Boscoe
Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
- Total Posts : 56
- Joined: 2015/06/12 01:15:31
- Status: offline
Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
Essentially I'm not worried about inputs, I've got my analog inputs covered by the Behringer mixer, and the midi inputs covered by the Midisport 4x4. What I really need is something that can output 5.1 to my powered computer speakers (3x stereo mini jacks) that Sonar will be happy with because it apparently hates my onboard Realtek HD. lol
I need something $250 or less that can take over for the Realtek (play computer sounds, itunes, youtube etc) and will also work well with Sonar for surround mixing. Would the Focusrite 6i6 work for this?
I don't even know where to start with this stuff, so any help would be greatly appreciated. :)
------------------------------------------------- Dell XPS 8700 Win 7 64 pro Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz 24gb ram Nvidia Geforce GT 635 E-MU 1616m Behringer QX1202USB MIDISport 4x4 Anniversary Edition Kurzweil K2000VP & K2500RS Yamaha DTX 2.0 Drums Roland GI-20 Guitar interface Roland GK3 Midi Pickup attached to surprisingly not awful cheapo Johnson Strat copy
|
thomasabarnes
Max Output Level: -43 dBFS
- Total Posts : 3234
- Joined: 2003/11/11 03:19:17
- Location: Milwaukee, WI USA
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 02:58:52
(permalink)
Sorry, I have no recommendations. Was thinking the 6i6 or MOTU's Microbook II might do the job, but now, I'm not so sure what you can get for 5.1 connection ability at the specified price point. If you can find a M Audio Delta 1010 Lt on eBay, and get the right cables to connect your PC speakers to it, that will do it. And will likely be less than $250, even if you have to buy the cables new.
post edited by thomasabarnes - 2015/07/07 03:44:09
 "It's not a song till it touches your heart. It's not a song till it tears you apart!" Lyrics of Amy Grant. SONAR Platinum X64 (jBridge), Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit, Core i7 990X Extreme Edition Processor 3.46 GHz 6 Cores, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, Crucial Ballistix 24GB 1333MHz DDR3 @1333 MHz, TASCAM UH-7000, Behringer X-Touch, EVGA GTX 980TI Superclocked 6GB, 1TB Samsung EVO 850 SSD, 150GB, 320GB, 1TB 7200rpm HDDs
|
Doktor Avalanche 
Max Output Level: -32.5 dBFS
- Total Posts : 4294
- Joined: 2015/03/26 18:02:02
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 09:06:11
(permalink)
Sonar Platinum(64 bit),Win 8.1(64 bit),Saffire Pro 40(Firewire),Mix Control = 3.6,Firewire=VIA,Dell Studio XPS 8100(Intel Core i7 CPU 2.93 Ghz/16 Gb),2 x 1TB SSD (Samsung EVO 850),GeForce GTX 460,Yamaha DGX-505 keyboard,Roland A-300PRO,Roland SPD-30 V2,FD-8,Triggera Krigg,Shure SM7B,Yamaha HS5. Rap Pro,Maschine Studio+Komplete 9 Ultimate+Kontrol Z1,Addictive Keys,Waves Silver,Izotope Nectar elements,Overloud Bundle,Geist,Acronis True Image 2015.
|
Boscoe
Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
- Total Posts : 56
- Joined: 2015/06/12 01:15:31
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 09:59:39
(permalink)
Thanks for the suggestion Thomas! It looks like it would do exactly what I want, and I found several at terrific prices, but it looks like it's a PCI card and I only have PCIe slots. :(
post edited by Boscoe - 2015/07/07 10:15:25
------------------------------------------------- Dell XPS 8700 Win 7 64 pro Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz 24gb ram Nvidia Geforce GT 635 E-MU 1616m Behringer QX1202USB MIDISport 4x4 Anniversary Edition Kurzweil K2000VP & K2500RS Yamaha DTX 2.0 Drums Roland GI-20 Guitar interface Roland GK3 Midi Pickup attached to surprisingly not awful cheapo Johnson Strat copy
|
thomasabarnes
Max Output Level: -43 dBFS
- Total Posts : 3234
- Joined: 2003/11/11 03:19:17
- Location: Milwaukee, WI USA
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 16:36:23
(permalink)
☄ Helpfulby Boscoe 2015/07/07 23:28:10
Hi Boscoe: An E-Mu 1212m PCIe or E-Mu 1616m PCIe will do it for you. There is one (1616m) on eBay for $200. Better be quick, description says like new. I will try to post the link below, but the forum may block it because of advertisement stuff. If I had the money right now, I would get that audio interface quickly! It's a great one, at a bargain price: http://www.ebay.com/itm/E...mp;hash=item3cfdd5a2ec
post edited by thomasabarnes - 2015/07/07 16:45:16
"It's not a song till it touches your heart. It's not a song till it tears you apart!" Lyrics of Amy Grant. SONAR Platinum X64 (jBridge), Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit, Core i7 990X Extreme Edition Processor 3.46 GHz 6 Cores, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, Crucial Ballistix 24GB 1333MHz DDR3 @1333 MHz, TASCAM UH-7000, Behringer X-Touch, EVGA GTX 980TI Superclocked 6GB, 1TB Samsung EVO 850 SSD, 150GB, 320GB, 1TB 7200rpm HDDs
|
Boscoe
Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
- Total Posts : 56
- Joined: 2015/06/12 01:15:31
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 17:20:18
(permalink)
Ugh... that looks perfect, but it's EOL and that's scary as hell... It looks like they never really released Win 7 64 drivers, though there is a beta from 2010. Online I'm finding lots of people having problems, and a few that claim they have it working with Vista drivers... I'm torn, this would definitely do what I want, but if I can't get it working, I'm screwed...
post edited by Boscoe - 2015/07/07 17:35:10
------------------------------------------------- Dell XPS 8700 Win 7 64 pro Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz 24gb ram Nvidia Geforce GT 635 E-MU 1616m Behringer QX1202USB MIDISport 4x4 Anniversary Edition Kurzweil K2000VP & K2500RS Yamaha DTX 2.0 Drums Roland GI-20 Guitar interface Roland GK3 Midi Pickup attached to surprisingly not awful cheapo Johnson Strat copy
|
thomasabarnes
Max Output Level: -43 dBFS
- Total Posts : 3234
- Joined: 2003/11/11 03:19:17
- Location: Milwaukee, WI USA
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 18:41:15
(permalink)
☄ Helpfulby Boscoe 2015/07/07 23:28:17
Decisions, decisions, decisions. I read about the drivers problems, yet it seems folk on Win 7 x64 got it working well. There was a recent thread about the E-Mu drivers, and some users posted links to the drivers that will work. You might want to give that thread a read fully, if you haven't, yet. Here's the link: http://forum.cakewalk.com/Upgrading-to-Sonar-Proneed-Emu-soundcard-drivers-m3248190.aspx There also may be the option of using the newest kX Project Audio Drivers version 3552 with the E-Mu, but that driver GUI is complex (to use), and the installer isn't installing well. It takes some manual effort to get the 3552 kX driver to install right (though there is a thread over at the kX Project support forum with detailed instructions on how to install kX and get it working), and it's not certain you can get full functionality of the audio interface using the kX drivers. I'll tell you what, if you decide to get it, and you can't get it working. PM me and I'll buy it from you August 1st (at the price you may buy it for or some reasonable negotiable price, higher or lower than what you may pay for it). Or look around and try to find something else, but at your price point it may be hard. Doktor Avalanche posted in this thread implying about something in the the Scarlet line would work for what you want to do. Communicate with him and ask him for details on how you can get 5.1 connectivity from the one/s he thinks will work for that purpose. I have a MOTU UltraLite-MK3 ($550), something like that will work, but it's not in your price range. But, I'm serious about PMing me.  I will most certainly get that audio interface working with the E-Mu drivers or the kX drivers. Goodluck on whatever you end up doing. I keep an eye on this thread to see what you decide to do.
post edited by thomasabarnes - 2015/07/07 18:51:06
"It's not a song till it touches your heart. It's not a song till it tears you apart!" Lyrics of Amy Grant. SONAR Platinum X64 (jBridge), Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit, Core i7 990X Extreme Edition Processor 3.46 GHz 6 Cores, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, Crucial Ballistix 24GB 1333MHz DDR3 @1333 MHz, TASCAM UH-7000, Behringer X-Touch, EVGA GTX 980TI Superclocked 6GB, 1TB Samsung EVO 850 SSD, 150GB, 320GB, 1TB 7200rpm HDDs
|
Boscoe
Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
- Total Posts : 56
- Joined: 2015/06/12 01:15:31
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 19:23:34
(permalink)
Hee hee, okay, an offer I cannot refuse. Done and done! :)
Thanks Thomas!
------------------------------------------------- Dell XPS 8700 Win 7 64 pro Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz 24gb ram Nvidia Geforce GT 635 E-MU 1616m Behringer QX1202USB MIDISport 4x4 Anniversary Edition Kurzweil K2000VP & K2500RS Yamaha DTX 2.0 Drums Roland GI-20 Guitar interface Roland GK3 Midi Pickup attached to surprisingly not awful cheapo Johnson Strat copy
|
thomasabarnes
Max Output Level: -43 dBFS
- Total Posts : 3234
- Joined: 2003/11/11 03:19:17
- Location: Milwaukee, WI USA
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 21:59:22
(permalink)
The E-Mu 1616m is a great audio interface at a great bargain price! Keep us posted?
post edited by thomasabarnes - 2015/07/07 22:06:12
"It's not a song till it touches your heart. It's not a song till it tears you apart!" Lyrics of Amy Grant. SONAR Platinum X64 (jBridge), Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit, Core i7 990X Extreme Edition Processor 3.46 GHz 6 Cores, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, Crucial Ballistix 24GB 1333MHz DDR3 @1333 MHz, TASCAM UH-7000, Behringer X-Touch, EVGA GTX 980TI Superclocked 6GB, 1TB Samsung EVO 850 SSD, 150GB, 320GB, 1TB 7200rpm HDDs
|
Boscoe
Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
- Total Posts : 56
- Joined: 2015/06/12 01:15:31
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/07 23:21:53
(permalink)
------------------------------------------------- Dell XPS 8700 Win 7 64 pro Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz 24gb ram Nvidia Geforce GT 635 E-MU 1616m Behringer QX1202USB MIDISport 4x4 Anniversary Edition Kurzweil K2000VP & K2500RS Yamaha DTX 2.0 Drums Roland GI-20 Guitar interface Roland GK3 Midi Pickup attached to surprisingly not awful cheapo Johnson Strat copy
|
Boscoe
Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
- Total Posts : 56
- Joined: 2015/06/12 01:15:31
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/11 15:57:15
(permalink)
Okay, update: 1616m installed and so far is working great! More testing is needed to be certain, but so far it's running great as a 5.1 windows soundcard and as an ASIO card with Sonar. The only hurdle I ran into was not understanding that I couldn't create a session in Patchmix that would allow both wav and ASIO to coexist.
But now that I know I need to run dedicated sessions for the purpose I'm using the card for, everything is running SWEET! :)
------------------------------------------------- Dell XPS 8700 Win 7 64 pro Intel Core i7-4770 3.4GHz 24gb ram Nvidia Geforce GT 635 E-MU 1616m Behringer QX1202USB MIDISport 4x4 Anniversary Edition Kurzweil K2000VP & K2500RS Yamaha DTX 2.0 Drums Roland GI-20 Guitar interface Roland GK3 Midi Pickup attached to surprisingly not awful cheapo Johnson Strat copy
|
thomasabarnes
Max Output Level: -43 dBFS
- Total Posts : 3234
- Joined: 2003/11/11 03:19:17
- Location: Milwaukee, WI USA
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/11 18:37:04
(permalink)
I figured that audio interface would be good for your purpose.
Glad you're happy it!
Thanks for the update.
"It's not a song till it touches your heart. It's not a song till it tears you apart!" Lyrics of Amy Grant. SONAR Platinum X64 (jBridge), Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit, Core i7 990X Extreme Edition Processor 3.46 GHz 6 Cores, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, Crucial Ballistix 24GB 1333MHz DDR3 @1333 MHz, TASCAM UH-7000, Behringer X-Touch, EVGA GTX 980TI Superclocked 6GB, 1TB Samsung EVO 850 SSD, 150GB, 320GB, 1TB 7200rpm HDDs
|
thomasabarnes
Max Output Level: -43 dBFS
- Total Posts : 3234
- Joined: 2003/11/11 03:19:17
- Location: Milwaukee, WI USA
- Status: offline
Re: Need suggestions for an affordable 5.1 soundcard/interface
2015/07/11 18:37:04
(permalink)
I figured that audio interface would be good for your purpose.
Glad you're happy it!
Thanks for the update.
"It's not a song till it touches your heart. It's not a song till it tears you apart!" Lyrics of Amy Grant. SONAR Platinum X64 (jBridge), Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit, Core i7 990X Extreme Edition Processor 3.46 GHz 6 Cores, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, Crucial Ballistix 24GB 1333MHz DDR3 @1333 MHz, TASCAM UH-7000, Behringer X-Touch, EVGA GTX 980TI Superclocked 6GB, 1TB Samsung EVO 850 SSD, 150GB, 320GB, 1TB 7200rpm HDDs
|