Re: [LAU] Help finding parts for building a hardware system

Regarding balanced versus "RCA" : consider that for computer-djing, or performing on a computer in a place where DJ's might normally play records... the mixer inputs that are at easy reach have RCA jacks (and you may not have time to go spelunking for other inputs if you've got a strict timeslot and a list of performers or DJs.). In such situations, balanced outs not emanating from case-mounted XLR jacks might just be extra one-of-a-kind donglage to break. Maybe other situations in "stage" or studio presents with balanced options -- but it's probably a good idea to have an easy and reliable nonbalanced output available as well (and a ground-lifting power cord for the computer). The one thing I don't like about RCA is if you have any tight fitting jacks on your high-end cables, then the RCA connector on your gear might end up coming loose after a while and/or many connections and disconnections. Ultimatley, nothing beats a nice 3-pin XLR output jack for durability and reliable connection. And easy enough to just hookup one side of the circuit into an RCA or 1/4" phone jack for unbalanced "house" connections. And i'd second the recommendation of the 24/96: lets' not forget the fast MIDI port, digital i/o, and the the built-in digital mixer and it's "zero latency monitoring" provided by the ice1712 chip, all controlled by ability to control ALSA's envy24control and not alsamixer. (or higher end equivalents of this card: Module for Envy24 (ICE1712) based PCI sound cards. * MidiMan M Audio Delta 1010 * MidiMan M Audio Delta 1010LT * MidiMan M Audio Delta DiO 2496 * MidiMan M Audio Delta 66 * MidiMan M Audio Delta 44 * MidiMan M Audio Delta 410 * MidiMan M Audio Audiophile 2496 * TerraTec EWS 88MT * TerraTec EWS 88D * TerraTec EWX 24/96 * TerraTec DMX 6Fire * TerraTec Phase 88 * Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24 * Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24 Value * Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24 Media 7.1 * Event Electronics, EZ8 * Digigram VX442 * Lionstracs, Mediastaton * Terrasoniq TS 88 ) It's too bad the "high end" 1724HT ( http://alsa.cybermirror.org/manuals/icensemble/Envy24HT091DS.pdf ) solutions such as the AudioTrak Prodigy HD2, fine and beautiful as it is, is missing the built-in digital mixer. Last seen in the pre-Via-acquisition 1712 series whose design was in the hands of people more into music than consumer audio: http://alsa.cybermirror.org/manuals/icensemble/envy24.pdf My understanding is that the M Audio Delta 1010 is actually the highest fidelity of the 1712-based lot, in that its rack-mount breakout box actually carries the i2s digital signal between the 1712 sitting on the PCI bus and the mostly analog rackmount box. Within that box the i2s is converted to analog via higher end converters such as AKM AK4393 ( http://www.audioforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1896.html ). And probably, quasi-balanced outs, or did they spring for the extra op amp per output? Oh, and one more thing. Quasi-balanced outs like M-audio does is better from one standpoint -- one less op-amp to color the signal path .... and an assumption that it's a very short cables length from the mixer/monitor destination of those outputs. Balanced audio out means two buffer op-amps whose outputs might be slew-rate limited, twice the noise, and potentially, twice-as many coupling capacitors that respond differently based on signal magnitude, frequency, etc. -- and lets not forget microphonics ( http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=14630 http://www.kyocera.co.jp/prdct/electro/pdf/technical/highcv.pdf http://www.analog.com/library/analogDialogue/Anniversary/21.html ). Only in truly high quality, expensive gear do they do a good job on the balanced outputs: to get the equivalent to consumer/audiophile performance you have to have each op amp with half the noise, twice the slew-rate, many times the bandwidth, significantly more output current (600 ohm load -- potentially all capacitive if it's a long cable). And unfortunately, it's more likely that a compromise w/ true-balanced outs means they'll use two consumer op-amps, two consumer coupling capacitors of the same size, and end up significantly degrading the sound over the equivalent unbalanced "audiophile" gear. At which point you're better off scrapping the other output and going quasi-balanced.... -- Niels http://nielsmayer.com PS: I want my next soundcard to be a gigabit ethernet port. Seriously -- what's the point of firewire, USB etc when we have gigabit ethernet and we can use that to hookup audio gear with cheap ethernet-to-RCA dongles anywhere you need a pair of audio channels.. i know ... crazy idea using an old standard that's been used for decades for delivery of realtime information, guaranteed quality of service connections, etc. PPS: likewise, i want my next MIDI port to be an ethernet port with some MIDI jacks that talks ipMIDI and then use http://qmidinet.sourceforge.net to talk to your ethernet-connected midi devices via alsa).