Digital PCI Card recommendation?

4 May 2007, 05:29

Hi,

I want to go digital in order to minimise any noise.

I have a FantomX6 and a V-Synth XT.

I need a PCI card with the following

at least 2 digital coax inputs ( maybe 3 for expansion )
at least 1 digital coax output to go to the XT for vocoder.
at least 1 XLR microphone input.
at least 1 midi in+out.
a lineout to go to my monitor speakers.

So far the Echo Gina 3G is looking a likely candidate.

Are there any PCI cards out there that fit the bill for under £200 or should I go USB or Firewire?

Re: Digital PCI Card recommendation?

4 May 2007, 08:40

Moved to "Computers and Software", AFAIK Roland doesn't make PCI cards anymore.

Re: Digital PCI Card recommendation?

4 May 2007, 20:45

Shambler;

How about the E-mu 1212M?
I/O Configuration:
Two 1/4" Balanced Inputs
Two 1/4" Balanced Outputs
24-bit/192kHz ADAT In/Out (switchable to S/PDIF)
24-bit/96kHz S/PDIF In/Out (switchable to AES/EBU)
MIDI In/Out
Firewire® Interface

I have the E-mu Emulator X studio, which is the 1820m card with the included Emulator X sampler. It's simply put top notch.

regards, Hugo

regards, Hugo

Re: Digital PCI Card recommendation?

4 May 2007, 21:03

Thanks Hugo.

Can you use both of the digital inputs at the same time on the e-mu 1212m?

I just got a reply from echo about the gina 3g, you can't use both inputs simultaneously so thats no good -.-

Re: Digital PCI Card recommendation?

4 May 2007, 23:04

I am wondering if what I want is available or even the right way to do it.

There seems to be a multiple channel digital interface called ADAT, but I have no idea how it works or how it might be possible to convert S/PDIF to ADAT.

S/PDIF seems to be mainly for transfering your completed masterpiece digitally from PC to a DAT recorder.

Must read up alot more on this, I have no idea how to access 8 channels of ADAT for instance, I don't see lots of ADAT sockets on any sound interface...I'm having a noob moment! ^^

Re: Digital PCI Card recommendation?

5 May 2007, 10:24

I have ordered some coax s/pdif cables to test how it works.

It appears that for every independent s/pdif i/o pair you need to have a separate sound card.

I have an unused M-Audio Delta 66 and once I get the cables I will install this alongside my Delta 1010LT to see if I get 2 independant s/pdif channels.

[EDIT] Just noticed my motherboard also has s/pdif connectors..hmmm

Got it working!

14 May 2007, 18:27

Managed to install a Delta 66 I had lying around alongside my Delta 1010LT.

I now have 2 totally independant s/pdif ins and outs which the V-Synth and Fantom are plugged into.

Crystal clear sound and no humming/hiss I would recommened everyone go digital!

Took a while to work out how to route the 66 input to the 1010 output in cubase though, up to now I was only used to using midi channels ^^