Audio interface/Sound card advice?

[Dave Nutt]

Anyone have any advice about PC sound cards?
The one in my PC is about 6 years old, had a mate listen to some music on there and he reckons I need to put a new card in.
I know next to nothing about PCs and when challenged neither does he.lol.
So questions-
What should I be looking at to get decent sound?
Are they easy to install? - (remembering Im a complete novice) I did install a CD writer a few years ago, it worked.

I noticed on the internet that external sound cards/audio interfaces are available, would this be the way to go?
Any help advice would be welcome.
Dave.

[Dave Boothroyd]

If your PC has USB ports, I'd buy an external sound card.
If it hasn't and your PC has a spare PCI slot (and you know how to find out whether it has or not) your best bet might be to buy a PCI USB card to the PC, then all of the other delights of USB like memory sticks, USB microphones, Digital cameras etc. etc.etc.... will be open to you as well as your soundcard.
And Yes, they are very easy to install. You normally have to fit four screws when you fit an optical drive. It only takes one to fit a PCI card.
Incidentally, there are more modern things than PCI, PCIe for example, but it is likely that a six year old PC won't have PCie. Plus the older PCI cards are cheaper.
Cheers
Dave

[David Roberts]

Most external sound cards are designed more towards being audio interfaces than high quality sound cards. Also be aware that some of them use the CPU to do most of the processing, so can slow down your PC.
I use an internal 'Creative' sound card which I find very good, but the 'Asus Xonar' range are better for purely musical uses, although they tend to be expensive. M-audio do sound cards and interfaces but once again most of them are fairly pricey.
Really it's a case of balancing the quality against the cost.
Fitting the cards, assuming there's room on the motherboard, is not difficult and there's plenty of online help.

[Dave Nutt]

Dave's B&R
Thanks, thats quite usefull info.
I do have USB ports and use them for my camera etc.
The reason I asked the question - At present Im recording using a Tascam DP02 mini studio set up, getting reasonable results but I have been thinking about going down the PC recording route, the mentioned mate of mine told me that the card I have in the PC at the moment wasnt good enough (I have to admit when I use Band in a Box the playback does sound a bit naff) and that if I wanted to use the PC I would have to get some kind of interface. So! one with a decent sound card would be a way to go?
Dave.

[David Roberts]

Everyone who answers your query is probably going to give you a different answer, not because any of them are wrong, but because each person will have a different system which works for them.
My computer started off as a cheap gaming system which gradually got upgraded and to which I added a Creative sound card which gives excellent sound when listening to music.
For recording however I have a Line 6 KB37 which connects through USB. This has its own sound card which overides the system card when it is plugged in. The advantage for me is that, not only does it come with basic recording software, but it also has a large number of amp and effects simulations built in. This means that, as someone who has been playing pedal steel for two months, I can practice at all hours, wearing headphones, without driving my wife, dogs and neighbours screaming into the street.It also seems to work well with Band in a Box.

[IanPearce]

Dave!
I'll say just this:
If you buy a new soundcard, do so from a good music store - not a computer retailer. A music store should have the right product and the right advice.
Ian

[David Roberts]

I would agree with Ian on this. There are music retailers who specialize in this sort of thing and can give you very good advice.
Just be aware that the prices can vary a great deal from store to store.

David R

[Dave Nutt]

It certainly seems that way, I have been browsing the net today looking at different interfaces, massive difference in prices .

[IanPearce]

If it helps, I'm very happy with my "M-Audio audiophile 2496". It uses an internal pci slot.
Whatever you buy, first make a list of all the features you need. An apparently all singing, all dancing soundcard can turn out to have a key feature missing which you only notice after buying.
Ian

[Dave Nutt]

Cheers Ian,
Im looking at the M audio 2496, still not sure if PC is the way for me to go but will certainly look at that model in more detail
I just might be picking your brain, if I do go for it.
Dave.