Best Sound Card

[MuddFlat]

Would anyone recommend a sound card that is good for midi sounds. I'm sick of hearing music that sound so fake.

If so, please post the model of the card and why it is so good.

Thanks

[mikegant]

connect your computer to a sound canvas

[MuddFlat]

Thanks. How much would one of those be? And what's a good company that makes them?

[Yahoo]

Sound Blaster Audigy are good cards for almost everything including midi because they support high resolution sounds and you can load soundfonts as big as your computer memory can handle, which makes midi sound very real..

[GusTraX]

Hello

Get a SoundBlaster Live, Audigy or Extigy and load a 64 or 128 MB GM SoundFont Bank.

There are a lot to choose from.

[atomicdog]

I heare good things about the new Terratec 24/96, does any body know if it's any good?

[danny715]

get yourself a "hammerfall" soundcard made by "steinberg" - german company - awesome digital soundcard.

Oh ... and fire it through an "E-MU Proteus 2000" sound module - your midis'll sound sweet as a nut :)

[ibanez270]

If you just wnat to play midi files
Sound Blaster live sounds real good and there cheap

[tavenger5]

Originally posted by Yahoo
Sound Blaster Audigy are good cards for almost everything including midi because they support high resolution sounds and you can load soundfonts as big as your computer memory can handle, which makes midi sound very real..

I never did figure out how to do that!?

[Thewallofsound]

why not connect in a good quality keyboard?

[Yahoo]

I never did figure out how to do that!?

Loading soundfonts is quite easy, here is a visual tutorial that will show you how: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/hybrid2002/tutorials/sf-load.html

[theARTiSAN]

Originally posted by atomicdog
I heare good things about the new Terratec 24/96, does any body know if it's any good?

I've heard/seen some wonderful thing about the new line.
They are a professional audio "real" soundcard, whereas Sound Blaster's are more suited to PC multimedia (The Audigys are generally ok for MIDI), but Terratec is cheaper than the SB Live Audigy, and it is like I said a "real Soundcard".

I'd go with the Terratec - they're a great value for what you pay for them. I've got the SB Live (mp3) now, and it works ok for VERY amature stuff... But I'm trying to upgrade my home studio, and I definately need something better.

The KXproject driver - http://www.kxproject.com is geared to MUSICAL use of the EMU10k chipset based cards, in cluding SB Live.
Lower delay, and an option to switch front/back outputs (the rear D-A converters are better!) are among the features.
If money is a real big consideration - go with a SB Live with the KXproject driver.

Sorry for the novel

[tavenger5]

Originally posted by Yahoo


Loading soundfonts is quite easy, here is a visual tutorial that will show you how: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/hybrid2002/tutorials/sf-load.html

Thanks Yahoo. I did figure out how to do it. Another important thing is the bank number needs to be set in the midi file itself. Now I just need some really good sound fonts (the ones I found suck)

[theARTiSAN]

Are they small enough to, um, "share" :rolleyes:

[Yahoo]

These sites have a lot of free GM/GS soundfonts:

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/hybrid2002/

http://www.thesoundsite.net/

http://www.personalcopy.com/sfarkfonts.htm

http://www.hammersound.net

[theARTiSAN]

Thanks Yahoo!

[BeAR]

SB live or Audigy seem ok

[furinkasan]

You should give Virtual sound canvas a try. It's a soft version of sound canvas. The nice thing about it is you don't have to open up your computer. Just load the software and go.

[Florimo]

Can someone explain to stupid old me, what is a sound font?

Does it enhance your midi files when playing back on a PC? If so, do you need to get them specific for your sound card?

Cheers,

Florimo

[BeAR]

A sound font is an audio file format primarilly used by Sound Blaster sound cards. They were introduced with the AWE 32 card many years ago, then the AWE 64, then the Live series, and now the newer Audigy cards.

It basically turned your sound card into a basic sampler.

A few other companies have adapted support for the format, such as Emagics EXS24 software sampler and a few others.

Compared to regular WAV samples, sound fonts are noticably smaller in size.

Back on the main topic tho, I dont actually use any hardware now, everything is done in Logic Audio with VSTi's and Akai sample disks. I use a Hoontech 24bit/96 khz Audio card. I get 3 ms latency with ASIO drivers.

Beats the hell out of any sound card Ive ever heard.

[c.j.grant]

To be honest if your wanting a generally good sound you could go for any Sound Blaster, most released after the Awe64 are similar and have the Yamaha Emu sound chip in the.

You could also get a cheap midi keyboard - an Evolution would do the job - they are under £100. You would then need to purchase a midi interface. Use the sound cards wavetable for the midi sounds

Cost

S/card = £30
Keys = £99
Midi/Int = £20
------------------
Total = £149

This would give you a reasonable setup for very cheap

On the other hand you could go for a sound blaster audigy with addon box, expensive midi controller - e.g. Roland A-33, A-90. - and a good sound module - I personally like the Roland JV 8080

[LtDan]

Audigy

=)

[chriscc]

i'm still searching for a font that comes close to the sounds off my keyboard. the 40mg fonts i've tried were not close and i've not tried any larger.sometimes xp crashes when i load a 40

[theARTiSAN]

SB are great for multimedia - not DA recording

[jon-paul]

Hi well i recomend a Creative Audigy Platinum Ex this card is excelent and has a desk top interface to make adding other midi instrument a doddle They are around the £250 mark but i have one for £100 if any one is interested. You can contact me via my website using the contact us button at www.artistedirect.com However if its sounds you are looking for why not try and get a sound module instead then the sound card wont matter I use an old Roland U220 which is pre GM but i swear by it the sounds are excelent and the controls over effects are built in. Alternativley you could look at getting a good keyboard interface with internal sound bank i recomend the Korg K5 as a lower end priced model.

[Vangsgaard]

I use an Audiophile 24/96 soundcard and it is great both as a midi and audiocard - I love it

And it is cheap

Look for other products from M-Audio on their own site

[AnJ639]

I stongly reccomend www.sonicimplants.com

they have THE BEST SOUNDFONTS PERIOD!

Only catch: they are not free. but definately worth it!

just hook yourself up with their 24mb GM/GS Soundfont for generic playback (like browsing this awesome site)

"only 24mb?" you say? just try it I doubt you will be dissapointed. they even have demo mp3's for all of their soundfonts.

and then get whatever else you need

I admit I am more of an audiophile than a musician (but I try)
but heres my setup:

SB Audigy 2 Platinum
Logitech Z-680 speakers (highly reccomend!)
Cakewalk Express
FruityLoops 3.56 Full (with all the trimmings: wasp, dx10, simsynth, soundfont player)
A somewhat old (but still great 4 me anyway) Yamaha PSR-530 Keyboard
and a bunch of Sonic Implants

maybe not so oddly enough, when my friends come over all they want to do is play music on my system ;)


BTW here are two links for two demo mp3's of Sonic Implants "24 Megabyte GM Wavetable Set "

http://www.sonicimplants.com/MPG3/SonicImplantsGS24_Stripe_Jacket.mp3

http://www.sonicimplants.com/MPG3/SonicImplantsGS24_Surface_Motion.mp3

after all this you may as well click here (http://www.sonicimplants.com/Products/gmwavetable.htm)

thanks for reading my long post :)

[brc 103]

check e bay, i got my sound blaster live for £25.

[Nil Einne]

If you have a base line level comp (P2 500) and don't want do to do lots of other stuff while you play midis, try Yamaha XG-100 soft synth. It beats the crap out of the (apparently abandoned) Virtual SoundCanvas IMHO. If you're made of cash, there is always the Seer Audio or something (or was it Reel Sear?) soft synth. As mentioned you have to be made of cash for this becoz last I checked, they didn't have anything under $500.

Alternatively, if you have a really good comp or don't mind prerendering your midis, try Audio Compositor or Poly Hedric Wavmaker. I'm not sure about Wavmaker but Audio Compositor supports realtime rendering altho it is not yet optimised for it. Wavmaker comes with a GM/GS instrument set tho will Audio Compositor required you supply your own (Soundfont, DLS etc)...

[oceanlake]

What do you all think of the turtle beach santa cruz?

[jasonfoo]

www.dabs.com for the uk can be cheap, and definately worth at least a look :)

[mstannard]

My step brothers got a Terratec, its very good I'm personally a Soundblaster fan.... they've come a long way since the adlib days :p

[mstannard]

Ebuyer - www.ebuyer.com are also good for cheap hardware

[Shu]

I like the Audigy Xgamer

[Allistaire]

If you want to work only with midi, a Creative will work fine.
If you want to work with audio files, forget Creative and search for Terratec, Audiotrak or, better, Creamware!

[jon-paul]

Well ive replied before and told you guy's about the audigy platinum ex however i have recently Changed to a Digi001 from Pro-Tools and all i can say is WOW!

Although there is no onboard sounds (because it is a pro audio card) the quality of the ADC's (Anouloge to Digital converters for the uninitiated) is out of this world. the midi ports have 0 latency and it comes equiped with such features as Phantom Power or +48v as it is sometimes reffered to as well as t digital input and outputs and upto 18 in and outs i realy recommend this card.

it works with most sequencer programs (using asio drivers) but is at its best with Pro-tools. if you just want the great ADC's but not worried about the midi aspect then a chaeper option is the new M Box which comes with the latest Pro-Tools 6 at About £350 the Digi 001 is about £600 but beleive me once you check out the quality you will never use another audio card again and in the case of the 001 never use another midi interface card again.

Digi 001 gets a big:thumbsup:

[nigeyd]

Gentlemen
For low latency audio and standard midi using an external keybord would you reccomend an audiophile 96/24 a terratec or something else for under £150??