M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI Digital Audio Card (Standard) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've owned a few of these and currently have one in my DAW. These cards are great entry level sound cards for production work. They're simple with only two channels in and out and midi-in and midi-out. It also support SPDIF however I never use it.

VSTI round trip times on a well tuned system can be as low as 12ms which is pretty good for a card at this price level. One thing I've noticed is that this card performs best when doing production work at 96kHz @ 24bit resolution. Anything more or less than this tends to yield poorer results.

Audio quality is great, though my only complaint is that this card uses RCA connectors rather than balanced 1/4" or XLR. This is a shame since the better Delta 1010 is based on the same processor.

Lastly note that if you're going taking an unbalanced audio signal in or out of this card from another source, there is a good possibility of having an audible `hum' from ground loop problems. This can be fixed quiet easily with a group loop isolator.

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Product Description:
The M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI Digital Audio Card gives you 2 analog ins and 2 outs on RCA jacks plus S/PPIF for total of 4 ins and 4 outs of high-quality I/O. Channels support 24-bit data width and any sampling rate from 8kHz to 96kHz. Compatible with all major programs running on PCs and Macs. Coaxial outputs are Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound capable, making the Audiophile perfect for digital recording, analog or digital transfers, mixing and mastering, as well as DVD and home theater applications. Connect a line-level signal from your instrument, mixer, or preamp; or plug the record outputs of your stereo receiver into the analog RCA jacks located on the PCI card. Record digital audio signals from your DAT, MiniDisc, CD, or external A/D converter via the coaxial S/PDIF input located on the break-out cable. The Audiophile 2496 comes with Ableton Lite 4 Music production software so you can start creating right out of the box!

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PPA 1455 - Sound card - 48 kHz - 5.1 - USB Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you play a DVD with 5.1 channel surround sound on your computer, this box can decode it to give you the 6 analog channels. Surprisingly, the optical link would have only the L/R channels.Why they would strip part of the digital audio and not let people simply pass it on to a home audio system is hard to understand. Unfortunately, that was the reason I bought this device, and I missed the fine prints.I saw the heading "6 Channel External Sound" and that it has optical output, never imagined that the 6 channel sound was only in analog and not in digital. This caveat is stated in the last line of the description, very easy to overlook if you're not looking for it, especially when you don't think that anyone would design it that way. So I have to return this one and get something else.

Other than this deficiency, this external sound card works just fine with my Vista64 HP laptop. The software installation was easy, no conflict with the internal nVideo audio. They coexist just fine, but you do have to go into Control_Panel/Sound to select which one is the default device. Some media player would feed audio to both devices, but many would only serve the default one.

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Product Description:
Can your PC deliver 5.1 channel surround sound from the videos you're streaming? Or from your games? If your answer is "No", buying the PPA 1455 USB 6 Channel External Sound Adapter will let you say "Yes"!

Need to upgrade your PC sound system? It's simpler than you might imagine. You don't need any tools. Simply add the PPA 1455 USB 6 Channel External Sound Adapter to an available USB port on your desktop or notebook PC. While many people focus on upgrading video, many ignore the improvements in sound over the last few years. More people are downloading music, streaming Internet radio, and even streaming video. This sound adapter lets you add an optional 5.1 channel speaker system so you can listen to surround sound from websites and your DVD collection. If you use your PC for TV reception, this adapter is ready for Dolby Digital HDTV sound. Skype your friends and family (Skype is a virtual free PC-based phone service) and share. Tell them what a great adapter this is and how it really improves the sound output from your PC.
Plug n'Play allows you to connect the device to your PC right out of the box without having to read a long and boring instruction manual. There is also the feature of Hot Swappable, which you don't have to reboot your PC to connect/disconnect the external sound adapter. It is powered directly by an available USB port on your PC. No external power source required. It's a really simple way to upgrade.Only R, L channels PCM audio in 5.1 channels can be conveyed in digital playback mode Plug n'Play Hot swappable Compliant with USB Specification v1.1 Compliant with USB audio device class v1.0 Supports USB full speed up to 12Mbps serial data transmission USB bus power (through one available USB port to directly power the device) Supports multi-channel audio codec interface for 6-channel playback Requirement - Pentium or equivalent PCWindows ME

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Diamond XtremeSound 7.1/24 bit Sound Card ( XS71 ) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I left Creative's sound blaster USB because they did not support Vista; I searched Amazon and found The Diamond by searching for "Vista sound Cards", I ordered it overnight, it arrived, but the software did not work with Vista although the generic windows driver does.

I called Diamond, because the card inside said "Do not return to vendor call us first."I did and was told, impatiently, that the box did not say Vista and that I should return it to Amazon.

So I am going to keep it, it does work, where the Creative did not.I received about half of what I thought I had bought.

Amazon showed this under a Vista search, Diamond was rude.The hassel of returning it and starting over, is too much.

So Cavet Emptor - be careful, make sure it is what you want, if it does not say Vista do not buy it no matter what the website claims.

Diamond has performed well in the past.

And, yes, I should have been more careful, I was too easily misled, by my pressing need for sound, and my desire to get on with it.

Ken

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Product Description:
1.Diamond Xtreme Sound allows the user to experience high level, theater quality sound while watching videos, listening to music, and playing games all in true 7.1 channel surround sound. This is an essential upgrade for anyone interested in increasing their computer audio experience while freeing up valuable computer system resources.2.Features - 24bit/96KHz Playback.8 Channel Audio Output.Karaoke Support.10 Band Equalizer with Presets.Easy Connection to Home Audio Equipment.Special Effects Including Concert Hall and More.Total DVD Theater Surround Sound Experience.

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