Sound card for playback only

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Wookiee
Rrrrugh arah-ah-woof?
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2012/09/24 09:03:42 (permalink)

Sound card for playback only

Following the unsurprising announcement that Cake are ceasing support for XP with X2, I have stepped up to Win 7 64 bit. I have migrated my current Saffire sound card to the new PC.
 
My question has anybody got a suggestion as to what I can put on/in the old machine so I can use it for play back and possibly some editing of old projects and CD build duties.  The on board sound card is just slightly worse than useless with unbelievable system noise leakage.
 
Nothing too fancy is required just something that gives a reasonable sound quality.  It will feed a spare channel on my mixer out to my mains.
 
Many thanks in anticipation.

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.
Karma has a way of finding its own way home.
Primary, i7 8700K 16Gigs Ram, 3x500gb SSD's 2TB Backup HHD Saffire Pro 40. Win 10 64Bit
Secondary  i7 4790K, 32GB Ram, 500Gb SSD OS/Prog's, 1TB Audio, 1TB Samples HHD AudioBox USB, Win 10 64Bit
CbB, Adam's A7x's - Event 20/20's, Arturia V6, Korg Digital Legacy, Softube Modular, Arturia Keylab-88, USB-MidiSport 8x8 
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    sock monkey
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    Re:Sound card for playback only 2012/09/24 11:10:20 (permalink)
     I still use an old office computer for some wave lab editing and to cross reference mixes through a home stereo, and I use my old Sound Blaster audigy II PCI card.
    I think any $30-$60 PCI ( e) sound card will work as an upgrade to crappy on board. No point in buying a $100 USB interface for output.
    Some even have RCA jacks like the Sound Baster.
    I also have a  $30 ASUS PCI sound card that sounds great that we use for watching movies and it's our home stereo system. It's only mini jack.
    post edited by sock monkey - 2012/09/24 11:13:08

    Cakelab - Sonar X3e Studio   
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    sock monkey
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    Re:Sound card for playback only 2012/09/24 11:19:52 (permalink)
    Here's my quick test of on board / PCI sound card quality.

    Open Wave Lab  or any good quality wave editor.
    Disable the Mike input
    Turn up the line in with control panel ( Creative  has it's own mixer )
    Don't plug anything in!
    Put the software in Record mode and observe the meter and Phase scope.
    You'll soon see if the system has a terrible noise floor. Most do.
    Some you'll see little spikes from hardware and DPCLAT stuff.
    I was pleasantly surprised that my Asus laptop was dead quiet and that's a friggin, realtech!


    Cakelab - Sonar X3e Studio   
    Singer Songwriter, Solo Performer, Acoustic Duo and semi pro Sound Monkey.   
      
    #3
    Wookiee
    Rrrrugh arah-ah-woof?
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    Re:Sound card for playback only 2012/09/24 12:12:24 (permalink)
    Thanks, the noise floor is appalling.  Never noticed when my Saffire was plugged in as the on-board was disabled.

    I will look around in the Inter web

    Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.
    Karma has a way of finding its own way home.
    Primary, i7 8700K 16Gigs Ram, 3x500gb SSD's 2TB Backup HHD Saffire Pro 40. Win 10 64Bit
    Secondary  i7 4790K, 32GB Ram, 500Gb SSD OS/Prog's, 1TB Audio, 1TB Samples HHD AudioBox USB, Win 10 64Bit
    CbB, Adam's A7x's - Event 20/20's, Arturia V6, Korg Digital Legacy, Softube Modular, Arturia Keylab-88, USB-MidiSport 8x8 
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    bvideo
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    Re:Sound card for playback only 2012/09/24 14:13:03 (permalink)
    Besides the mic input (as proposed by sock monkey) it might help to mute *all* the inputs except wave. ** Another thing to try would be to move the wires that connect the MB sound connector to the panel.
    post edited by bvideo - 2012/09/24 14:18:15
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    Wookiee
    Rrrrugh arah-ah-woof?
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    Re:Sound card for playback only 2012/10/11 15:31:35 (permalink)
    bvideo


    Besides the mic input (as proposed by sock monkey) it might help to mute *all* the inputs except wave. ** Another thing to try would be to move the wires that connect the MB sound connector to the panel.

    Thanks Bvideo unfortunately the sound out is fixed to MoB.

    Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.
    Karma has a way of finding its own way home.
    Primary, i7 8700K 16Gigs Ram, 3x500gb SSD's 2TB Backup HHD Saffire Pro 40. Win 10 64Bit
    Secondary  i7 4790K, 32GB Ram, 500Gb SSD OS/Prog's, 1TB Audio, 1TB Samples HHD AudioBox USB, Win 10 64Bit
    CbB, Adam's A7x's - Event 20/20's, Arturia V6, Korg Digital Legacy, Softube Modular, Arturia Keylab-88, USB-MidiSport 8x8 
    #6
    Jim Roseberry
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    Re:Sound card for playback only 2012/10/11 17:06:45 (permalink)
    My question has anybody got a suggestion as to what I can put on/in the old machine so I can use it for play back and possibly some editing of old projects and CD build duties.  The on board sound card is just slightly worse than useless with unbelievable system noise leakage.



    Companies are blowing out the Audiophile 192 right now ~$85.
    That would be perfect for your scenario...

    Best Regards,

    Jim Roseberry
    jim@studiocat.com
    www.studiocat.com
    #7
    Cactus Music
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    Re:Sound card for playback only 2012/10/11 19:58:56 (permalink)
    As the Monkey said, any PCI(e?) sound card is a good upgrade from the MoBo card. They used to be $20-$50 depending on if you got 5.1 etc. Here's a whole page of 'em. 


    http://www.newegg.ca/Stor...7&name=Sound-Cards

    Johnny V  
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