Sound card recommendation

M Audio "Audiophile" 24/192. About $130-150 depending on where you go.... Try Sam Ash Music or JR music, both are online..

Depending on what connections and features you might want, there are several choices.

M-Audio makes decent stuff for the money. There a couple to choose from between $100 and $200. I use one of their cards based off the delta 66 sound card, but I write music so you might not need all the features. E-mu can make decent stuff too. They were bought out by soundblaster a few years ago, but they left them alone mostly.

If you use a laptop or want to be portable they make usb or firewire interfaces that would work. Don't know what you want the card to do. Digidesign even makes a flash drive size interface that has a 1/8" headphone out.

Blindjim & Tstan7777,

Thanks for the responses. I have a laptop, so USB/ IEEE1394 is the way to go for me. The ideal sound card for me has RCA inputs, USB or IEEE1394 output and a good ADC. All I want to do is connect my preamp to the computer and record a few records.

Is that what you want to do? Record(digitally capture)your records(lp's)?

Tstan7777,

Yes, all I want is something to go between my phono preamp and computer to digitally record some records. Of the units you and Blindjim recommended, the M-Audio Mobile Pre or the E-Mu Tracker look to be closest to what I want.

M audio's Audiophile 192 has a breakout cable attached to the PCI version. I'll assume the firewire one does too.

it has two sets of 1/4 inch output jacks, one set of the same sort imput jacks, one pair of midi inputs, and I'd assume the 1394 interface. Mine has a RCA SPDIT IN & OUT.

Consequently, some 1/4 to RCA adapters may be needed, Rat shack has them.

BTW M Audio tech support is quite high on the 1394 item when I last spoke with them, vs. the PCI.

The software allows via digital to sync to the source clock or it's own... I've not used the software supplied with it albeit.... audio capture software is supplied... and there's tons of free audio capture software online, and for not much more, very good apps which are geared to phono capturing, and reducing the pops, clicks, and noise which may occur. Most of these will capture the audio into WAV files. they are easily then burned to CD or converted into another file format.

There's plenty of other devices (USB - 1394) out there. For me the M.A. 192 was at Sam Ash's outlet near me, was simple enough to figure out, the current update installed easily, and their tech support was quite willing to help me with it's installation and any questions I had, so for under a $150, I'm good with it completely.

The only cards I'd stay away from are Creative Labs. They aren't reliable, damage easily, support is sketchy to poor at very best, and their sound quality isn't anything to write home about.

Search for this

ART USBPhonoPlus v2 Computer Audio Interface
musicians friend has a bundle with some nice software specifically for the task for $150 I think.

BTW St. Cecilia Sound gallery also offers some TTs with USB interfaces expressly for your purpose, and a RCA USB interface to attach to your current TT.... they vary in price from $199 to $599 I believe.

... and I think you can get any of these online now.

But the question was about sound cards, right?

He was techicanlly asking about soundcards, but being on a laptop the echo card is about the only option in terms of true cards. Otherwise, he'll need an "audio interface" whether it be usb or firewire.

Lilo 3