Sound card with midi-in
July 24, 2010 11:34 AM Subscribe
Recommend me a sound card! Mainly used as a music box / television / recording, details inside.
Currently I'm using a junky usb sound card, and I can't stand it. Here's what I would like to be doing with the sound card:
1. playing music: the computer is a living room / tv box in a two-man basement apartment. Currently hooked up to random 2.0 speakers, but I'm thinking about upgrading those.
2. Watching tv: Currently, the computer sends the video signal out to the tv via DVI->HDMI, the audio plays via speakers. I'm not sure what to do here exactly, since I'd like to still listen to music without the tv on and without moving cables. I'd be willing to flip a toggle-switch.
I'm thinking of routing both computer & tv to a 'junction box' and then to the speakers (I don't know the correct word for what I'm looking for offhand. Am I thinking of a receiver?) Realistically, that's not a crucial deal, since my tv only needs to do the audio for the game machines, whereas any tv I watch is from the computer.
3. Recording music. I've got an accordion that communicates via MIDI. I have a midi-usb interface, but I'd prefer to use midi for various myusbportsarefuckingaround reasons. Which means something a bit more expensive, but I'm thinking that I'll get a good soundcard now, and be able to hold onto it as I upgrade the rest of my sound system / computer.
I've got room for either a pci-express or a pci. Oh, and the computer will be generally running Linux (Ubuntu).
So, what sound cards should I be looking at? Should I make sure I've got S/PDIF as well? Haven't bought a sound card in a decade!
Thanks!
Currently I'm using a junky usb sound card, and I can't stand it. Here's what I would like to be doing with the sound card:
1. playing music: the computer is a living room / tv box in a two-man basement apartment. Currently hooked up to random 2.0 speakers, but I'm thinking about upgrading those.
2. Watching tv: Currently, the computer sends the video signal out to the tv via DVI->HDMI, the audio plays via speakers. I'm not sure what to do here exactly, since I'd like to still listen to music without the tv on and without moving cables. I'd be willing to flip a toggle-switch.
I'm thinking of routing both computer & tv to a 'junction box' and then to the speakers (I don't know the correct word for what I'm looking for offhand. Am I thinking of a receiver?) Realistically, that's not a crucial deal, since my tv only needs to do the audio for the game machines, whereas any tv I watch is from the computer.
3. Recording music. I've got an accordion that communicates via MIDI. I have a midi-usb interface, but I'd prefer to use midi for various myusbportsarefuckingaround reasons. Which means something a bit more expensive, but I'm thinking that I'll get a good soundcard now, and be able to hold onto it as I upgrade the rest of my sound system / computer.
I've got room for either a pci-express or a pci. Oh, and the computer will be generally running Linux (Ubuntu).
So, what sound cards should I be looking at? Should I make sure I've got S/PDIF as well? Haven't bought a sound card in a decade!
Thanks!
I thiiink the E-MU 0404 would serve your needs. It's relatively inexpensive and very well respected.
You probably want a hi-fi amp, which you can patch all the various audio inputs to. You can then select which one you want to supply sound to the speakers with the remote.
It's got MIDI ports.
Not sure about Ubuntu support, but it's a pretty venerable card, and I assume there's something out there.
posted by Magnakai at 1:21 PM on July 24, 2010
You probably want a hi-fi amp, which you can patch all the various audio inputs to. You can then select which one you want to supply sound to the speakers with the remote.
It's got MIDI ports.
Not sure about Ubuntu support, but it's a pretty venerable card, and I assume there's something out there.
posted by Magnakai at 1:21 PM on July 24, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rendus at 12:08 PM on July 24, 2010