[Dream] Cheap soundcard recommendations?

[andrei.henry at utoronto.ca]

>>In theory you might be right but one of the best sound cards available has
>>all the circuitry inside the computer yet manages not to keep out
>>interference from other devices inside the PC. (Lynx cards).
>
> I'm also right in practice :)

i love it when you two knock heads trying to prove who's the bigger
techno-dork :)


> Unless
> Andrei is only going to record balanced line level signals that are
> already around +20db, then a Lynx card would be an extremely poor
> choice, as the output of most synthesizers is way lower than that.
> He would need a mixer or channel strips in order to use a Lynx card,
> and even then he still might be better off with an external audio
> interface for the same money.

actually, while writing i am bringing in all synth sounds through a mixer. 
my set-up: the computer (via sonar) drives midi signals that go to synths,
the outputs of which are routed through a mixer back in to the computer via
a soundcard.  should i actually ever get to a point where i'm ready to
record a song (don't hold yer breath), i was thinking of recording each
synth individually to an audio track then doing the final mix using only
WAVs of the synths and output from VSTs (i.e. no actual synths playing
during final mixdown).  i was hoping that by going directly from synth into
computer during recording (bypassing the mixer) i could get a slightly
better sound by cutting out the mixer.

for $500, i'd rather get a 8 in + 8 out card and skip the mixer
altogether... unfortunately that's out of my budget at the moment.

> Also, while I'm typing, another advantage to external audio
> interfaces is ergonomics.  In addition to physical accessibility,
> many have handy features just as level knobs, meters, headphone amps,
> etc.  Having something as simple as a knob to turn down the monitors
> can be a real convenience.

true dat, hadn't thought about it... not that opening up a software panel
and clicking on a virtual slider is that tough, but a knob makes things
easier.

i can't believe that no one has mentioned the #1 advantage of an external
interface: higher LBL factor!!!


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