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PC soundcard suggestions?
So if I were to buy a new HD to dual-boot an existing Windows machine into Windows+Linux so I could run Ardour or Rosegarden instead of Audacity and as a result need a soundcard other than the lulzblaster built in to the motherboard, what would you suggest?
The M Audio Delta series comes suggested on the Wiki, and this is one of the cheaper ones. The box I'd be using it is a 1.8Ghz Intel machine so it shouldn't have the click/pop problem people report on slower machines. But that's still $150. I like that this model has the actual A/D interface outside the PC unit, which should reduce noise.
(And yes, I'm going to continue to go ahead and record a demo of sorts using Audacity on my laptop, but the clicktrack functionality is so unsuited to what I want to do that I'll end up re-recording all this stuff on something else. I'm torn between GODDAMMIT I NEED A DEMO NOW and BUT I WANT TO DO IT RIGHT. Wibble.)
The M Audio Delta series comes suggested on the Wiki, and this is one of the cheaper ones. The box I'd be using it is a 1.8Ghz Intel machine so it shouldn't have the click/pop problem people report on slower machines. But that's still $150. I like that this model has the actual A/D interface outside the PC unit, which should reduce noise.
(And yes, I'm going to continue to go ahead and record a demo of sorts using Audacity on my laptop, but the clicktrack functionality is so unsuited to what I want to do that I'll end up re-recording all this stuff on something else. I'm torn between GODDAMMIT I NEED A DEMO NOW and BUT I WANT TO DO IT RIGHT. Wibble.)
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Unless your studio has a noise floor lower than -96db? You're trying to record a dog whistle which you then intend to slow down so it can be heard - and you've purchased the specialist microphone that can do so?
It doesn't? You aren't and you haven't? You don't need to record in it. Full stop.
(proof you don't need more than 16-bit: quantizing is precisely identical to white noise at -96db, which is going to be masked by other noise anywhere you record. proof you don't need more than 44/48 kHz: human - or even elven :) - hearing range, plus Sampling Theorem, plus check the specs on your microphones.)
24/96 is basically Monster Cable for audio recording technicians. Or the Emperor's new clothes, if you prefer an older metaphor.
All this said, I would get equipment that can record in higher resolutions because that means higher-quality parts (that one claims 104dB or something, whereas 16-bit equipment is often around 90dB). But there's no need to bother actually recording in those resolutions.
There might be some justification (in terms of rounding errors adding another miniscule amount to that -96 dB) in using higher resolution, 24-bit or various types of floating-point, for intermediate calculation and mixing, but you don't need to record or play back in it. It just puts extra strain on your computer's data bus for no gain.
I've got an M-Audio Transit - tiny USB thing (yes it's 24/96, but only two channels in-out, ie just stereo), works great on both PC and Mac too. :) Don't know if that follows through to any of their other products. Agree that I would definitely never get any soundcard that includes any analogue audio circuitry inside the computer case - that kind of thing is ok for playback but not recording.
I don't know anything about the current soundcard market. One concern about that soundcard - it has balanced jacks, great, but it doesn't appear to have any XLR sockets for microphones (w/ phantom power). I guess you don't need any, or you're planning to use a separate mixer as well? Also no digital I/O? Yeah, I don't really have any use for digital I/O either, just saying...
Second concern is that it seems to be a pretty old model, but that's why it's (relatively) cheap I guess!