SPL Meters | Mic's | Calibration | Sound Cards

**pepar** · **07-11-09, 11:07 AM**

What is recommended as a more professional quality USB audio interface than the SB MP3+ (or other "gaming" solution)? I only need it to run REW on my laptop. Vista and Win 7 compatibility is required. M-Audio MobilePre looks good. Sound Devices USBPre, too. It has way more capability than I am likely to ever need, but does all that "come along" with the higher quality. Eldirol/Roland has an entrant in that category, but it is w-a-y more than I want - or feel that I need - to spend. The Turtle Beach is interesting, but is it as stable as the M-Audio or Sound Devices?

TIA!

**brucek** · **07-11-09, 12:19 PM**

If REW is your only concern, then go for an inexpensive USB card. You certainly don't need to step up to a M-Audio card - not that they aren't a good device.

brucek

**pepar** · **07-11-09, 01:06 PM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

If REW is your only concern, then go for an inexpensive USB card. You certainly don't need to step up to a M-Audio card - not that they aren't a good device.

brucek

Thanks. I have the SB MP3+, but was looking for something better. Plus it does not work properly in Vista - no line in or line out. Windows 7 is just around the corner, too, and I was looking for something new and current that would have ongoing support and compatibility.

**Sycraft** · **07-13-09, 11:16 AM**

Well more or less any newer card at a given price point is likely to be better than an older card at the same price point. There are good SoundBlaster cards out there, if you like those. I personally have an X-Fi Elite Pro and it has great sound quality.

What kind of budget are you looking at for a card?

**pepar** · **07-13-09, 11:26 AM**

Quote:

Sycraft wrote:

Well more or less any newer card at a given price point is likely to be better than an older card at the same price point. There are good SoundBlaster cards out there, if you like those. I personally have an X-Fi Elite Pro and it has great sound quality.

What kind of budget are you looking at for a card?

I'm seeing M-Audio MobilePre's on ebay that I can buy for ~$50. I'll give one of those a shot. Sound Devices USBPre was mentioned by someone, but that is - new - a $500 card. Ouch, but then it has way more capability than I'll ever need. The M-Audio, too, but $50 fits my "sensibilities" these days.

**brucek** · **07-13-09, 12:00 PM**

The beauty of a mobile-pre is that it has a mic preamp with phantom power built in, so if you want to try a decent measurement mic for REW like the ECM8000, you don't need to buy a mic preamp - it just plugs directly into the mobile-pre.

brucek

**pepar** · **07-13-09, 12:22 PM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

The beauty of a mobile-pre is that it has a mic preamp with phantom power built in, so if you want to try a decent measurement mic for REW like the ECM8000, you don't need to buy a mic preamp - it just plugs directly into the mobile-pre.

brucek

I have the EMM8 (from ETF) and it plugs into an accompanying preamp before going into the "soundcard" so I'm guessing that I could connect the EMM8 (and any future measurement mic) directly into a mobile pre-amp/sound card and eliminate a component?

**brucek** · **07-13-09, 12:35 PM**

Yes, as long as ayou have the calibration file for it, you can use it with REW. The reason we recommend the ECM8000, is that it's a very common inexpensive measurement mic that we have a calibration for on our download site.

brucek

**pepar** · **07-13-09, 12:50 PM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

Yes, as long as ayou have the calibration file for it, you can use it with REW. The reason we recommend the ECM8000, is that it's a very common inexpensive measurement mic that we have a calibration for on our download site.

brucek

A generic calibration file? Isn't that self-contradictory? The EMM8 is serialized with individual calibration files.

Jeff

**brucek** · **07-13-09, 01:23 PM**

Quote:

A generic calibration file? Isn't that self-contradictory?

I don't know why it would be contradictory. The ECM8000 is consistent enough in its response that a generic file is quite adequate for home use. The movement of a microphone a few inches can result in a response change that would be greater than the inaccuracy of a generic file. If anyone wants more accuracy they're welcome to get their own microphone calibrated. This is simply a service we supply for free that most people appreciate. We explain all this on our Download Page.

brucek

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