Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e

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didymus7
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2014/03/23 16:35:19 (permalink)

Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e

Yeah, I know that this has probably been hashed and reshashed.  My situation right now is that I'm working from the on-board Realtek sound system with ASIO4ALL.  Just moved all my audio stuff to this computer.  Played a long song and notice a hitch or stutter twice.  Never did that on the other computer, which has an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 in it.  However, I do have ASIO4ALL set to the lowest possible delay (4.4 ms).  Anyways, I'll probabaly move the Audiophile over to this computer, but is there something better?
 
Thanks...Steve
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    Kalle Rantaaho
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 16:47:16 (permalink)
    There's always something better. What's your budget?
    I would recommend an external card, though, or at least one with a break out box.

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    Bristol_Jonesey
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 16:56:47 (permalink)
    You can pay up to 20K if you have the budget, and that's just for the converters!

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    panup
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 16:58:45 (permalink)
    Best? Or best under $xxx?
    My choice has been RME for the last decade. Fireface800 and UFX work great, especially in X3e which fixed the slow arming issue.
     
    1. RME Babyface
    2. RME Fireface UC
    3. RME Fireface 800
    4. RME Fireface UFX
    I'd go to USB interface rather than Firewire if OS is Vista or newer. In XP32 Fireface 800 & SONAR is a perfect match (IMO).
     
    #4
    didymus7
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 17:03:08 (permalink)
    Budget?  Well, I'd go $200-300 for speed/benefits.  The Audiophile is good, but it's PCI based and high-level motherboards are few and far between with anything other than PCI-E slots.  I hesitate on externals since there is a serial bandwidth limitation.  Even PCI is much faster than USB2.  I need the card mainly for playback.  I work almost exclusively in Midi.

    Home Built i7-860, dual monitors, Sonar X3, DGX-220, Akai MPK-mini, Audiophile 24/96
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    didymus7
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 17:08:21 (permalink)
    Thanks, I'll take a look at the RME boards.  I'm on Win7 64bit (I do not play to 'upgrade' to 8).  However, with USB won't there be a possible slowdown with a large number of tracks?  Or is all this based on USB3?


     

    Home Built i7-860, dual monitors, Sonar X3, DGX-220, Akai MPK-mini, Audiophile 24/96
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    slartabartfast
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 17:17:45 (permalink)
    If you are using the card mainly for playback, the USB 2 bandwidth is not an issue at all. You are talking about two channels (surround would be 5) of output, which is not going to show any difference between PCI and USB2. USB units are capable of recording dozens of inputs successfully. Audio is pretty sparse data by computer standards. And a USB interface will be just as fast on your next computer and can be attached to a new or borrowed computer in a flash.
     
    Assuming your Audiophile 2496 has drivers for your operating system and you have a PCI slot in your motherboard, that will be more than enough for your needs. There  may be a problem with a bridged PCI slot in newer computers with that card, but you can try it for nothing to see if it works.
    #7
    scook
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 17:18:30 (permalink)
    The track count won't matter to the interface because you are probably sending it a stereo signal.
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    didymus7
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 17:20:34 (permalink)
    Wow, some prices on those RME systems!  I either have to delineate my needs better or break the bank! ;-)
    I just need something for playback that has good sound and won't stutter at low latency.   I don't even need two audio inputs....
     

    Home Built i7-860, dual monitors, Sonar X3, DGX-220, Akai MPK-mini, Audiophile 24/96
    "Never try to teach a pig to sing.  It wastes your time and annoys the pig."
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    didymus7
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 17:25:18 (permalink)
    Thanks guys, for clearing up the info on playback over USB.  You're right, it would be only two tracks.  I don't yet know what bridged PCI is (the Audiophile has Win7 64 bit drivers, but M-audio is not quick to support such an old card with better/faster drivers), so I'll have to look it up.  Part of the beauty of a USB solution is that it is easily moved from one computer to another.  Which reminds me, I have to check this computer for a PCI slot....
     
    Steve
     

    Home Built i7-860, dual monitors, Sonar X3, DGX-220, Akai MPK-mini, Audiophile 24/96
    "Never try to teach a pig to sing.  It wastes your time and annoys the pig."
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    mettelus
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 17:36:39 (permalink)
    If you do "not even need two audio inputs," there are several 2in/2out USB interfaces for your price range. As stated above, a huge advantage of this is they are portable, so you can even use it on any machine that has drivers installed. Check the specs on things you are looking at though before purchasing, as they are not all comparable (can also narrow down your search and make a post asking for feedback from owners, and search for posts on issues with that particular model).
     
    Can google around for links like this: http://www.junodownload.com/plus/2011/05/03/10-best-audio-interfaces-for-home-studios/
     
    Edit: Actually this link is more specific to your price range: http://www.musicradar.com/us/news/tech/12-of-the-best-budget-usb-audio-interfaces-570850

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    #11
    AT
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 17:56:00 (permalink)
    Just for great output and less input, there is the TC Electronic 6.
     
    http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct08/articles/desktopkonnekt6.htm
     
    Firewire, no midi but superb sound and good drivers now.  If you can handle FW, it should be one of your choices.  $200.
     
    Lots of people here like the Focusrite USB.  And the Stienberg is Yamaha.
     
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    didymus7
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 19:50:28 (permalink)
    Thanks guys, this is great.  Have to go looking now.  The TC Electronic 6 looks good and in  my price range, so are some others.  You've gotten me excited about externals.
     
    Thanks again...Steve

    Home Built i7-860, dual monitors, Sonar X3, DGX-220, Akai MPK-mini, Audiophile 24/96
    "Never try to teach a pig to sing.  It wastes your time and annoys the pig."
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    didymus7
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 20:00:10 (permalink)
    mettelus,
     
    That was a couple of great links, thanks!
     
    Steve
     

    Home Built i7-860, dual monitors, Sonar X3, DGX-220, Akai MPK-mini, Audiophile 24/96
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    mettelus
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 20:17:31 (permalink)
    I own the FireWire version of the Focusrite (Saffire) and have become a huge fan of them since purchasing. The Scarlett is their USB line and has been pretty popular, and used by many in this forum.
     
    One thing I am not a fan of is connections that go into the top of things, simply because it adds to strain on connectors that is not necessary. A few of the models in those links are "top connected" which I would shy away from for that reason.

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    musichoo
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 20:24:02 (permalink)
    I had just upgraded my cpu from an i5 750 to the latest i7 4770 with the new motherboard last week. I am using audiophile 2496 with a new MSI motherboard that supports PCI.  With the new i7 CPU I managed to use the lowest latency setting which 128 samples with a total round trip latency of only 7.5 millisecond. Now I can stack stack up plenty of vst synths and kontakt samples without running out of CPU power. 
     
    What I am saying is you also have the option of upgrading your CPU to the current generation (4th) which will help reduce your latency. Of cause you will need a new motherboard that support the new cpu. 
     
     
     
     
     

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    BJN
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/23 21:08:10 (permalink)
    I use the 2496's on my internet machine. Better then the onboard sound.
    Use what you got till you know what you really want.
    This link will give you the drivers you need for Win 7 64bit,
    select delta, next column 2486; OS
    http://www.m-audio.com/in...support&tab=driver

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    dede
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    Re: Best Sound Card for Sonar X3e 2014/03/24 07:37:35 (permalink)
    FWIW
    I used for years RME DSP hammerfall a lot on one PC and a MOTU 828 on another , and RME were much better overall, drivers are always rock solid for PC.
    When building a new system a couple of years ago I followed RME tech supp advice and went for Fireface UC. USB instead of FW and believe me, it is fast.
    I had an Alesis io2 for my laptop (were I just need 2 in/1out) , with Asio4all. Cheap, ok. It lasted 2 years and died on me last week. I've been researching for a replacement for my mobile setup and ended up choosing
    Alva's Nanoface
    www.alva-audio.de/nanoface
    It's miles away from your realtek believe me.
    AFAIK It's from RME( kind of) , you get 4 inputs, vey light weigh, and it must be on your budget (165EUR in europe)  top notch converters for the price.
     
    Alternative: Native Instruments Komplete6
    Cheers
    dd
     
     

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