[linux-audio-user] Re: Cheap USB "soundcards" (resending. Now with subject)

[Hasse Hagen Johansen]

>>>>> "Frank" == Frank Barknecht <fbar at footils.org> writes:

Hi Frank
    Frank> Hallo,
    Frank> Carlo Capocasa hat gesagt: // Carlo Capocasa wrote:

    >> I would generally recommend firewire cards at the moment since
    >> I have the feeling you might at some point use the same device
    >> to start doing something that requires low latency with your
    >> device.

    Frank> But there are no cheap FW cards out there at all, except
    Frank> the Behringer, which isn't supported AFAIK. And latency
    Frank> numbers are irrelevant when listening to music. Plus: Most
    Frank> laptops only have firewire connectors that cannot be used
    Frank> to power the FW soundcard, so you cannot use it without an
    Frank> external power supply.

Yes. They are much  more expensive. I only think I will a firewre card
if I can get hold of a used one cheap. Most of them also use coaxial
spdif instead of toslink. Most of the devices I have use toslink..but
then I have a computer with coax


    Frank> Nice card, dead easy to set up and will play MP3s with
    Frank> acceptable quality (you won't get 24bit/96kHz out of
    Frank> "CD-quality" music anyways, so if listening to that kind of
    Frank> music is your priority, those higher output formats aren't
    Frank> of much use to you). Has 6-channel output so you can even
    Frank> use it for DJing with Mixxx etc. The internal adc/dac is
    Frank> only operating at 20bits, though.

Yes I maybe think the Audiotrak uses a better converter(but then I
lose the toslink spdif input). The distributor of Terratec producer &
Auditrak in Denmark is writing on his page that the audiotrak optoplay
uses the AKM AK4353 DA 24bit/96kHz which he says is the same Terratec
Producer uses

About the cd-quality and 24bit/96kHz. I have seen that some of the
hifi cdplayers(Thule Audio) is actually upsampling in some of the
models and says that by doing that they can make the filters better,
but I don't know is this is just marketing hype

    Frank> I have used the card on stage, but I've upgraded to the
    Frank> Terratec Phase26 by now which has better sound quality
    Frank> because of better converters. However I think the Aureon
    Frank> has a really good price/performance+features ratio that is
    Frank> very hard to beat.

Yes I know the Terratec producers card..have actually recommended
them. A long time ago I had an Terratec EWS 64 XL ;-)

And got my father to buy and MT-88 I think it was called. I actually
like terratec's cards...and that was also the card I found first in my
search

In Denmark the Audiotrak optoplay cost about 66,7 euro & the Terratec
Aurion is 46,7 euro

Thanks for the answers

Hasse