Computer Soundcard

Looking for opinions on the sound card with the best analog to digital section. That is all i am really interested in as i am going to be transferring records and cassettes through the sound card into a burning program. Please give me all your recommendations and price is not a concern. Thanks for all and any recommendations.

 

You may find this site useful.

SoundCards

Best regards.

 

I am also in the market for a sound card with great recording performance. I am looking for something in the $150 range. Mostly will use for LP-to-CD copies. What are my options. The M-Audio audiophile24/96 sounds great but what is this about recording levels, needing a preamp to adjust levels due to lack of line-in mixing?

Thanks

 

I bought the Delta 44 with the breakout box for $199 from the Midi Store and it has a similar record level "problem". But, the software does have a level boost in it that will get your sound in the ballpark. I have tested it out and it is very clean sounding.

 

IMO, I prefer using an outboard volume attenuator, much easier to use.

 

So you can use the 2496 without a preamp, adjusting volume in the software domain but works better using an outboard preamp Correct? I guess that's what I want then. At $149 the price is right. Thanks a lot

Francis

 

You "can't" adjust the volume in the software domain. This is where the preamp comes in. I mentioned in an earlier post that I have the Delta 44 and it has several settings for various types of electronics and it does boost the levels enough to get me in the ballpark, but it is quite the same. I am not sure if this is indicative of higher end cards. My card states that it has no mic preamps to prevent unwanted distortion when recording.

BOB

 

You can digitally "normalize" the recording which is similar to adjusting volume but the original signal has to be within bounds of the digital window of the card. For that you need a control in the analog domain.

One must try to use as most of the digital window as possible. Ideally, normalizing should not be needed.

 

Can't you just connect the sound card to the Tape Out sockets on your integrated amp, and control the level with the volume knob? Like, do you really need a dedicated preamp?

 

No, because volume and tone controls are not in the signal path of the line-level inputs. Using the headphone out is not a very good solution, either. You need a dedicated *something* that will attenuate the volume.

Radio Shack used to sell small DC mixers that would fit the bill, but it's questionable about how pure the signal path is.

 

I actually just hooked up my soundcard with my integrated amp and have had a few minor problems. I have noticed that it is picking up all kinds of interference. The TV, the CABLE TV LINE, etc. I crank up the volume with nothing on through headphones and one-by-one, figured out what it was. I shut off the TV and some went away and then disconnected the cable line and most of it went away. I still am getting some really low level interference of some sort when I crank it up loud. When I switch components, I don't hear it as much. Just light hiss. My turntable is grounded properly. It might be my integrated amp or something. Maybe because I just have too many things near each other due to space limitations.