Re: [ARSCLIST] USB music card vs. onboard digitization

[Alyssa Ryvers <alyssa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Does resolving interrupts make the sound more satisfactory? Enquiring 
minds want to know, because last time I resolved an interrupt, it 
didn't. Doesn't mean it doesn't now, and I'm open to hearing about 
that, because I'm always interested in keeping up, and it's been years 
since I fuddled with interrupts on a sound card. I'm sorry for the 
weird mood, but I do think from the tone of Mr. Bresler's post, you 
might overwhelm him by suggesting he inspect waveforms visually, etc. 
You start talking "Spectrum Analysis", and you're making me nervous too


I think exploring sound cards is a responsible way to go before you 
take on a task of 1000 xfers. My 2c, but wouldn't know which is the 
best of the low-end stuff. ProTools ain't worth writing home about, and 
that's Medium end. Perhaps someone here has listened to the lower end 
lately; certainly used to be better to keep the conversion outside the 
computer. I wouldn't trust it inside. If these are copies for yourself 
(you're transferring your personal collection because you want to 
retire your turntable, etc.), not for preservation purposes (the one 
pressed copy of your Grandmother telling stories), then the decision 
isn't as critical. I still would go for outside the box (computer), and 
wait to see if someone else trolling on here has taken a listen to the 
converters under $X? Then go take a listen for yourself, if you can, at 
a store using headphones in a quiet(!) environment. Listen for noise, 
of course, but also listen for warmth, brittleness - all these things 
(converters) colour the sound, and in the end, you're going to have to 
live with the best choice given the choices you present yourself with. 
Take a listen to an Apogee converter, in order to compare with 
something that is Professional quality (a number of music stores have 
the Apogee MiniMe [$1000ish] kicking around). Be sure to listen to the 
same sample and bit rate (ex: 44.1K, 16bit) on both the Apogee and the 
lower end ones, otherwise you're comparing apples with...even ProTools 
starts sounding like it maybe - might be - reasonable - at 96K, 24bit 
[faster rates].

And then you can compare all that to what you've already got, and voila!

Best,

Alyssa.
:)

"If someone, holding fast to the name of Bodhisattva Perceiver of the 
World's Sounds should enter a great fire, the fire could not burn 
him...If one were washed away by a great flood and call upon his name, 
one would immediately find himself in a shallow place." (The Lotus 
Sutra)
On 26-Jan-06, at 11:57 PM, Mike Richter wrote:

> Joel Bresler wrote:
>
> > So my question: I am told that a computer can be a "noisy" 
> > environment in which to digitize audio. I'd welcome opinions about 
> > whether I am likely better off using my PC's sound card (it's a 
> > fairly high end HP Windows Media PC) or the Sound Blaster USB card, 
> > which  would at least sit apart from the main unit and might offer a 
> > quieter alternative.
>
> Rule #1 (at least, for me): If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
>
> If the sound of what you have is good, use it and don't worry about 
> whether it could be better. Adding cards, killing existing audio, 
> resolving interrupts and the like are worthwhile if the sound is not 
> satisfactory for your purpose, but if it is good enough, use it. Check 
> for the noise floor of the HP's card and see if you can pick up any 
> persistent tones with spectrum analysis. Check the real dynamic range 
> as well. Do all that visually with Audition or the like.
>
> I doubt that you'll find audiophile assessment of a distinctly 
> non-audiophile card such as the Creative. However, if it truly uses 
> the ancient Ensoniq chipset it will be just fine. (The Live Value line 
> used a modified front end which is useless for music. At least early 
> on, the Live line used the Ensoniq.)
>
> Mike
> --
> mrichter@xxxxxxx
> http://www.mrichter.com/