I'd love to get a lower latency setup here. It seems that between the ASIO4ALL and KX projects, there should be some very cheap soundcards out there that you could get very low latency with (unfortunately, my current soundcard doesn't work with either.)
If all I want is a very cheap, basic soundcard with average sound quality that could give me low latency, what are my options? Would almost all modern cheapos work with ASIO4ALL?
Cheapest way to low latency?
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- KVRian
- 1372 posts since 22 Sep, 2003 from New Delhi, India
the Creative "SB Live! Value" costs $40 here.. im sure it'ss be a fraction where u come from... works wonders witht the KX drivers.
Sidhu
Sidhu
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- KVRist
- 353 posts since 10 Nov, 2002 from The Dirty Wee Port of Glasgow
SbLives are 30 quid in the UK, whats that get you?.....a night out....a trip to the cinema and a meal (barely).... 3 cd's..... even the m-audio cards have taken a tumble and come in at the 70 quid mark for a 24/96 Audiophile. If your serious about doing music on a computer then the soundcard should be a priority next to the software and a basic Blaster is the cheapest route.
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- KVRAF
- 3964 posts since 31 Aug, 2003 from In a foreign town, in a foreign land
The ASIO-drivers of my on-board soundcard (NVIDIA, on my ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe) allow me to get 5 ms latency at 44.1 kHz.
Groet, Erik
Groet, Erik
Pop music delenda est.
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- KVRAF
- 13446 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
If you want to do any "serious" work (whatever that means), get a soundcard with ASIO drivers that are actually programmed for it.
From my experiences, all those hacked drivers aren't so reliable in one or the other way. The ASIO4All drivers for instance introduced a rather large recording offset on 3 computers I tried them on. This means, in case you do any audio recordings, the recorded signal will be late and therefor manual adjustments are required. Defenitely not what you want.
Also, most soundcards that don't come with ASIO drivers are consumer cards with rather lousy converters.
Yes yes and yes, I know there's some people doing nice music with their SBLives and what not, but you won't tell me one can't notice the difference when it actually comes to audio recording.
However, around the 100€/$ mark you can find quite some cards with proper drivers. Check out the Audiotrak Maya or so. Or maybe even the cheaper TerraTec cards.
If you want a bit more, consider an M-Audio Audiophile.
Seriously, any penny you invest into any soundcard not being some consumer stuff will pay off in the end.
From my experiences, all those hacked drivers aren't so reliable in one or the other way. The ASIO4All drivers for instance introduced a rather large recording offset on 3 computers I tried them on. This means, in case you do any audio recordings, the recorded signal will be late and therefor manual adjustments are required. Defenitely not what you want.
Also, most soundcards that don't come with ASIO drivers are consumer cards with rather lousy converters.
Yes yes and yes, I know there's some people doing nice music with their SBLives and what not, but you won't tell me one can't notice the difference when it actually comes to audio recording.
However, around the 100€/$ mark you can find quite some cards with proper drivers. Check out the Audiotrak Maya or so. Or maybe even the cheaper TerraTec cards.
If you want a bit more, consider an M-Audio Audiophile.
Seriously, any penny you invest into any soundcard not being some consumer stuff will pay off in the end.
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
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
I have to agree. I successfully made decent stuff using an SBLive with kX drivers. I swore up and down that for my very modest 'hobbyist' needs, it was a decent enough solution.
However, when I finally got tired of workarounds and incompatible sample rates, I went for the Audiophile which was the second-cheapest ASIO card I could find at the time.
It REALLY makes a world of difference-- for me, the sound quality is better, but it's not even about that-- it's about having something that's MADE for the job, that's easily configurable (for the job), and is more flexible (depth/frequency rates). It really, honestly, is the only investment I've made so far that was absolutely necessary in hindsight.
Greg
However, when I finally got tired of workarounds and incompatible sample rates, I went for the Audiophile which was the second-cheapest ASIO card I could find at the time.
It REALLY makes a world of difference-- for me, the sound quality is better, but it's not even about that-- it's about having something that's MADE for the job, that's easily configurable (for the job), and is more flexible (depth/frequency rates). It really, honestly, is the only investment I've made so far that was absolutely necessary in hindsight.
Greg
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- KVRist
- 114 posts since 13 Oct, 2002 from Highway 61
The Asio-For-All drivers work like a wonder on my laptop, negligeble latency, and sounds fine. 
Just find somewhere where you can buy a inexpensive soundcard and return it if it does not work with the AsioForAll driver.
If you are really S E R I O U S about music of course you would go out and buy a Neve board, and an SONY Deck.
Just find somewhere where you can buy a inexpensive soundcard and return it if it does not work with the AsioForAll driver.
If you are really S E R I O U S about music of course you would go out and buy a Neve board, and an SONY Deck.
--JAIDY
--addicted to VSTs --
--addicted to VSTs --
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- KVRian
- 1372 posts since 22 Sep, 2003 from New Delhi, India
agreed.. the best cheap choise for u would be the Audiophile or the Emu 0404. The sound quality is xcellent compared to the SB {so they say). Also with the Sb live you can record audio (with low latency) ionly at 48Khz.. although VSTis and all will play at 44.1 at low latency with the newer driver.. the only reason i have not upgraded is cause my needs go beyong 2 I/O. and i am at currently searching for a soluion. That being said, i have done some decent recordings using the SB at 48.
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- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
The ASIO4All drivers aren't working on my lapper. Sucks. 
52 ms of Latency with WDM tears the ass out of me; however, I was only trying it for a lark, as I use my desktop for music.
Greg
52 ms of Latency with WDM tears the ass out of me; however, I was only trying it for a lark, as I use my desktop for music.Greg
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- KVRAF
- 13446 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
As said, the ASIO4all drivers introduce some recording offset (at least on all machines I checked them with).
Go try for yourself: Reroute your output to the input, playback some signal with an easily recognizeable attack/transient.
Compare!
Many of those "hacked" drivers suffer from that problem.
I am however not sure whether that's a problem of the drivers or of the cards.
Should check with some pro card...
Go try for yourself: Reroute your output to the input, playback some signal with an easily recognizeable attack/transient.
Compare!
Many of those "hacked" drivers suffer from that problem.
I am however not sure whether that's a problem of the drivers or of the cards.
Should check with some pro card...
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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- Banned
- 96 posts since 19 Aug, 2001 from Manchester
Compare the Emu 0404 specs. to the Audiophile before you buy the Audiophile...
I predict the Audiophile will be £49.99 max. in about three months' time. (Who's going to buy it instead of an 0404?)
The fact that they can sell it for £69.99 and still make a profit (presumably about £64.99) proves what a rip off it was at its old price - there's almost nothing on the board!
I predict the Audiophile will be £49.99 max. in about three months' time. (Who's going to buy it instead of an 0404?)
The fact that they can sell it for £69.99 and still make a profit (presumably about £64.99) proves what a rip off it was at its old price - there's almost nothing on the board!
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- KVRAF
- 13446 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
The EMU 0404 is indeed looking good. Must've slipped my attention yet.
Wonder if their drivers are multi-clientable. That's one thing the Audiophile does brilliantly.
Wonder if their drivers are multi-clientable. That's one thing the Audiophile does brilliantly.
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
- 725 posts since 30 Mar, 2004 from Melbourne, Australia
If you're on a laptop, you cannot beat the Echo Indigo IO - 2 ins/2outs and absolutely pristine sound and I get 1.5ms latency with ASIO drivers on a Centrino 2.2Ghz. I got mine for $179. They also work in Mac laptops.
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- Banned
- 22457 posts since 5 Sep, 2001
[DELETED]