which soundcard for $900

[Phibbler]

Could all the people with the smarts look this way, please.
Thank you

I'm looking for a "top" end sound card to put in my new music making 2.1 ghz computer

Baically i no longer want to shell out cash for crappy souped up gamer audio cards.I already got burnt on this with the guilemont maxi studio Isis (christ that was a debacle, never buy a sound card on the recomendation of a guitar/amp shop clerk X( )...

So now i'm looking for something with a bit of substance over style, and a little bit more umph. basically, not anyhting from the creative range of computer equipment.

I got $900 to spend, and I need (stress "need") windows xp compatibilty and asio2 drivers. Multiple audio i/o' s and midi i/o' s would be a plus. I already have a emagic mt4 midi interface so midi isn't quite so important, but i would prefer if the card was tooled up in this order
1)audio outs
2)midi i/o's
3)audio outs
4)sp/dif i/o's
I dont need or want any xg/gs chipsets or onboard sounds.


Currently looking at (in no particular order)

Audiophile 2496 (nice price but a bit limited )
Delta 44 ( same as the Audiophile, but exchange midi i/o for more audio i/o)
Audiowerk8 ( much better but i dont know if emagic support it any more )
C-port (pricey and it might be a souped up gamer card but the specs/ price ratio is gold )
media 7.1 ( same manufacturer as the c-port but cheaper and with more diverse functions allthough looks a little rough on the edges)
creamware luna2 (pricy with only 2 audio i/o but the dsp would be lush, plus it's upgradeable)


Any ideas or suggestions would automatically guarantee stacks of good karma points. I'm really puzzled over which one cause i'm getting confused

[Sean]

i just got a audiophile2496, havent put it in yet so i cant give any direct feedback to you. but im considering swapping it for a delta 44 coz someones offered me their midisport 4x4 for free. the delta 44 looks kick ass and my friend who's used one for a few months ahas nothing but praise for it.

[jj_pleeza]

I was selling my c-port in the buying & selling section like a week ago...
I ended up selling it to my brothers mate for $400.

[Bastardofunk]

Have a look at the Tascam us-428. I've had mine for at least 6 months now and after initial teething problems mainly due to poor drivers all that is now history and the little blue box performs just perfect, thanks to updated drivers and an informative website. Although a few more outs might come in handy / you get what you pay for...
Goodluck. The Bastard... ;D :P 8-)

[Phibbler]

Tascam us-428 ehh?
what's the monetary damage ?

[hpstekno]

i have a pulsar dude and luna is very similar onboard dsp rocks!!!!!!!!!!! and the routing options are incredible

[Zental]

Im the owner of a delta 2496 and a Darla .. and from what I can tell both cards have great latency, but for what i can see the echo/event audio cards have the lushest audio to digital converters that I have ever heard.. mind you what HPS said about the pulsar is also true. The Pulsar has fantastic configuration modules which allow for imaginative routing and the DSP gives you onbaord "virtual synths" via software. Depending on what you wanna do Id go for the a layla or pulsar, but in both cases your going to need the interfaces.

check out reviews on www.computermusic.co.uk they are very reliable for critical reviews.

[Bastardofunk]

Hey Phibbler, When I got the Us-428 it was 950.00 AUD but I've heard that you could pick one up for less than 900 these days so shop around (if still interested ) with cash and I'm sure you'll pick up a bargain.;) . Try speaking to Paul @ Intermusic Bondi Jnct, that's where I got mine, they don't mind if you haggle for a better price and they know their shiz when it comes to computer music.. Also being a Daw that has open protocol, it works with a shizload of diff. programs no probs bob...:D :-D ;D
Maybe I should work for them or recieve royalties or something?
The Bastard....

[Phibbler]

Right i'm going down ta sydney on saturday, and doing the tour of all the music shops down there

I'm going to see
Sounddevices
Allans music
Venue music
Bondi Jctn Intermusic

If i can convince someone to sell me a luna 2 for $800 i'm there , but otherwise i'm buying that m-audio 2496

the tascam looked cool and i would love a interface (and mid controller but.... :(

[Sean]

well u could always order one online from the states for about that price. i dont have any experience ordering from overseas with music gear.

[Phibbler]

Buying overseas ?

Eeek!

for 3-4 weeks, i would sit and bite my nails for hours on end ,and hope it came at all and in one piece... I wouldn't know where to begin

[Sean]

ive ordered records, mountain bike parts, headphones etc..... from usa/england. never once had a problem, always arrives in around 5 working days. im about to order some stuff from the states myself :)

[Dj Logik]

Go to the studio department of Turramurra Music centre.. The people there are GREAT when it comes to anything studio related, or anything else related...

They do keyboards, mixers, convertors, samplers, synth modules, pre-amps, sound cards, midi interfaces, monitor speakers, power amplifiers, cables, grooveboxes, control surfaces... etc etc etc.

They also sell PA, guitars, Amps, recording medium, Quality Neutrik connectors, Microphones... etc etc etc


I would reccomend the midiman Audiophile 24/96. i think it retails for $599, but a GREAT price is always availiable at TMC as they sell a lot of them.

You could get something like Apogee Convertors ($8000 for the 2 mic external A/D D/A converter ...

Or, you could but a pro-tools Mbox setup.. just ask Ron, Mark, Ralph or Adrian about it :)

Their number is 9449 8487.

Andrew

[Phibbler]

Since when is a pro -tools set up under $1000?

[Phibbler]

Oh. and incidentally, did some just get a job at turramurra music ?

I thought people were not allowed to advertise on these forums :P

[hpstekno]

dude get a luna man you will not regret it .....nuff saidread here (http://www.thescene.com.au/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=35&threadid=19138) this dude seems happy with his :)

[Serotone]

yeah get a luna2!!!

for 1350 you can get it with the 8 ins and outs!

[Phibbler]

Luna 2 looks pretty smick, but it's beyond the price range.
$900 at the absolute most. But i'm pretty lusty about it, if only for onboard dsp ,

I don't need multiple i/o as i still have my old computer running with a 4out/8ins isis sound card.

Plan is to use that really cool thing that steinberg put out on cubase SX/SL . system link or something.
Anyway, if you link up some digital i/o from two computers , you can get them to act like a RAID arrray in pretty nice syncronisation. My brand new computer will do all the grunt work of vst instruments and effects and sequencing , and the old one (in sample accurate sync), just doing the hard disk recording only. I will also LAN them up so file transfer from the old one to the new one will be sweet.

Only works with asio 2 drivers and steinberg products though .

Good for me cause i likes steinberg.

So i'm getting the audiophile unless somebody wants to sell me a luna2 under $900