sound card recommendations please

[rich110]

Hi guys (and gals),

I have some old plastic records that I would like to 'digitize' them to CDs (and store them for a longer time). What sound card (or other piece of hardware), PC configuration do I need. I have heard that I might be able to manipulate the sound spectrum so as to filter out the noise (caused by scratches, wraps and surface degeneration). What kind of software will I need.

Expected budget for sound part (hard & soft) :
within $500

Present PC configuration :
1. 1400XP AMD (swap to P4 2.0 ?)
2. PCChips all in one MB (swap to ASUS MB ?)
3. 512M 333 DDR Ram
4. Panasonic CD-RW (hope I don't have to
swap this one)
5. 2 x Seagate 60G Barracuda (V & IV)
6. Window 2000 Prof.


Expect PC configuration :
1. swap as above
2. swap as above
3.4.5.6. stay
7. Creative Audigy Platinum ??

Please comment (especially on 7.)

Thanks for your help

OOPS one last question :
If I have a printer located say 20 FT from computer and I would like to use USB, can I use CAT5 wires as extensions? I have some wall conduit with CAT5 inside and wall sockets at both ends. Do I have to use special wires or wall sockets ? I can run other wires inside and change sockets if absolutely necessary. If I place a USB hub at the printer side, can I just have one extension but control more than 1 printer (and other USB devices such as scanners)?

 

[Mulga]

The creative card is very good and should do the job no trouble. Everything else seems fine also.
I'm quite sure you can't use CAT5 cable for a USB extension.
I am not sure of the maximum length for USB connections but if it is more than your distance the hub idea will work fine. Help us to help you, please post back and tell us if this helped.
All things are possible except skiing through a revolving door.

 

[just1guy]

TO: rich110

If your MB is an all-in-one check the manual to make sure the built in sound card has the specs for your turn table. If not before you go crazy spending go to Radio Shack and get a RCA cable adapter that will connect the out put of your turn table(where you plug the speakers to) to the in-line plug of the sound card. The RCA plugs are usually big RED and White. While the plug for the in-line on the sound card is the same as for yoou PC speakers. Next you will need the software. download a trial program from Pyro, (there are many different others). Don't worry about being perfect. The thing here is to test what you have at hand first. If your sound card does work then you next step is sound quality. Should get a better sound card? Shop aroungd first Creative Audigy Platinum shouldn't be your only choice. check into Turle Beach cards and Hercules as well.

As to your USB Printer, the cable limit is 16 feet. So, move the printer four feet closer. There are relays but why spend money over four feet. As to controling more than one USB peripheral you can dasiy chain up to 127 of them. Of course you'll more than one hubs.

CAT5 is network cable designed for the enthernet cards.

 

[just1guy]

TO: rich110

If your MB is an all-in-one check the manual to make sure the built in sound card has the specs for your turn table. If not before you go crazy spending go to Radio Shack and get a RCA cable adapter that will connect the out put of your turn table(where you plug the speakers to) to the in-line plug of the sound card. The RCA plugs are usually big RED and White. While the plug for the in-line on the sound card is the same as for your PC speakers. Next you will need the software. download a trial program from Pyro, (there are many different others). Don't worry about being perfect. The thing here is to test what you have at hand first. If your sound card does work then you next step is sound quality. Should get a better sound card? Shop aroungd first Creative Audigy Platinum shouldn't be your only choice. check into Turle Beach cards and Hercules as well.

As to your USB Printer, the cable limit is 16 feet. So, move the printer four feet closer. There are relays but why spend money over four feet. As to controling more than one USB peripheral you can dasiy chain up to 127 of them. Of course you'll more than one hubs.

CAT5 is network cable designed for the enthernet cards.

 

[just1guy]

TO: rich110

If your MB is an all-in-one check the manual to make sure the built in sound card has the specs for your turn table. If not before you go crazy spending go to Radio Shack and get a RCA cable adapter that will connect the out put of your turn table(where you plug the speakers to) to the in-line plug of the sound card. one end of the cable will have the RCA plugs are usually big RED and White. While the other end will look like ear phone plugs for the in-line on the sound card. Next you will need the software. download a trial program from Pyro, (there are many different others). Don't worry about being perfect. The thing here is to test what you have at hand first. If your sound card does work then you next step is sound quality. Should get a better sound card? Shop around first Creative Audigy Platinum shouldn't be your only choice. check into Turle Beach cards and Hercules as well.

As to your USB Printer, the cable limit is 16 feet. So, move the printer four feet closer. There are relays but why spend money over four feet. As to controling more than one USB peripheral you can daisy chain up to 127 of them. Of course you'll more than one hubs.

CAT5 is network cable designed for the enthernet cards.

 

[Bobg1]

For our printer, add a network device to the printer and a nic to your pc, then you can have them talk using the cat5.

 

[Treeking]

rich110: DEFINITELY replace the mobo with an ASUS mobo!!!!! It appears the cpu(1400XP) is a DURON:

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_1200_1202^1938,00.html

I would upgrade to an AMD XP2100+ RETAIL on an ASUS mobo that uses your 333 memory. The AMD/ASUS upgrade(performance to cost ratio) will far outperform a P4(2.0)/AMD mobo. If the HDDs are the same, you can get(ASUS A7V333 as an example), install cpu/memory, setup HDDs in RAID and use the onboard sound. I would be using NO LESS than an AMD or P4 Approved (400w preferably) 350w power supply with this system. The mobo/cpu combo should be around $200.00. AS for you USB:

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/usb_cables.html

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/usb_ethernet_adapter.html

 

[rich110]

Tks to all guys for your prompt response. (I have posted some questions in other Tek-Tip forum and waited for two months without a stir) Back to the question:


What so special about the usb wires? Shielded(together or individual) four wires ? Any special requirements (like CAT5 which has to be in twisted pairs). The only reason I asked about CAT5 because they are already there, standingby for my use but I will switch to others if necessary. USB extenison don't exist (just bare wires). If I use them in the conduit, I will have to cut the plug at one end to go thru the conduit. I know using a ethernet-centronics adaptor could be better but it cost almost 10 times more than a usb-centronics adaptor at where I live, so out of the question.

As for the sound card part :
I used to plug the turn-table to an amplifier instead of a pair of speakers, I was wondering if the signal are strong enough before they feed into the sound card. I just don't get what you mean by

'the built in sound card has the specs for your turn table'

If you are saying about the plugs, don't worried, I can buy some plug-adaptor (phone jack to RCA) or even solder myself. But if you are referring to other electrical problem, could you elaborate further? Can you give me the names of the software that I should be looking for? It is just like needle in a haystack when searching the net without specific target. I would tried, as just1guy suggest, with what I have at hand first but swapping the mobo has been haunting my head all alone : it cannot be set to work with CPU at 133 (1600+XP at 1400MHz) only at 100 (????+ at 1050MHz). The CPU is an XP as far as I can see on the label and with WCPUID. I like to switch to P4 because : 1. bad experience with what I have now (caused probably by the mobo and not the cpu) 2. the terrible heating problem with amd (always 60C for my computer) Any further suggestion?

 

[Treeking]

rich110: The cpu should be set at 10.5x133 either through the BIOS or jumper settings on the motherboard. Your current processor will demolish a P4(2.0) if it's a Celeron chipset. The brand mobo you have is truly a humongous headache. The web forums, along with multitudes of repair shops,are swamped with that brand boards' problems. A bigger(better) heatsink and fan would take care of your heat situation(60 degrees is fine for an AMD cpu- been running at that or higher for years and no problems). I'm sorry I can't help much on the converting of records to CD as I haven't done that much. Maybe these links will help you:

http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2690810,00.html

http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/ptech/11/28/lp.to.cd.idg/

Those links should help you out! The last one was really good.

The USB situation: I would move the printer closer and use a cable like was listed in my previous post.

 

[attrofy]

Just on a side note - once you get this resolved, here is the perfect CD-R compliment to any Record Collection - what better than a CD-R that looks like a Redord?

http://www.verbatim.com/products/products.cfm?pro_id=379

 

[just1guy]

rich110:

Sorry about the quote:

'the built in sound card has the specs for your turn table'

Yes I meant the plugs.

As to the software try Pyro. You can download a trial demo at:

http://www.cakewalk.com/download/default.asp

I use it and like it but everyone has their own taste. Also log on to

http://www.pcworld.com

for reviews and demos and freeware on other brands of multimedia software. Try before you buy.

If you're not happy with your MB, you should replace it.

 

[CitrixEngineer]

To get sound from your turntable you'll probably need a pre-amp - I don't think any turntable has sufficient impedance for a PC sound card. The output from your regular stereo amp should do - but I picked up an old 20W valve amp from e-Bay which makes my records sound great!

Sound card-wise, just about anything that processes 24-bit audio will sound really good. I wouldn't waste my money on a naff 16-bit card like most of Creative's offerings. Depends how much of an audiophile you are, but to my ears at least, 16-bit CD doesn't sound anywhere near as nice as the original vinyl.

The best value sound card you can get, IMO, is the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 - which is truly 24-bit. That's if you can't afford an Echo, of course - which is pro quality, and only really worth considering if you make your own music and can't stretch to Pro Tools.

There's a huge range of de-noising software out there, most of which does the job adequately, but the Audiophile 2496 comes with good software for this, and is designed for this kind of work

http://www.midiman.net/products/m-audio/audiophile.php

(independent review)

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/maudioaudiophile/

Don't worry that most existing CD players are only 16-bit, the next Gen will be 24-bit, and then you'll have to re-record your albums...

Hope this helps CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[rich110]

Tks CitrixEngineer,

My mini-HiFi doesn't seem to have a line-out. What can I do?

 

[CitrixEngineer]

Cheap option is to get a cable to connect the headphone output of your mini system to your sound card's input. This is not guaranteed to give perfect sound, but will work, with tweaking of the input volume.

Better option is to buy separates - eBay will do, but

a) caveat emptor
b) Whatever the seller says, before you bid, make sure you can buy a new stylus for a turntable separate - and buy one if you win the auction. A worn or damaged stylus affects the sound and kills vinyl.

Otherwise, a Technics SP1210 (or other reasonable deck) combined with your favoured brand amp will do the job perfectly.

You should find that the M-Audio soundcard with a reasonable turntable and amp will fit your original budget and give much better reproduction than your mini hi-fi. Once you've burned your albums to CD, you'll be left with a great setup to enjoy "pure vinyl" once in a while (not forgetting to add some Wharfedales later, of course... )

Of course, I'm an audiophile - if your ears aren't as fussy as mine, then just about any soundcard that allows recording will do the job adequately, teamed with reasonable vinyl-reproduction hardware. Personally, I wouldn't use the mini hi-fi.

Oh, and I second your original idea of swapping out the PC Chips mobo - but only because of my personal experiences of PC Chips!

Hope this is helpful CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[rich110]

Thanks for all your help but I just have to ask a few more stupid questions because I have not been using a real HiFi system for years (My vinyls are all older than 15 years already)

I saw some mini HiFi (sorry for not taking your advise to avoid them) have specs like

Analog In/Out (I know that part)
Digit In/Out ?????
s-terminal (ve heard that before)

Can the digit-out be fed into the line-in of sound card (I guess not but just giving a try) for recording ? What is there inside the s-terminals ? For around US$300-400 I can get SONY at my place (HongKong) /w tape, turner, md, cd which can fit my general usage purpose but I wonder if they can be used for RECOVERING purpose as mention earlier. Just to keep my budget down instead of buying items like seperate amplifier, tuner, cassette deck, md player. I am just going for the music not the perfection behind them. Of course a nice cost/performance ratio will be what all people are after.

I have also heard about people taking care of vinyl warp problem by keeping them between glass slab for a while. How long can this 'while' be ?

 

[CitrixEngineer]

If the digital In/Out is an optical S/PDIF cable, and the sound card you purchase has one, then you're fine - S/PDIF gives full digital transfer, and is a) better than copper cables (RCA), and b) infinitely better than using the headphone socket.

The problem with any method of "de-warping" vinyl is that the grooves may melt - they're already distorted through warping.

I've heard the theory that you can sandwich albums between two sheets of glass, then "bake" them in a pre-heated oven at around 300F for 15-30 seconds.

Ultimately, the best solution is to track down another copy of the record - or, if you're not fussed about the sound and only want the music, to get a CD of it.

Hope this is helpful CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[rich110]

Sounds really terrible about baking the vinyls. I can't get new issues of some of my really old records.

Any site I can go to for learning more about those HiFi stuff? (S-terminal, dts, dolby, SCAD, bra...bra...bra)

 

[CitrixEngineer]

You may not be able to buy new, but, if you buy from a reputable second-hand dealer, you can get good copies.

I replaced my entire Genesis collection from second-hand shops and eBay - but that's giving away my musical tastes!

S/PDIF is the only audio connection you want to worry about;

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci213474,00.html

http://english.aopen.com.tw/tech/techinside/spdif.htm

http://www.andrewkilpatrick.org/projects/spdif/

CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[rich110]

CitrixEngineer

Tks for all the patience.
The old records I am referring to doesn't exist in the open market. They are in the hands of most collectors hands. These records are in local tongue
(ie. cantonese) and that many of the production co. doesn't even exist now. Even if they do, they do not hold any stock, old or new issues. They won't put these records in the production line because they don't expect anyone would go for them. Space is precious here (even after 1998) and they do not want dead stocks to take up their warehouse. OOPs think I am going too far, tks again. Time to do more homework on 'sound'.

 

[ceh4702]

I have seen some reviews of the new M-Audio Revolution with 24 Bit ENVY-24HT chips from Via. They have 7.1 Dolby surround sound. I haven't heard from anyone who has one of these.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.