chance to look over the devices that Greg recomended and It looks like more than I realy need.

Let me start over by telling you the setup that I'm using now and what I'm trying to accomplish.

A friend just gave me his old computer and I would like to use it in my practice room as a digital recorder and retire my 4 track cassett machine.I am totaly new to recording on a computer and Mixcraft is the first software of this type that I have tried so I'm not sure how the program is suppose to behave...if that makes any sence.

I play my guitar thru a Digitech RP-250 and use the 1/8''headphone jack out to the computers 1/8" Line in jack.Everything is stereo and the RP-250 allows me to adjust the gain or signal strenth.That's why I'm thinking that I probably don't need another device to get a good signal into the computer seems like I've got that part covered.

What I may need is to bring my computer up to par if possible.The computer that I'm using is an HP Pavillion 1.3Ghz with 512MB of ram with a new harddrive running windows XP Pro.

Do you think that upgrading the sound card would make any differance?

Stef66 · Post by **Stef66** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:23 am

Some sound cards are capable of doing "Simultaneous playback and recording" and some dont, you need the first breed.

You'll have to try with your existing sound card and if it doesn't work, you need a new one.

Then you'll need to disable the first one in the BIOS of the computer if it is an onboard device before installing the new one.

J Gretch · Post by **J Gretch** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:35 am

I was at best buy last night and they had a few choices of soundblaster pci cards and from what I gathered by reading the boxes they were all 24bit / 96Khz but the price goes up for surrond sound ect...Do you think that the $32.00 Audacity SE card would get me up to speed?It seems to be a basic plug and play card.And are you sure about the need to change my bios settings?

gypsy101 · Post by **gypsy101** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:25 am

maybe my messageboard will help. here's the link.

http://gypsy101admin.proboards83.com/index.cgi

Stef66 · Post by **Stef66** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:49 am

J Gretch wrote:I was at best buy last night and they had a few choices of soundblaster pci cards and from what I gathered by reading the boxes they were all 24bit / 96Khz but the price goes up for surrond sound ect...Do you think that the $32.00 Audacity SE card would get me up to speed?It seems to be a basic plug and play card.And are you sure about the need to change my bios settings?

Positive a bout the BIOS setting, you dont want to have 2 sound card installed at the same time, especially with an useless onboard one, that would only cause hardware conflicts and steal CPU ressources for nothing.

I use a sound blaster Audigy II zs PCI card with no audible latency.
Im not even in need of using any ASIO drivers.

if you want to hear what i did with it, check the myspace link in my signature.

gypsy101 · Post by **gypsy101** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:51 am

[quote="Stef66"][quote="J Gretch"]I was at best buy last night and they had a few choices of soundblaster pci cards and from what I gathered by reading the boxes they were all 24bit / 96Khz but the price goes up for surrond sound ect...Do you think that the $32.00 Audacity SE card would get me up to speed?It seems to be a basic plug and play card.And are you sure about the need to change my bios settings?[/quote]

Positive a bout the BIOS setting, you dont want to have 2 sound card installed at the same time, especially with an useless onboard one, that would only cause hardware conflicts and steal CPU ressources for nothing.

I use a sound blaster Audigy II zs PCI card with no audible latency.
Im not even in need of using any ASIO drivers.

if you want to hear what i did with it, check the myspace link in my signature.[/quote]

gypsy101 · Post by **gypsy101** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:53 am

[quote="Stef66"][quote="J Gretch"]I was at best buy last night and they had a few choices of soundblaster pci cards and from what I gathered by reading the boxes they were all 24bit / 96Khz but the price goes up for surrond sound ect...Do you think that the $32.00 Audacity SE card would get me up to speed?It seems to be a basic plug and play card.And are you sure about the need to change my bios settings?[/quote]

Positive a bout the BIOS setting, you dont want to have 2 sound card installed at the same time, especially with an useless onboard one, that would only cause hardware conflicts and steal CPU ressources for nothing.

I use a sound blaster Audigy II zs PCI card with no audible latency.
Im not even in need of using any ASIO drivers.

if you want to hear what i did with it, check the myspace link in my signature.[/quote]depending on what you are using- i have a gateway w/ sigmatel hidef audio codec which is integrated in the motherboard- you can't switch it out- but you can add an onboard(if that makes sense- i'm a guitar player)try looking through my message board for help links & ideas

Stef66 · Post by **Stef66** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:17 am

The original sound device cannot be deactivated trough the Bios?
Any Jumper on the board then?

Those brand names machines, they never let you do what you want with them.

Viva completely home assembled computer from Oem parts!

In your case, you might be better off with those USB or Firewire devices listed previously then?

J Gretch · Post by **J Gretch** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:18 am

Well I'm getting a little flustered now...Looks like this HP-Pavillian is running usb 1 and that could be an issue.Guess I'll see what kind of barebones special Tiger Direct has this month, and give this thing to the kids.

I apreciate the quick respons on this forum...I've all but decided to go ahead and purchace a licence for Mixcraft 3.I so you guys will probably be he hearing from me again. Hopfuly with good news .