Recommend a PC sound card that has Creative ASIO support?

[Newc]

Just got the FXpansion BFD drum thing, and it requires a soundcard that supports ASIO, which mine doesn't.

I was poking through Creative's site, but suddenly started getting "Service Not Available" error pages.

Are there any other cards out there for about $100 that handle it? I'm not running a professional recording studio, so 2ms delay times don't matter to me, and I'm not going $300+ just to use the same card the pros do.

[buzzsaww]

I just picked up an Audigy 2 platinum here on closeout with all the goodies for under $50. PCI not the USB type. You could go with an EMU 0404 they should be around $100. Creative owns EMU these days I didn't know till after I bought the card.

[kuerbo]

You better get an Maudio card Newc, like the audiophile or even a Delta 44, those shouldn't be expensive and kick Creative where the sun doesn't shine, lol!

[marcus]

You can also get some versions of the Creative X-FI for $100 or less these days too. It won't have the IO breakout box like an Audigy 2 platinum would, but the audio processing on the X-Fi is quite good. I actually use it to do recording and the high signal to noise ratio and sampling rates help out quite a bit here. Its not pro-level, but I would say its a good amateur/hobbyist card. I have also heard good things about Maudio cards, but I haven't used one myself.

[Shawn Lutz]

I think I still have an M-Audio 2496 card laying around Matt if your interested.

[thez0r]

I put in a X-fi "extreme music" a few months ago and couldn't be happier. Sale price is dirt cheap I got mine for $69 after a Creative Labs rebate.

If "pro" cards are out of your budget I can't see how you can go wrong with one of these.

[Spivonious]

If you do decide on a Creative card, bear in mind that currently only the X-Fi line, and only the non-"Xtreme Music" variants, has full support in Windows Vista. Just food for thought.

[Newc]

Not running Vista, so I'm not worried about that.

Shawn: I looked up the 2496, and it's got RCA outs only, but my Behringer monitors can accept TRS inputs. If I run RCA-to-TRS cables (each cable has its own single-RCA and TRS connectors) from the card will it output Mono or split the signal from each output to both the tip and the ring?

Currently I'm going into my monitors with just Tip/Sleeve (mono) cables, but would rather have the signal split to take advantage of the internal crossovers (so I don't burn out the tweeter by pushing bass through it).

Behringer is no help at all with cable or even cable-type recommendations - I guess they expect people to take a Master Class on Audio Engineering?

[thez0r]

Not running Vista, so I'm not worried about that.

Shawn: I looked up the 2496, and it's got RCA outs only, but my Behringer monitors can accept TRS inputs. If I run RCA-to-TRS cables (each cable has its own single-RCA and TRS connectors) from the card will it output Mono or split the signal from each output to both the tip and the ring?

Currently I'm going into my monitors with just Tip/Sleeve (mono) cables, but would rather have the signal split to take advantage of the internal crossovers (so I don't burn out the tweeter by pushing bass through it).

Behringer is no help at all with cable or even cable-type recommendations - I guess they expect people to take a Master Class on Audio Engineering?

If you are looking for a good TRS in/out card I used to use an "Echo Mia" PCI card to get a balanced L+R TRS input and L+R TRS outputs. It can do unbalanced too if you chose to change things around. I'm not really sure what you are after exactly.

[Newc]

Well, to be as detailed as I can:

Here's what I've got:

- SB Live 5.1 Digital PCI card that has one 1/8" TRS (stereo) Line Input and two 1/8" TRS (stereo) Outputs which run to two speaker setups: one is a standard PC 3-piece set (L/R/Sub) and the other is two Behringer Truth monitors which have built-in crossovers which are capable of splitting the signal so I don't push bass frequencies through the tweeter. However, when I connect 1/8" TRS-to-1/4" TRS cables from either output of the card to the monitors I get a very wide, weak signal but it sounds like I'm only getting either Left Or Right, since there are things missing (like solos that are panned hard either left/right).

It's set up right now with a 1/8" TRS-to-RCA Y-cable with each side running to an RCA-to-1/4" Tip/Sleeve (mono) cable into each monitor and I'm getting the full mix, but I'm pushing bass through the tweeters.

I'm looking for a PCI sound card that has the following:

- 1/8" TRS (stereo) Input
- At least 1 Output jack that is either 1/8" TRS (stereo) OR 2 separate RCA jacks that are both able to send a signal that my Behringer monitors can separate so I'm pumping bass through the monitor's woofer only, not the tweeter, AND retain the full mix.

I did pick up an Audigy SE card at WalMart tonight, but it doesn't support ASIO either, so it looks like I just screwed myself. As well, it doesn't have a joystick port so there goes my MIDI cable. I've got something blowing my USB ports up so I doubt I'll be able to use the M-Audio USB midi thing I've got.

[Newc]

I shoulda spent just a tad more time on Creative's site:

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=618&subcategory=637&product=15595

SWEET! On sale, ASIO support, AND it's got Firewire ports for my video capture box. The add-in card I'm using now for Firewire ports is apparently what's taking out my USB ports, so hopefully this will fix that

$150 off the normal retail - not bad IMO.

[buzzsaww]

That's like a step up from the one I bought.

I shoulda spent just a tad more time on Creative's site:

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=618&subcategory=637&product=15595

SWEET! On sale, ASIO support, AND it's got Firewire ports for my video capture box. The add-in card I'm using now for Firewire ports is apparently what's taking out my USB ports, so hopefully this will fix that

$150 off the normal retail - not bad IMO.

[danastas]

If you are looking for a good TRS in/out card I used to use an "Echo Mia" PCI card to get a balanced L+R TRS input and L+R TRS outputs. It can do unbalanced too if you chose to change things around. I'm not really sure what you are after exactly.

I'd go with Echo too.

Most of the Creative stuff is really geared toward gamers. But, really, for most of us, it might not make a difference. That being said, Echo's stuff is much better than Creative, and more expensive.

I just bought the Echo AudioFire2 for "cheap" at $179.99.

I had the Audigy2 before it.