[linux-audio-dev] Soundcard spotting (was Re: image problem [was Re: [Alsa-devel] help for a levelmeter])

[Peter L Jones]

On Tuesday 22 Oct 2002 22:07, Kai Vehmanen wrote:
Kai,

Many thanks for the reply.

> On Tue, 22 Oct 2002, Peter L Jones wrote:
> > I don't want to have to learn about DSPs and stuff to be able to identify
> > a _good_ sound card.  I've currently got a shortlist for my next machine:
> > * MidiMan Delta Audiophile 2496 (Envy24)
> >   * Creative SB PCI 128 (ES1371)
>
> I've used both of these extensively with JACK and numerous other ALSA apps
> and they work really well (full-duplex, low-latency use). Other
> soundcards/chipsets that I've used:
>

Heh.  Now, one of these I have in my machine ((PII vintage) Celeron 400) 
already.  The other would set me back £150.  Your comment makes me think 
there's little to choose between them.  So, simply upgrading my soundcard 
from a £15 low end consumer-oriented unit to something costing 10 times the 
price looks like getting me nothing.  Or am I missing something? :-(

> - snd-intel8x0 (nice chipset, is suitable for low-latency use)
> - snd-cs4281 (good for low-latency although has a max two-interrupts
>               per buffer limitation which can confuse apps)
> - GUS MAX (this very, very old ISA-card can still beat a number of
>   today's crappy chipsets... I don't know whether to cry or laugh ;))

I noticed that the ENS1371 seems to have a better rating on one site I looked 
than to EMU10K, so this doesn't surprise me!

>
> Cards that I have no personal experience with, but I've heard very
> good things about:
>
> - RME Digi9652
>
> Beware:
>
> - SB AWE models (ugh, crap!)
> - Yamaha YMF7xx/DS-XG (some have reported that these work ok,
>   but in any case they have a max 3 periods limitation
>   similar to cs4281, which can confuse apps)
>
> All in all, most of the PCI-cards supported by ALSA have fairly good
> drivers.

But how do I compare one card with another?  What should I be looking for?  
How can I tell which will reduce the load on my computer and which will 
increase the load?  Is there any difference?