Re: [ARSCLIST] current role of soundcards

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Frank:

Note that my recommendation is based on older Pentium III and Pentium IV systems. I'm not sure if 
newer systems are noisier inside or less shielded or whatever. I totally buy into the theory that 
outside the box eliminates a lot of potential signal pollution but I have to say that in my systems, 
CardDeluxe runs well and silently. Superior design and engineering. Balanced +4 in and out is the 
secret, I think, although I ran it unbalanced at -10 at first before I pro-graded my studio.

Interested to read your report when you get it installed. Hopefully you'll like it.

Regarding Rod Stephens' report that his earlier transfers sound fine, I have a theory about that. I 
think soundcards are a little like tape recorders in that they can record better than they can 
playback in a lot of cases. My first DAW, built out of a Gateway Pentium II box (and still in use at 
work) had an Ensoniq soundcard in it -- real-deal Ensoniq from before Soundcrapper bought them and 
ruined the card. CD's made from transfers on that box sounded awesome on any system but playing back 
from the computer, not so much. First of all, came to find out that CD's were actually D-A'd in the 
CD drive, which was a POS LG unit. But even WAV files coming out of that computer didn't sound over 
the top fantastic, but it "recorded" just wonderfully, great dynamics and a low (but not silent) 
noise floor. Oh yeah, 'nother tip about consumer soundcards -- make sure the mic input is muted or 
you get noise. Anyway, that's my theory. Heck, I've made good recordings into my Soundcrapper Live 
card at work, and that thing plays back really poorly (and has hum issues). I'll go out on a limb 
and speculate that card makers cut corners on the D-A chips and/or the line stage after it and 
consumer card makers generally cut corners on shielding and noise rejection, which requires extra 
parts and audio design expertise. That said, if you shop for a cheapo external box, make sure to run 
your cellphone around it with the phone turned on. You'd be surprised how badly shielded most of 
them are. Also note that the dirt-cheap ones run at consumer levels only, do not include padding for 
professional-level inputs and are unbalanced line in and out.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Frank Strauss" <fbsdmd@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 1:48 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] current role of soundcards


> On 11/2/06, Rod Stephens <savecal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > On Tom Fine's recommendation, I recently purchased and installed
> > CardDeluxe in my ancient computer.   The sound quality increased
> > wonderfully, although the A/D .wav files that I had done with the
> > earlier card still sounded fine and did not need retransfer.   The main
> > advantage in my mind is the more enjoyable playback of everything sonic,
> > and when I'm doing "cleanup" on audio files, the new sound makes it
> > easier to hear and locate clicks and pops.
> >
> > Rod Stephens
>
>
> I recently bought a new computer with the Intel D975 dual core processor, no
> sound card, sound from mother board.  It is absolutely awful sound quality.
> After hearing Tom Fine's praise for the Carddeluxe on several occasions, I
> am finally going to order one.  Found them at a place called JD Sound, on
> the internet, $339.95.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Frank B Strauss, DMD