# Sound card for a laptop?



## Timoxx4 (Jun 30, 2006)

Hi,

I have just bought a laptop to use with REW in my HT but am not sure about the soundcard issue and what will work with REW.

Looking at an external USB one but i might have to upgrade the laptops USB ports from 1.1 to 2.0 ?

What is everyone here using with there laptops? 

If it helps i got an ACER Travelmate 270.

Looking at these what would be best for working with REW ? http://au.creative.com/products/welcome.asp?category=244&

Thanks,
Tim.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

Many here use the Creative Soundblaster MP3+ USB Sound Card. It's inexpensive and does the job.

brucek


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## Timoxx4 (Jun 30, 2006)

Only problem is there are none about here in Australia anymore  I guess i could import one from the US but it would cost the same as a new one to get it here and i would just rather a new model.

So what would be a sutiable recent model one do you think?

Thanks,
Tim.


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

Just about any soundcard that is full duplex and had line-in and line-out connections will work. Any inadequacies are compensated for in REW after you carry out a soundcard calibration (the first part of REW setup).

A more recent card would be the Soundblaster Live! 24-bit USB. It works fine with REW. We have had members use it successfully with USB1.1 as I remember....

brucek


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## Timoxx4 (Jun 30, 2006)

Ok. How about this ? http://www.rolandcorp.com.au/default.aspx?prd=387

It has MIDI in/out too so would that be able to interface with the Behringer for EQ setup ?

I had a quick look at that Sound Blaster one but it dosent seem to have RCA in/out connectors dose it? The instructions for REW say the mic/headphone in/out connectore are not good enough what ever that means?


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## Chrisbee (Apr 20, 2006)

Timoxx4 said:


> Ok. How about this ? http://www.rolandcorp.com.au/default.aspx?prd=387
> 
> It has MIDI in/out too so would that be able to interface with the Behringer for EQ setup ?
> 
> I had a quick look at that Sound Blaster one but it dosent seem to have RCA in/out connectors dose it? The instructions for REW say the mic/headphone in/out connectore are not good enough what ever that means?


The Soundblaster Live! uses mini stereo jacks.

What the REW instructions are telling you is that you must use the Line In and Speaker out sockets NOT the microhone & headphone sockets.


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Headphone outputs can be used, no problem with them, but typical mic inputs are not suitable for connecting line sources (like the RS SPL meter) because they have too much gain (mic signals are much smaller than line level signals), are too noisy electrically (partly due to their higher gain), often carry a 5V DC signal to supply a mic and in at least some cases have a limited frequency range (probably to help with their noise problems).


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## Timoxx4 (Jun 30, 2006)

Ahh i see. Well that makes things easyer.

But on another note while i was searching for sound cards i happend appon this

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=758&ParentId=114

How about that for an all in one soultion :T It has Phantom power XLR connectors so you can plug in the ECM8000 mic. It has MIDI in and out. And has RCA line in/out and full duplex support. :yikes: 

Yes its more expencive than the sound blaster but its better quality by far and you dont need to buy a seperate mixer thing with Phantom power supply for the ECM8000 and you also dont need to buy a MIDM interface. Its all in one little unit that runs off the USB and dosent even need an external power supply. 

But will it work with REW ????:dontknow:


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## brucek (Apr 11, 2006)

> But will it work with REW ????


Looks like it would be fine.......


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2006)

brucek said:


> Many here use the Creative Soundblaster MP3+ USB Sound Card. It's inexpensive and does the job.
> 
> brucek


That's what I use as well. Got a good on a refurb deal straight from creative.


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## Timoxx4 (Jun 30, 2006)

brucek said:


> Looks like it would be fine.......


Fantastic :hyper: I just might get one.

Thanks guys


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## Hakka (Sep 10, 2006)

Timoxx4 said:


> Only problem is there are none about here in Australia anymore  I guess i could import one from the US but it would cost the same as a new one to get it here and i would just rather a new model.
> 
> So what would be a sutiable recent model one do you think?
> 
> ...



That card is sold in Aus as the 'Soundblaster Digital Music LX', I saw one at IT warehouse during the week, $100 I think.

I just purchased a Behringer U-control UCA-202 off e-bay for $60, haven't tried it yet though.

http://www.behringer.com/UCA202/index.cfm?lang=ENG


Harry.


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## Mitch G (Sep 8, 2006)

Hakka said:


> <snip>
> 
> I just purchased a Behringer U-control UCA-202 off e-bay for $60, haven't tried it yet though.
> 
> ...


That Behringer unit looks like it would be perfect at a very competitive price.
I bought a refurb Creative Live! unit for $35 (US) shipped, the Behringer MSRP is $35 (US) *new* - which means it could probably be found for less. And I could probably find it at a local guitar shop. Furthermore, since it uses RCA connectors, that saves a couple of bucks and the trouble of picking up RCA-3.5mm jack adapters.

I hope it works well with REW because it seems to be just what the doctor (or wizard) ordered.


Mitch


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## Hakka (Sep 10, 2006)

I set it up last night and it worked fine. There is no adjustment for the line in volume but it was spot on anyway. I ran the soundcard calibration and the graph was very flat with a small roll off below 20hz.
Only hiccup I had was REW was muting the speaker output on the card, they call the line output 'speaker' and the line input 'mic' in the device menus.

The REW program is great, last time I calibrated I did it manually, it took a whole weekend and I still didn't get the result I wanted. I spent about 45 minutes last night and I now have a perfectly shaped sub curve.

Harry.


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## Timoxx4 (Jun 30, 2006)

Thats cool.

Now you just got to do all the other speakers  lol


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## Hakka (Sep 10, 2006)

Yep, will start testing the other 7 speakers tonight to find out the best placement.


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## Guest (Sep 17, 2006)

I 2nd the Creative Soundblaster MP3+ USB. I had another box that required 20 bucks worthr of 3.5mm to rca converters!


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## basementjack (Sep 18, 2006)

Not sure if it's available down in Aus, but the ADS instant music usb sound card works great - no need for drivers, has stereo RCA in and out, and has optical digital in and out.

Here in the us it's available for about $40 from tigerdirect.com


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