For quite a while now I've been looking for a laptop soundcard or an external module that would provide me with functionality of a plain SBLive:
- 1 line in, 1 mic in
- 1 line out
- MIDI interface
- a DSP (well, nice, but not necessary)
- <10 ms latency
but with 24bit/96kHz ADC/DAC. Problem is that simple modules have either audio or a MIDI interface and those that have both, also have many other features I don't need (like 10 ins/outs etc), but would have to pay for. I'm looking for something simple, not very expensive, audio+MIDI in one box with a good sound and stable drivers giving low latency. Any suggestions? (USB/Firewire/PCIMCIA/whatever)
Simple, but good sounding audio interface for a laptop?
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- KVRian
- 1335 posts since 23 Sep, 2003 from ocation: cation: ation: tion: ion: on: n: :
the the impotence of proofreading
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- KVRian
- 838 posts since 22 Feb, 2001
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1335 posts since 23 Sep, 2003 from ocation: cation: ation: tion: ion: on: n: :
That's a nice one, thanks, but five hundred bucks is a bit too much for me 
Any other options? Preferably with 1/4" jacks for the line in (L+R) and mic in?
Any other options? Preferably with 1/4" jacks for the line in (L+R) and mic in?
the the impotence of proofreading
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- KVRian
- 838 posts since 22 Feb, 2001
Check this:
http://www.musik-service.de/Recording/L ... ording.htm
and this google search string:
http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UT ... di&spell=1
regards
blue
http://www.musik-service.de/Recording/L ... ording.htm
and this google search string:
http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UT ... di&spell=1
regards
blue
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- KVRAF
- 13446 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
There are 3 kinds of people:
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
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- KVRer
- 1 posts since 22 Feb, 2004 from Amsterdam
I just got a m-audio ozone, wich is great, especialy for live gigs. It's a usb powerd soundcard and a midicontoler with keys. Very low latancy. Get the latest driver though...
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- KVRAF
- 13446 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
While I agree that the Ozone is a nice idea, it lacks a lot. IMO working out keyboard arrangements is almost impossible with 25 keys only and the Ozone offers no additional MIDI in, which is the lousiest thing ever - I once talked with the M-Audio folks and their explanations for this were just lame excuses... such as "See, there's a 1 I/O MIDI interface working in the thing". I replied that building in some MIDI merge box would just cost a penny or so... they just stopped replying.scaven wrote:I just got a m-audio ozone, wich is great, especialy for live gigs. It's a usb powerd soundcard and a midicontoler with keys. Very low latancy. Get the latest driver though...
Same goes for the required power supply. Sure, for 48V phantom power you may need some extra power supply, but why in the world would it be required to have a power supply in case you don't need phantom power? Their excuse was that the great converters would consume so much power. I almost had a laugh flash... c'mon, I have an EMI which powers EIGHT great sounding converters through USB. Just another lame excuse...
Further, I have been using an Oxygen 8 for a while, and I must say that the hardware quality was just inacceptable. This included the pitch wheel not to properly return to zero after two days, stepped data coming out of both the pitch and modulation wheel,l etc.
I am just about to buy a bunch of similar things for the university's media lab and it will defenitely be no Ozones but Edirol PCR 30A instead. More keys, USB powered and coming with a MIDI in.
My opinion is: M-Audio is great for audio interfaces, but stay away from they keyboards, they are just lousy.
There are 3 kinds of people:
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1335 posts since 23 Sep, 2003 from ocation: cation: ation: tion: ion: on: n: :
Ok, I already have a controller keyboard and don't mean to change it at this point. Besides, 25 keys really is too little - I have 76 and it's becoming too little 
Anyhow, to the point - from what I've seen, the M-Audio Audiophile USB and Terratec Phase 26 USB look promising and can be found for 200 eur something, so I will probably be choosing between those two. My question now is if you have any experience with them? What's their quality/stability/latency? Do they cause any problems in DirectX and/or ASIO mode? Any feedback warm welcome!
Anyhow, to the point - from what I've seen, the M-Audio Audiophile USB and Terratec Phase 26 USB look promising and can be found for 200 eur something, so I will probably be choosing between those two. My question now is if you have any experience with them? What's their quality/stability/latency? Do they cause any problems in DirectX and/or ASIO mode? Any feedback warm welcome!
the the impotence of proofreading
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- KVRAF
- 13446 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM TERRATEC!
Yes, their latest cards were reasonable, but the company policies, customer support and the likes per se are utter BS!!!
M-Audio is wellknown for their constantly updated drivers and relatively good support while Terratec's main market share is consumer products such as webcams, MP3 players and the likes.
As an example (I won't even tell you about the horrible drivers of my Terratec EWS 64...): The drivers for their EWX and MT series have never had multiclient support while comparable cardss from M-Audio just offered such straight from the start. IMO that's a must in case you're switching between apps a lot, let alone running more than one app simultaneously.
OK, there will be folks chiming in, saying things such as "My Terratec is working great" - and to a certain extent they are working fine. It's just that M-Audios cards simply work better, come with better converters, more regular driver updates and better support.
I also admit having some personal gripes with Terratec (as for their support dudes being impertinent and stupid idiots), but I defenitely have strong reasons for that.
Yes, their latest cards were reasonable, but the company policies, customer support and the likes per se are utter BS!!!
M-Audio is wellknown for their constantly updated drivers and relatively good support while Terratec's main market share is consumer products such as webcams, MP3 players and the likes.
As an example (I won't even tell you about the horrible drivers of my Terratec EWS 64...): The drivers for their EWX and MT series have never had multiclient support while comparable cardss from M-Audio just offered such straight from the start. IMO that's a must in case you're switching between apps a lot, let alone running more than one app simultaneously.
OK, there will be folks chiming in, saying things such as "My Terratec is working great" - and to a certain extent they are working fine. It's just that M-Audios cards simply work better, come with better converters, more regular driver updates and better support.
I also admit having some personal gripes with Terratec (as for their support dudes being impertinent and stupid idiots), but I defenitely have strong reasons for that.
There are 3 kinds of people:
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
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- KVRAF
- 7886 posts since 24 Feb, 2003 from Earth, USA
Looked at the new E-MU lineup lately? Lots of good stuff at more affordable prices. Remember, in general, you get what you pay for. If you go cheap, you get cheap.
Devon
Devon
Simple music philosophy - Those who can, make music. Those who can't, make excuses.
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!
Read my VST reviews at Traxmusic!
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- KVRist
- 381 posts since 13 Mar, 2002 from purple
get an echo indigo and a m-audio usb midi interface.
worst signature evar
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- KVRAF
- 6519 posts since 13 Mar, 2002 from UK
I've put terratec cards into dozens of machines. Only ever had one fail.Sascha Franck wrote:DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM TERRATEC!
Yes, their latest cards were reasonable, but the company policies, customer support and the likes per se are utter BS!!!
M-Audio is wellknown for their constantly updated drivers and relatively good support while Terratec's main market share is consumer products such as webcams, MP3 players and the likes.
As an example (I won't even tell you about the horrible drivers of my Terratec EWS 64...): The drivers for their EWX and MT series have never had multiclient support while comparable cardss from M-Audio just offered such straight from the start. IMO that's a must in case you're switching between apps a lot, let alone running more than one app simultaneously.
OK, there will be folks chiming in, saying things such as "My Terratec is working great" - and to a certain extent they are working fine. It's just that M-Audios cards simply work better, come with better converters, more regular driver updates and better support.
I also admit having some personal gripes with Terratec (as for their support dudes being impertinent and stupid idiots), but I defenitely have strong reasons for that.
Terratec sent the owner a replacement on the strength of a phone call. It arrived before he'd had time to send the faulty unit back.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1335 posts since 23 Sep, 2003 from ocation: cation: ation: tion: ion: on: n: :
@DevonB:
The feature set I need is not very impressive so I guess getting a couple of quality ins and outs and a MIDI interface should not cost a fortune. I simply intend to go cheap in terms of quantity, not quality
Aren't there only PCI cards in the E-MU lineup?
@Sacha Franck: I've read some about driver problems with Terratec soundcard drivers, but the USB module seems to be fine - I haven't found any message about problems with the Phase 26. Still, the reviews for the Audiophile USB seem to be more enthusiastic so I guess I'll give it a go.
If only I could test them before buying - anybody reading this happens to be from Hamburg and own both of them?
Edit:
@jdg:
You might be right, the M-Audio One (or 1x1) MIDI interface might help cut the cost down, but the Echo Indigo card doesn't have all the ins-outs I need. But I'll look for a simple sound module now.
The feature set I need is not very impressive so I guess getting a couple of quality ins and outs and a MIDI interface should not cost a fortune. I simply intend to go cheap in terms of quantity, not quality
Aren't there only PCI cards in the E-MU lineup?
@Sacha Franck: I've read some about driver problems with Terratec soundcard drivers, but the USB module seems to be fine - I haven't found any message about problems with the Phase 26. Still, the reviews for the Audiophile USB seem to be more enthusiastic so I guess I'll give it a go.
If only I could test them before buying - anybody reading this happens to be from Hamburg and own both of them?
Edit:
@jdg:
You might be right, the M-Audio One (or 1x1) MIDI interface might help cut the cost down, but the Echo Indigo card doesn't have all the ins-outs I need. But I'll look for a simple sound module now.
the the impotence of proofreading
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1335 posts since 23 Sep, 2003 from ocation: cation: ation: tion: ion: on: n: :
BTW: I've just read in a review that the M-Audio Audiophile USB has some limitations in terms of full duplex operation (especially @ 24/96) and use of all it's inputs simultaneously (when using jack inputs, the cinch inputs are dead). Can anyone confirm that?
Does anybody know about similar limitations of Terratec Phase 26?
And now for something completely different: how bad is Audigy 2 NX compared to M-Audio and Terratec cards(asking just in case my budget gets cut down even more)?
Does anybody know about similar limitations of Terratec Phase 26?
And now for something completely different: how bad is Audigy 2 NX compared to M-Audio and Terratec cards(asking just in case my budget gets cut down even more)?
the the impotence of proofreading