sound cards - PG Music Forums

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...and the 1010lt sound card,is that all i would need for my BIAB guitar pro DVDs and general sound duties?

one last question my friend....if i wanted to go to recording guitars at a later time down the road i would still need an audio interface .yeah?

Nothing else needed....

That 1010lt will serve as the input from your guitar and/or vocal mic and/or mic'ed or midi drum set and/or mic'ed guitar amp and/or midi keyboard, for doing any and all recording you would need. The 1010lt is a PCI card which inserts into you PC, if you have the right PCI slot. Also works great with GuitarPro 6.

i actually disable my internal PC sound card - although both can run at the same time.

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[quote)

...and the 1010lt sound card,is that all i would need for my BIAB guitar pro DVDs and general sound duties?

one last question my friend....if i wanted to go to recording guitars at a later time down the road i would still need an audio interface .yeah?

i have seen lots of reviews on the USA Amazon site stating that the sound card is not very good with Windows 7

i had another look at the speakers (CX5s).they are a little too rich for my blood £560 a pair! jeeezzz.....is there an.... ahem...a cheaper alternative with the proper connections for that sound card?

The soundcard works fine here with the latest drivers. I'm aure there was a period in time where people had issues with Win7 when it first came out, and most complints I saw were older, from it was first released. I know others using it in Win 7 with no problems also, same new drivers.
* ins and 8 outs. With some work you could set up a pseudo 7.1 system (using all 8 outs). In theory anyway. The guys I know that have the card love the ease of use and the flexibility inside the 1010lt mixer. It's a seperate routing scheme that works great with PGProducts in our experience.

As for speakers; the BX8a Deluxe can be had for $349 or so a pair if you look around. Great value there. Incredible detail is what I noticed .. oh, and they are loud. I rarely get mine even close to half volume.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/54...eluxe_130W.html

Not many bad reviews on these out there these days, lots of compliments. The CX5 is discontinued in the familiar places I look. Some places have cut the price in half on remaining stock. Not a good sign. BX8a has been around a while and continues to sell well.

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The soundcard works fine here with the latest drivers. I'm aure there was a period in time where people had issues with Win7 when it first came out, and most complints I saw were older, from it was first released. I know others using it in Win 7 with no problems also, same new drivers.
* ins and 8 outs. With some work you could set up a pseudo 7.1 system (using all 8 outs). In theory anyway. The guys I know that have the card love the ease of use and the flexibility inside the 1010lt mixer. It's a seperate routing scheme that works great with PGProducts in our experience.

As for speakers; the BX8a Deluxe can be had for $359 or so a pair if you look around. Great value there. Incredible detail is what I noticed .. oh, and they are loud. I rarely get mine even close to half volume.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/54...eluxe_130W.html

Not many bad reviews on these out there these days, lots of compliments.

yeah i have been reading about the BX8As.......say i bought them and was unhappy with the bass response would i be able to add a subwoofer at a later date with the available connections?

oh, i have already seen today on evil bay the sound card you mentioned for CHEAP!

you have been a great help thanks...now i have this cooker...........:)

The BX8a are part of the system the subwoofer I llinked was designed for. The website mentions it being designed for the BX series monitors, which includes BX8a and BX5a. You may like the 5a's as they are smaller and not so loud. But yes, the subwooder can be added later. It has been done many times.

For most work here I do not use the subwoofer, but I can see times when it would be nice, like DVD's.

Rharv if i went with the smaller BX5As what matching subwoofer would you recommend for me by M Audio?

re: the sound card i can plug me guitar in there. right?

As far as that soundard, it's a steal for most musicians. The ability to record 8 audio inputs at once (or 16 or 24 or 32 if you chain more cards together) is valuable.

I bought the card, and a 32 channel mixer that has 8 subgroup out and found I was in demand because I could record a performance. It had to be submixed usually to get down to 8 tracks, so I did things like put 6 mics on the drums, mix them as a stereo subgroup and record them to two tracks, but I got it done.
Then I got a second 1010lt and sync'd them, and by using the 8 AUX outs from the mixer I could now record 16 tracks in a live setting. The equipment paid for itself in a couple years. Now I usually just use one card and record bands in the studio (I hate moving the system around). I do have both cards installed and hooked up to a 48 slot patchbay. First sixteen slots are 1010lt inputs, from 48 on down are the 16 outputs. Makes things easy for connecting. The mixer is usually wired up for use with all the ins, but like I said; when I record in a studio setting I rarely need that many ins so I only enable one card.

If you needed even more in's you could connect the guitar players amp and keyboards digitally using the s/pdif inputs and thus having 10 in's per card. 8 audio and 2 digital. That's why they call it the 1010 instead of the 8/8

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Rharv if i went with the smaller BX5As what matching subwoofer would you recommend for me by M Audio?

Same one I linked earlier; it was designed by m-audio for those speakers.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/SBX10.html

"Designed for use with the M-Audio CX and BX Deluxe series"
I'd suggest getting 'BX5a Deluxe' if available as opposed to BX5a (older)

There was BX5, then BX5a then BX5a Deluxe and each is an improvement (same with the 8 series). The 'Deluxe' improvement was a big improvement for the 8a series in reliability. 5a's didn't seem to have the same issues.
The 8's also take quite a bit more room, need to be ready for that if you go that route. 5's are smaller which works better for many people. I built a custom desk for the 8's so they sit in the right spot for me when I am working.

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i have seen lots of reviews on the USA Amazon site stating that the sound card is not very good with Windows 7

this is indeed unfortunate. I have to admit that while my M-Audio is working fine under Win 7 there is indeed a lot of rumbling on the web about their Win7 drivers.

they have recently released a new beta:

Beta Version: Delta Series Version 6.0.5
Release Date: March 14, 2011
Applies to: Delta 44, 66 (OmniStudio), 410, 1010, 1010lt, Audiophile 24/96 & 192 devices.
Operating Systems Supported:
(32-Bit) XP SP3, Vista SP2, Windows 7
(64-Bit) Vista SP2, Windows 7

But the complaining continues (even I would not change to the update since what I have is working for me). have to admit if I was in the market I may look elsewhere.

The most recent complaint I see at Amazon is dated August 6, 2010 ..
Not sure I would worry much about complaints about the new OS drivers a year ago ..
The complaints have let up since then, which is about the time the drivers were released.
Just sayin'

This is almost expected response for an existing card on a new OS. I know a few Win 7 (64 bit) systems that run it just fine with new drivers. M-Audio has been top-notch with driver support in my opinion.
YMMV

Where are you seeing the complaining still?

No trouble at all on my system using Windows 7 Pro 64-bit and the M-Audio Fast Track Pro.

afore i go to bed for the nicht........i see M audio getting a bad rap for their speakers too (bx5a model, including the deluxe)......something about an unresolved design fault, like bad caps...it's all there on the net.

thanks for all your input guys

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Where are you seeing the complaining still?

Over in the M-Audio Forum...

http://forums.m-audio.com/forumdisplay.php?36-Delta-Series

Here is the most recent word from M-Audio on the subject of Delta Drivers for win7 just days ago..

Delta Driver 5.10.00.5076 Posted 05-31-2011
Hello Delta Community,

Our latest Windows Delta driver release (Installer Package 6.0.5 with Driver 5.10.00.5076) was posted to solve a compatibility problem with newer series motherboard chipset and CPU combinations from Intel. The problem identified was a low level distorted audio occuring with Core2Duo and i-Series processors. The sound in question resembled bacon sizzling while. Despite this one fix, we here in the Test and Customer Support groups stressed pretty heavily over whether or not to release this driver to full release knowing that there are other outstanding issues with the driver.

We felt that the severity of the issue was great enough to push this to full release for those users wishing to use the card in newer system configurations. The outstanding issues already identified by our customers are still being considered for possible future releases.

We encourage you to download and use this new driver and continue to provide us feedback on your experiences with this driver over the previous releases.

Sounds like m-audio is being pretty upfront and honest with it. Actually, for a support site, the problems reported are not very alarming to me.
I can only imagine being in the position of responsibility for compatability with new chipsets and such.

I usually research a bit on the system compatability before purchasing. But I know others that haven't, and their new off the shelf Win 7 64 systems are working fine with the newer 1010lt drivers.
Personal experience, YMMV

I am going to risk sounding like an idiot because I am a computer guy by profession, but this is outside the scope of what my line of work ever requires me to do so I honestly don't know this.

I have an M-Audio Fast Track Pro 2. I have had it 2 years, and every day I have had it, I have referred to it as my MIDI interface. I think of a "sound card" as something completely different, given that MIDI is data and AUDIO is sound.

Yet all along this thread I am seeing the terms used almost interchangeably. People are asking about their sound card and everyone is referring them to M-Audio for devices I consider to be MIDI interfaces. Given that my experience before BIAB was exclusively with Sonar where sounds were created by soft synths and/or ported through my MIDI interface, I am lost as to where the computer's onboard sound card fits into the mix. I always considered the sound card as a totally different piece of the puzzle, and in the context I am seeing this question asked I don't know if the original post was about the computer sound card or the MIDI interface. That may stem from my not grasping the concept of what my MIDI interface actually does when used with BIAB. I know that when I used it with Sonar, what I had programmed to play on MIDI channel 5 went through my M-Audio out to my MIDI patch bay and tot he keyboard set for channel 5 and that generated the sound. All MIDI, all about data. Nothing at all to do with sound. So I am confused as to what this thread is really asking. Drivers for a sound card or drivers for a MIDI interface?

At the risk of hijacking the thread, Eddie, drivers for a sound card include both drivers for MIDI and drivers for audio. There are a few devices like the Uno that do just MIDI, and an even smaller number that do just audio (like my tiny StarTech 7.1 card that looks like a flash drive and works great on my laptop. The one thing for certain is that for pro audio, you should not be using your computer's onboard soundcard, particularly on a laptop.

Thanks Matt. My MIDI interface carries ALL my sound, even when I play a CD or MP3s so I needed to ask someone why the fuss about the onboard sound cards. Mine is totally disabled on my studio computer since I don't ever use it.

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My MIDI interface carries ALL my sound, even when I play a CD or MP3s

Then it's not just a MIDI interface. It is a sound card.

i have had a good look on the web at the 1010lt sound card....where does the guitar input to?one of those trailing leads?

i have noticed that with the BX5A speakers there is no enclosed cable connections....what are they,what is it i need,standard 1/4" guitar jack connection cables?

thanks guys.

posted y'all a wee video of a great guitarist in the OFF TOPIC forum by way of a thank you

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...I have referred to it as my MIDI interface. I think of a "sound card" as something completely different, given that MIDI is data and AUDIO is sound.

This is one of those technical definition of terms Eddie. The term "soundcard" came from the old cards that actually had a synth built in and were therefore capabable of producing sound on their own. Plus the term "card" commonly meant in computerspeak a physical card that you installed on a slot on your motherboard like a video card and that's what we all did 10-15 years ago. Modern interfaces are technically not soundcards at all, they don't install on your motherboard and they don't have any ability to produce sound from a built in synth. You notice on M-Audio's website describing your Fast Track Pro, they make no mention of the term soundcard. They talk about how you can use midi cables and/or plug in a mic or instrument.

A lot of people simply refer to these things as soundards out of habit and it's sort of a generic term now like Xerox. Some people will say make a Xerox of this document when they actually have an HP copier. You're right "soundcard" is an incorrect term if you want to be precise about it but you call it a midi interface, it's actually an audio/midi interface. Personally I try to use terms like this correctly because things change and we all need to keep up to avoid confusion. The only true soundcard in production that I'm aware of and of course there could be others, are some of the Creative Soundblasters because they still have their synths that you can use to play your midi tracks or games.

Bob

Bob,
I had this same argument many moons ago on this Forum. I was quite chastised for saying that an "audio/midi interface card" was not really meant to be called a soundcard.I agree with you.

BUMP! i have had a good look on the web at the 1010lt sound card....where does the guitar input to?one of those trailing leads?

i have noticed that with the BX5A speakers there is no enclosed cable connections....what are they,what is it i need,standard 1/4" guitar jack connection cables?

Bob and John, YOUR two replies more than any make it clearer and I always lived in the exact same mindset you described, where "card" was a physical card you inserted into a slot. I went through all of them too, all the Creative Labs "latest and greatest" ending up with the AWE Gold 32, which is still in a closet somewhere. (Once I pay money for something I just can't throw it away. I have 3 old ATI video cards that were great in their day, but then again, so was I in my day.... time to toss them. Same concept.

This M-Audio I use is great. Plays well all the hardware and software I have tossed at it and their support is close to the quality level as the support at BIAB.

Still doesn't correct my pitch when I sing, but....

I suspect that we'll still call them soundcards for awhile, much like we still say we "dial" a phone.

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BUMP! i have had a good look on the web at the 1010lt sound card....where does the guitar input to?one of those trailing leads?

i have noticed that with the BX5A speakers there is no enclosed cable connections....what are they,what is it i need,standard 1/4" guitar jack connection cables?

You'll want to run the guitar through some kind of FX pedal, amp or preamp to boost the signal (and get FX)
Then you can run the line level signal from the Line Out of that device to one of the rca inputs. I often use quality RCA cable with a 1/4" adapter on one end to plug into the the FX box, or amp's Line Out.

The BX8a connect by either 1/4" cable (balanced or unbalanced) or by XLR, (I assume BX5a is the same). So it depends on what you are sending from.
For the 1010lt connection to the monitors again I will often use a high quality RCA cable with a 1/4" adapter on one end. Those RCA cables are thick and well coated. Monster brand or equal used here because of the amount of use.

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BUMP! i have had a good look on the web at the 1010lt sound card....where does the guitar input to?one of those trailing leads?

i have noticed that with the BX5A speakers there is no enclosed cable connections....what are they,what is it i need,standard 1/4" guitar jack connection cables?

You'll want to run the guitar through some kind of FX pedal, amp or preamp to boost the signal (and get FX)
Then you can run the line level signal from the Line Out of that device to one of the rca inputs. I often use quality RCA cable with a 1/4" adapter on one end to plug into the the FX box, or amp's Line Out.

The BX8a connect by either 1/4" cable (balanced or unbalanced) or by XLR, (I assume BX5a is the same). So it depends on what you are sending from.
For the 1010lt connection to the monitors again I will often use a high quality RCA cable with a 1/4" adapter on one end. Those RCA cables are thick and well coated. Monster brand or equal used here because of the amount of use.

is there not an audio interface that i can use that would act as a sound card too,plus play my music DVDs... along with the BX5a speakers

it would future proof me for a while (PC slots and shit) and would be a direct and much simpler guitar connection for me?

pre amp guitar FX? is there NO end to all this expense?

John

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I suspect that we'll still call them soundcards for awhile, much like we still say we "dial" a phone.

You're correct John but we shouldn't use incorrect terms especially on a forum like this one. Just MHO of course. I take my cue from the manufacturers and pros in the field. If they call it a soundcard then it's a soundcard but if they don't, it isn't. The problem with using outdated terms is a newbie comes on here needing a "soundcard". He sees all these posts talking about M-Audio, EMU, Terratec, etc and then goes to their websites and sees no mention of the word "soundcard" and thinks he missing something so he comes back here asking where is he supposed to go to check out these "soundcards" we're all talking about.

Bob

All the fuss here didn't make much sense to me until this last point Bob made, about newcomers. That argument, I can get behind. So, what would you recommend we call them from here out? Audio/MIDI interfaces?

Yes!!!
It took me 2 years and some California Beach Bum to get my point out.

Always glad to help, especially the long suffering ones!

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Yes!!!
It took me 2 years and some California Beach Bum to get my point out.

Hey cowabunga, like totally tubular, dude...

They did film Hardbodies right down the street from me in 84 or 85, something like that. Pretty funny movie actually. It's about three totally nerdy midwestern used car salesmen who rent a beach house in Hermosa and think they're going to score with all the hardbodies rollerblading on the Strand. The best line in the movie is when one of the paleface nerds in his checkered shirt and shorts walks up to this hot blonde in a bikini on her blades and tries to pick her up. She looks him up and down and says "Tell you what, I'll race you to the pier, if you beat me, eat me".

Bob

Yes there are audio/midi interfaces for guitar. Check out Line 6.

I assumed if you play guitar, you play it thru something now. That something would likely work as the preamp. An Amp, stombox, whatever.. what do you plug your guitar into now?

Mics and guitars are not line level instruments, they need to be amplified.

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pre amp guitar FX? is there NO end to all this expense?

cheaper than playin golf...

I use IKMultimedia Stealth Plug Guitar interface with Amplitube 3.5 & Ampeg SVX.I use it to play my bass live through the Ampeg SVX plug in. There ASIO drivers are rock solid. Less then 2MS

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Always glad to help, especially the long suffering ones!

Of course Matt you know that I'm just having fun here. Although it is more correct to call it an audio/midi interface calling it a soundcard is not that confusing.

It IS what produces sound from your computer, so soundcard seems appropriate to me. Just because we use softsynths now instead of hardware doesn't seem that big a deal to me. It serves as the soundcard, and every book I am using at school refers to it as a soundcard, even the brand new CompTIA Server+ book that just came out ... I think we'll have to get used to hearing the term for a while yet.

Oh yes, John.

Besides, I've always called these things a soundcard in my posts, with no confusion noted.

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Yes there are audio/midi interfaces for guitar. Check out Line 6.

I assumed if you play guitar, you play it thru something now. That something would likely work as the preamp. An Amp, stombox, whatever.. what do you plug your guitar into now?

Mics and guitars are not line level instruments, they need to be amplified.

home amps.....laney vc15, marshall class 5 (as soon as they are available)

lots of USA "booteek" OD pedals plus TC electronic NR1 'verb and DD20,the list goes on...

is the infamous BAD MONKEY not suited for this function?

..and i may get the PODx3 desktop to save on electric bills

this is ONE way in i am sure

The line out from any of those devices can go into the 1010lt. So you DO have a preamp already for the guitar. Use the mixer output of the bad monkey to the 1010lt.

Use the 'Line out' of the amp, or pedal or whatever you want to use.

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BUMP! i have had a good look on the web at the 1010lt sound card....where does the guitar input to?one of those trailing leads?

All of the Analog inputs on that card are at Line Level. To properly record your guitar you would also need either a Guitar Amp simulator device or a mixer with appropriate High Impedance input for guitar on it or perhaps a Direct Box designed for recording guitar to Line Level. Some guitar amps have a Line Output on the back of them that can allow you to use the amp as a preamp for the guitar, all you would need then is a cable that connects from the amp's Line Out one of the soundcard's Line Inputs.

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i have noticed that with the BX5A speakers there is no enclosed cable connections....what are they,what is it i need,standard 1/4" guitar jack connection cables?

Most self-powered nearfield monitors for recording work will have a BALANCED input on them, typically looks like a 1/4" jack, but requires a TRS cable that has three connections on the 1/4" instead of two as in the standard guitar patch cable.

--Mac

Want great sound, rock solid drivers and monitor's that will blow you away, not for the faint of heart price wise. I this case the saying "you get for what you pay" apply's here.

Interface= RME USB Fireface UC $1298.00 CAD

Powered Monitors= Focal CMS 65 $825.00 CAD each

Total= $2948 CAD +tax

Most people try to reproduce what they hear on commercial recordings right?, well, you can't do it on the cheap. Get a great interface with solid driver's and great sounding monitor's and you won't regret it. RME are known all over the world for there rock solid driver's and clean pre-amps under XP, Win7 x86 or 64. Go demo this gear and you will buy. This equipment is top notch and will last a lifetime. You only need to buy once and be happy.