Need new sound card?

**MX48** · **10-14-09, 07:25 AM**

I have a "SoundMAX digital audio" sound card and cannot make it work. Will this card not work?

If not, I have been on Ebay and found Creative Audigy 2 NX external and Creative Live external. Will both of these work and are there other inexpensive external cards I should look at.

Thanks
Moto

**brucek** · **10-14-09, 08:40 AM**

I have read that SoundMAX digital audio can be a problem, so you may indeed want to get a new soundcard.

Basically, any inexpensive soundcard will work as long as it's duplex and has a line-in (not mic-in) and line-out.

brucek

**sebastian** · **10-14-09, 05:36 PM**

why not a mic in? i use a measure mic which need a phantom power and a preamp, so i must use this input. or an externel preamp and than to line-in.

sorry this confuse me.

g

**brucek** · **10-14-09, 06:01 PM**

Quote:

why not a mic in? i use a measure mic which need a phantom power and a preamp,

A mic that uses a preamp has a line level output (from the preamp), that you must plug into a soundcards line-level input - not mic input.

brucek

**sebastian** · **10-14-09, 06:07 PM**

oh ok, thats right. my soundcard has a internal mic preamp so i use this input for my mic. or is this not good for measuring with rew? sorry im new to this tool, thats why i have a lot of questions.

g

**brucek** · **10-14-09, 06:11 PM**

What soundcard are you using that has the internal mic preamp? You say your SoundMax doesn't work.

brucek

**sebastian** · **10-14-09, 06:27 PM**

... no i use a fireface because im not the thread opener. but thanx for answer, also at the other thread.

**glaufman** · **10-15-09, 09:48 AM**

Quote:

sebastian wrote:

oh ok, thats right. my soundcard has a internal mic preamp so i use this input for my mic. or is this not good for measuring with rew? sorry im new to this tool, thats why i have a lot of questions.

g

Wouldn't this be an issue for connecting the loopback for soundcard calibration?

**brucek** · **10-15-09, 10:04 AM**

Quote:

Wouldn't this be an issue for connecting the loopback for soundcard calibration?

Experience shows that the line amplifiers in the soundcards are mostly responsibly for response drop-off. The small mic preamp section doesn't account for much, and so creating a line-in to line-out jack loopback is usually accurate enough.

It's certainly possible though to fabricate a resistive pad for the mic input to accomplish a more accurate calibration. I tested this on my XENYX mixer and found (as suspected) that the mic preamp had very little effect on the response already established with the line amp sections. Others have done this with their external soundcards with mic preamps and found similar results.

brucek

**glaufman** · **10-15-09, 10:53 AM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

Experience shows that the line amplifiers in the soundcards are mostly responsibly for response drop-off. The small mic preamp section doesn't account for much, and so creating a line-in to line-out jack loopback is usually accurate enough.

It's certainly possible though to fabricate a resistive pad for the mic input to accomplish a more accurate calibration. I tested this on my XENYX mixer and found (as suspected) that the mic preamp had very little effect on the response already established with the line amp sections. Others have done this with their external soundcards with mic preamps and found similar results.

brucek

Good info. Thanks!

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