Soundcard suggestions?

[whyterabbyt]

This is just a bit of nosing around for some thoughts, because its not something I need to commit to quite yet, but Im looking for suggestions for a soundcard for a possible installation.

What I need is:

something that can be hooked up to a desktop or laptop
extensive cheapness (i already got an 1820M at home, and its not for recording, so I dont want to spend money on something expensive that'd be redundant after Im done)
4 stereo outputs (driving headphones ultimately, so I need to sort amps for them as well. Anyone know of a £5 headphone amp?)
4 inputs (from probably-shitty mics probably just a step above those plastic computer mics bundled with Sounblasters)
decent XP drivers

Any thoughts?

Ta.

[BertKoor]

My turn-to recommendation wizzard: http://www.recordingreview.com/soundcard

[timobrien]

Another good recomendation list: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_fo ... studio.htm

If you want 4 ins/outs, I'd strongly suggest a firewire interface.

[GaryG]

(driving headphones ultimately, so I need to sort amps for them as well. Anyone know of a £5 headphone amp?)

Four TBA820Ms in a box?

Not being flippant, but four of these (<£1 each) and a handful of components will give you four stereo channels... nice and simple circuit too, easy to slap together on vero board. Assuming you or someone you know can handle some simple soldering...

.g

[GaryG]

double.

[whyterabbyt]

Four TBA820Ms in a box?

Not being flippant, but four of these (<£1 each) and a handful of components will give you four stereo channels... nice and simple circuit too, easy to slap together on vero board. Assuming you or someone you know can handle some simple soldering...

.g

I kinda figured DIY would be the cheapest way to do it. Time might be an issue though, Im up to me eyeballs in stuff and things.

[whyterabbyt]

My turn-to recommendation wizzard: http://www.recordingreview.com/soundcard

Hmmm, found a couple of errors in that already, and it doesnt have any choice on the number of outputs.

Looks like an EMU 1616 might actually be my cheapest bet. Looked at the Behringer ADA8000 for the right number of inputs/outputs, but couldnt find anything with ADAT that still worked out cheaper than the 1616.
The cardbus version of the 1616 and a PCI->cardbus adaptor might be the most flexible way to do it.

Anyone got any other thoughts?

[whyterabbyt]

noone?

[vurt]

do the ins need to be seperate channels? or could you just use a cheap behringer mixer into one input?

[jackson]

noone?

I think everyone's learned to beware the quoth

[Download SOphist]

noone?

Something between apogee rosetta and soundblaster would be my scope.

Emu0404 ? Saffire LE ?

[Sascha Franck]

Ok, a few questions:
Would the headphone outs be needed to give everybody an entirely different monitor mix?
Then, would you probably consider a separate, small preamp in addition?

However, some possibilities coming to my mind:

- Stack two M-Audio FW410s (not sure whether stacking os possible, though...). I got mine used for 150 €. It's got two independent HP outs, so 2 units stacked would give you the 4 you need.

- Alternatively, get one FW410 and add a mic preamp with digital outs (you can only use the front mic ins together with the digital ins).

- Get any 4 I/O card and slap a cheapish 4x mic pre and a 4x HP amp in. Probably your most flexible solution.

- Get one of those Helix mixers by Phonic. The PHONIC PHHB18FW features 8 mic ins and 18 audiostreams in total via FW. But, the big disadvantage being that you seem to only get a single stereo stream back from the computer, so your HP monitoring would have to be done via the onboard monitor sends.

- Get the smallest Mackie Onyx. Probably the best quality and easiest handling, besides the fact that you still have to use something else for your monitoring needs.

After all, I think the 2 x FW410 thing would be the most comfortable thing for a decent price, in case they are stackable.

[whyterabbyt]

do the ins need to be seperate channels? or could you just use a cheap behringer mixer into one input?

Yeah, 4 separate inputs. Although Im not over-worried about the quality.

Would the headphone outs be needed to give everybody an entirely different monitor mix?

Effectively (see below)

Then, would you probably consider a separate, small preamp in addition?

Yeah.

See what I need is to be able to send 4 different mixes of a generated piece to different people listening on headphones. They'll also each be mic'd up, and any sound from them will be recorded and mixed into the piece itself, but not necessarily fed back to them.

[Sascha Franck]

See what I need is to be able to send 4 different mixes of a generated piece to different people listening on headphones. They'll also each be mic'd up, and any sound from them will be recorded and mixed into the piece itself, but not necessarily fed back to them.

Ok - so, no matter what you get, I would in any case get a Behringer 4x headphone amp (they're reliable and well laid out, and of course reasonably priced). They have a master in which is shared by the 4 channels (so you can feed something like a "global" backing to everybody) and an additional separate input for each channel.
With this, a whole number of scenarios should be manageable, the easiest being to feed everybody a main mix and then use individual soundcard outputs (most likely fed by sends) to add individual signals to individual phone mixes.

Really, if you manage to get whatever mic-pre with a digital out, the M-Audio would be a great bet - unfortunately it'll be tough to find such a preamp for cheap, as they're usually build to achieve quite some better quality, hence costing a bit more.
But, what about this idea: get whatever 4x4 card (there's a lot, such as the well-reviewed Edirols) and as there's usually just 2 mic ins on the more affordable ones, get something like, say, an M-Audio Audiobuddy in addition (a no fuzz mic/inst preamp throwing out line level).

Oh well, you should better get a card with 6 outs, btw. One main stereo monitor feed and 4 individual mono ones.

[whyterabbyt]

Ok - so, no matter what you get, I would in any case get a Behringer 4x headphone amp (they're reliable and well laid out, and of course reasonably priced). They have a master in which is shared by the 4 channels (so you can feed something like a "global" backing to everybody) and an additional separate input for each channel.

Is that the 'MiniAmp 800'? That's nearly there but I need an independent stereo pair per person. They do do a basic stereo heaphone amp at about half the price of that model, I could just get 4 of them I suppose.

But, what about this idea: get whatever 4x4 card (there's a lot, such as the well-reviewed Edirols) and as there's usually just 2 mic ins on the more affordable ones, get something like, say, an M-Audio Audiobuddy in addition (a no fuzz mic/inst preamp throwing out line level).

Hmmm, that makes sense. In fact, thinking about it if the card has a pair of preamps already, then I can use the Behringer mini-mixer Ive got for the other pair.

Oh well, you should better get a card with 6 outs, btw. One main stereo monitor feed and 4 individual mono ones.

8 outs, Im afraid; needs to be 4 stereo pairs.

The Emu 1616 and the M-Audio 410 are fairly close in price, so either of those would do, I reckon. Pity there isnt something that was just firewire to ADAT I could use with a Behringer ADA8000 for the preamp/output stages.