External Sound Card

Capricorn

Could anyone recommend to me some decent usb soundcards. I haven't had one before so I'm not sure of prices.
I did come across the edirol and m audio range but not sure what is good and what's not. I'll need something that will take a midi keyboard, guitar and a mic.

AlanRatcliffe

Look at the Edirol UA-25 EX or the M-Audio Fast Track Pro. Either have all you need.

BMU

I have the bottom of the range Edirol UA-4FX. Works fine but looking at the one Alan recommends, I wish I'd rather taken that, the price difference doesn't seem much ($200 vs $250 or so?) and it looks much cooler and less like a toy ?

But yeah Edirol is fine, no problems.

FenderBender

I have been using my trusty Alesis IO2 daily for over a year now. No issues whatsoever. Well built. Each of the two channels have mic/line or high Z guitar inputs. Phantom power, MIDI in/out, S/PDIF in/out, headphone out, direct/usb mix pot and effects loops are standard.
Here's what take2 have available: http://more.take2.co.za/usa?deptname=All&qsearch=alesis+io2

FatBoy

My Edirol FA-66 is still up for sale for R3500.00, PM me if you are interested

richardangel

I've worked with quite a large number of sound cards from simple usb adapters to Protools HD systems at college.
I own a behringer bca2000 usb soundcard which on paper is amazing, and actually is amazing - when the audio doesn't cut out on the right channel. and thats the problem, most cheaper soundcards will drive you to distraction with either driver problems, incompatibility issues with software, hiss, something randomly not working... etc. i think its safest to go with a medium priced good quality soundcard - protools, m-audio, edirol all make good soundcards available locally, but try stay away from the very low end models, you will not be happy in the long run.