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Jacek Poplawski

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2006-01-10

Posts: 736

Website

what is the best soundcard for Linux?

What soundcard would you recommend to buy?

I was thinking that Audigy is best choice, but then I looked on ALSA website, and found out that most of Audigy is not supported or mostly unsupported (lack of capture?!).

Currently I use SB Live 1024, I want to have something better, without so much noise on inputs.

T-Dawg

Forum Fellow

From: Charlotte, NC

Registered: 2005-01-29

Posts: 2,736

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

I have SB Audigy2 ZS which works fine. Uses emu10k1 driver.

Jacek Poplawski

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2006-01-10

Posts: 736

Website

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

What do you think about M-audio Audiophile 2496?

Borosai

Member

From: Sandy Appendix, U.S.A.

Registered: 2006-06-15

Posts: 227

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

I have an M-Audio Audiophile 2496, and it works well (module = snd_ice1712). The only problem (which may not actually be a problem, I'm not sure) is that there is no Master or PCM channel in AlsaMixer, so applications give error messages when trying to find them. I use soft mixers anyway, so it doesn't affect me too much, but I would like to find a solution. Otherwise, the sound and support are great.

Jacek Poplawski

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2006-01-10

Posts: 736

Website

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

Borosai what kind of speakers do you use?

Borosai

Member

From: Sandy Appendix, U.S.A.

Registered: 2006-06-15

Posts: 227

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

At the moment, I use RCA cables to connect the sound card to my mixer (both in and out). From the mixer, I get sound through my headphones or a pair of studio monitors. I'm sure you've looked at the card online, but it's main output is an RCA connection. If you attach the extra cable, you get MIDI and S/PDIF connections. So if you are going to use regular computer speakers, you would need to get an adapter (RCA to 1/8" jack), which is what I used to use before adding the mixer.

[vEX]

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2006-11-23

Posts: 450

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

I got an older M-Audio DiO 2448 and it's working fine, it's based on the C-Media 8738 chipset. The X-Fi cards aren't supported under Linux yet I've been told so you should avoid those.

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Romashka

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2005-12-07

Posts: 1,054

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

I sold almost everything of my old PC except old good SB Live! 5.1 which is the first EMU10K1-based card.

You should only look at cards that support hardware mixing.
See ALSA Soundcard Matrix for details before buying any soundcard.

Note also that not all SB Live! and Audigy cards are based on EMU10K1 or EMU10K2 chip (and thus doesn't support hardware mixing)!

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Jacek Poplawski

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2006-01-10

Posts: 736

Website

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

Romashka, I have SB Live, I wrote in in my post, I read ALSA website, I wrote it in my post. I don't like SB Live crappy quality and that's why I want to change it after many years.

Romashka

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2005-12-07

Posts: 1,054

Re: what is the best soundcard for Linux?

I read ALSA website, I wrote it in my post.

Sorry, I was reading not very carefully. :oops:
My words were addressed not to you personally, just as comments.

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