M-Audio Audiophile USB (is this good?)

[Elvio Neto]

im a music production fan for quite some time now (nothing too serious, just like a hobby and for fun) i tested all production software since 1997/1998

im going to start to buy some new pc hardware

my first acquisition was some studio headphones Audiotechnica (they are exelent and im very happy with them)

now im going to buy one decent (not expensive) soundcard , and build a new pc too

anyone here used the M-Audio Audiophile USB ? is this fair for the price they cost? i want something cheap and reasonable

the price is good at Ze Mig L shop http://www.mk2.pt/produto.php?id=549 and i cant spend more than this for now

i always heard bad things about USB soundcards (pops and clicks on sound, even listem mp3 and that kind of stuff)

i choose one M-Audio product becouse im interested in try Protools too


this is my actual system (just for laughs haha , i build this pc myself in 2004 so is very old)

P4 3200MHZ (socket 478)

2GB RAM ( twinmos dualchannel 400mhz)

board asrock (i burned one MSI and one ASUS)

1 hard drive seagate barracuda SATA 160GB

1 hard drive western digital IDE 160GB

soundcard Audigy 2 ZS

Graphic card Nvidia 7600GT 256mb AGP


i run windows XP SP3 and Mac OSX 10.4.11 on this machine... (sonar 7.02 on windows hard disc and Logic 8.02 on mac hard disc)



in the end of this month i will have something like this:

processor quad core or better (Best Price/Value)

4Gb ram

2x 320 harddrive or better (Best Price/Value)

M-Audio Audiophile USB


studio monitors only in a near future , i dont have money for nothing more now



thanks in advance guys ;)

[The_Laughing_Man]

I have an M Audio Firewire Audiophile you can have for 60 quid before I shove it on ebay, although the postage to portugal might add a good few quid.

It`s a reliable and solid soundcard and has never let me down, and I`ve played live pa`s everywhere on it as Dirty Bass and Voidloss.

[Elvio Neto]

thanks Dirty Bass but the soundcard will be a christmas present from my family in lisbon (i live 300 Kilometers away south)

if the soundcard is reliable and solid my question now is if i will have troubles with USB

anyone here use USB soundcards? its really true sometimes the sound jumps forward or have breaks? (maybe the posts i read about USB soundcards problems are becouse of old and slow computers)

[morbid]

Hi mate - I have a usb card - Novation Nio - very cheap and Im really happy with it - no problems at all and its USB 1.1!


As long as the drivers are stable you shouldnt get a problem with latency or pops / clicks. Dont know about the particular card you mention but M Audio stuff is normaly fairly solid.

Id reccomend the Nio though if your on a budget - its all I could afford at the time but am well happy with it. Its about the same price you are looking for.

link here ... http://www.thomann.de/pt/novation_nio_24.htm

and manufacturers website ... www.novationmusic.com

Saying all that - Ive never had a firewire card to compare to

[The_Laughing_Man]

thanks Dirty Bass but the soundcard will be a christmas present from my family in lisbon (i live 300 Kilometers away south)

if the soundcard is reliable and solid my question now is if i will have troubles with USB

anyone here use USB soundcards? its really true sometimes the sound jumps forward or have breaks? (maybe the posts i read about USB soundcards problems are becouse of old and slow computers)

I just wouldn`t recommend USB for sound at all.

If it has to be external, then firewire is the best bet.

[BloodStar]

why do you want external soundcard when you will use it just for desktop? or do you plan to take it to gigs with your laptop?

i would deffinitelly go for PCI soundcard.

this one is much better than audiophile>
http://www.thomann.de/gb/emu_1212m_digitalaudiosystem.htm

[Elvio Neto]

thanks bloodstar i know there is very good pci soundcards out there and cheaper than USB or Firewire

but i use MAC OSX on my pc too , and there is no pci soundcards on mac... (mac uses another type of slots) the pci soundcards will not get detected on OSX... (only USB or FIREWIRE works)

[The_Laughing_Man]

Save the money and get the Mackie Onyx Stellite Firwire soundcard.
It`s outrageously amazing for the money.
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop/flypage/product_id/19920

£114 and still dropping.

It`s soooooo good at that price you`d have to be mad blind stupid and crippled with herpes not to get it.

[TechMouse]

It`s soooooo good at that price you`d have to be mad blind stupid and crippled with herpes not to get it.

And I was so interested too... :(

[Elvio Neto]

thanks Dirty Bass looks good , im watching a youtube video about it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6IYo6ErLUk

[The_Laughing_Man]

I moved over to using one of these for my live pa, and this thing is SOLID as phuck.
The sound is pure silk too

[herman]

I'll 2nd the Mackie there is not much near it for the price.

[The_Laughing_Man]

I'll 2nd the Mackie there is not much near it for the price.


I`m fairly sure it was you who put me onto the mackie in the first place.
I don`t think there is anything near it for that price.
Insano price-a-rama
http://www.dv247.com/invt/36114/
£99.57!!!!!

Even if it is digital village, the village of arrogance

[judas_beast]

that is cheap!

/buys one!