looking for advice on buying a card

looking for advice on buying a card

[Dmitri Seletski]

Hello Guys
I am thinking to buy pci express sound card. Nothing fancy, just
something with dolby surround 7.1 and decent sound quality, rather
inexpensive, i am not audiophile.

I have noticed that there are not that many sound cards out there which
have descent support in Linux(unlike many forums claim). I have had
MAJOR problems with pci xfi card from creative labs(fatality gamers
edition), my buddy still has a lot of problem with it, like major issues
with input. No mic - no skype or other voip, you know yourself...

I have found source of asus xonar dx(namely ebay), it is not that
expensive compared to many other pci express cards out there, still is
expensive enough, from alsa matrix it appears to be quite descent.
Question is, is it worth buying? Is it painful to get it
running?(probably nothing unusual, matter of loading module), does it
work fully(does microphone work, does surround sound 7.1 work?)?
 Is there something better for similar money?(EUR 73 or £65 or $97)
Please do not propose incompletely supported cards(while i wouldn't mind
submitting issues to mail lists if i come across bugs, i wouldn't want
product that doesn't work)

I appreciate any comments.

Thank you in advance.
Dmitri

Re: [Alsa-user] looking for advice on buying a card

[Bill Unruh]

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On Sat, 2 May 2009, Dmitri Seletski wrote:

> Hello Guys
> I am thinking to buy pci express sound card. Nothing fancy, just
> something with dolby surround 7.1 and decent sound quality, rather
> inexpensive, i am not audiophile.

Exactly why do you want 7.1? How do you listen to your soundcard? What do you
listen to?

>
> I have noticed that there are not that many sound cards out there which
> have descent support in Linux(unlike many forums claim). I have had

You have done a survey?



> MAJOR problems with pci xfi card from creative labs(fatality gamers
> edition), my buddy still has a lot of problem with it, like major issues
> with input. No mic - no skype or other voip, you know yourself...

Which version of alsa?

>
> I have found source of asus xonar dx(namely ebay), it is not that
> expensive compared to many other pci express cards out there, still is
> expensive enough, from alsa matrix it appears to be quite descent.
> Question is, is it worth buying? Is it painful to get it
> running?(probably nothing unusual, matter of loading module), does it
> work fully(does microphone work, does surround sound 7.1 work?)?
> Is there something better for similar money?(EUR 73 or £65 or $97)
> Please do not propose incompletely supported cards(while i wouldn't mind
> submitting issues to mail lists if i come across bugs, i wouldn't want
> product that doesn't work)
>
> I appreciate any comments.
>
> Thank you in advance.
> Dmitri
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> _______________________________________________
> Alsa-user mailing list
> Alsa-user@lists.sourceforge.net
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/alsa-user
>

-- 
William G. Unruh   |  Canadian Institute for|     Tel: +1(604)822-3273
Physics&Astronomy  |     Advanced Research  |     Fax: +1(604)822-5324
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Re: looking for advice on buying a card

[gary]

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Having spent an ungodly obscene amount of time trying to get two 
different USB audio cards to work in 64 bit opensuse, I suggest not 
trying to be a pioneer. I solved my need for multiple sound cards 
(exceeding the number of PCI slots I have) by using a PCI bridge.

For one soundcard, you can try thing:
http://www.siig.com/ViewProduct.aspx?pn=JJ-000111-S1
It doesn't list linux in support unfortunately. However, the latest 
linux kernal might recognize the card. Then pick a soundcard from the 
list of supported devices.

For my particular situation, I bought a Magma PCI expander on ebay. I 
plugged it in and it worked with the soundcards I had on hand (Diamond 
5.1 using C-Media chipset). With the shipping, it worked out to be about 
$39 a PCI slot. [My time, about 10 minutes, not counting searching 
ebay.] Thus the price for the SIIG seems reasonable if you only need to 
run one card. However, I can't vouch it will work. The Magma boxes do 
work, but are obscenely expensive new and bulky.



Dmitri Seletski wrote:
> Hello Guys
> I am thinking to buy pci express sound card. Nothing fancy, just
> something with dolby surround 7.1 and decent sound quality, rather
> inexpensive, i am not audiophile.
> 
> I have noticed that there are not that many sound cards out there which
> have descent support in Linux(unlike many forums claim). I have had
> MAJOR problems with pci xfi card from creative labs(fatality gamers
> edition), my buddy still has a lot of problem with it, like major issues
> with input. No mic - no skype or other voip, you know yourself...
> 
> I have found source of asus xonar dx(namely ebay), it is not that
> expensive compared to many other pci express cards out there, still is
> expensive enough, from alsa matrix it appears to be quite descent.
> Question is, is it worth buying? Is it painful to get it
> running?(probably nothing unusual, matter of loading module), does it
> work fully(does microphone work, does surround sound 7.1 work?)?
>  Is there something better for similar money?(EUR 73 or £65 or $97)
> Please do not propose incompletely supported cards(while i wouldn't mind
> submitting issues to mail lists if i come across bugs, i wouldn't want
> product that doesn't work)
> 
> I appreciate any comments.
> 
> Thank you in advance.
> Dmitri
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Register Now & Save for Velocity, the Web Performance & Operations 
> Conference from O'Reilly Media. Velocity features a full day of 
> expert-led, hands-on workshops and two days of sessions from industry 
> leaders in dedicated Performance & Operations tracks. Use code vel09scf 
> and Save an extra 15% before 5/3. http://p.sf.net/sfu/velocityconf
> _______________________________________________
> Alsa-user mailing list
> Alsa-user@lists.sourceforge.net
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/alsa-user
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
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> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
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> 

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Re: [Alsa-user] looking for advice on buying a card

[Dmitri Seletski]

Hi Gary.

Well, thank you for the idea, but i somehow not comfortable with it.

I have to buy this thing, even if it's inexpensive, i will have to pay
good amount of money for delivery. I am looking around 20 euro, not
counting price for device itself. Than again, i have to buy new card and
pay for delivery  there. To make things worse, none xfi sound cards are
no longer produced by creative labs and i really don't like idea of
second hand sound cards(even though  you have to be very skillful to
break one of those).

So it simply makes sense to pay a bit extra(i was loosing those money
with that pcie to pci extentsion and its delivery anyway) but to get
that card I was referring before, Asus Xonar DX
I know it's supported by alsa, because of this:
http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Vendor-Asus
I am just double checking, since this specific card is really promising
one and i really feel like buying one.
But again, i am opened for other options.

Thanks a lot for your thoughts. I have kinda got used to USB cards by
now myself and all those troubles they cause :)

gary wrote:
> Having spent an ungodly obscene amount of time trying to get two
> different USB audio cards to work in 64 bit opensuse, I suggest not
> trying to be a pioneer. I solved my need for multiple sound cards
> (exceeding the number of PCI slots I have) by using a PCI bridge.
>
> For one soundcard, you can try thing:
> http://www.siig.com/ViewProduct.aspx?pn=JJ-000111-S1
> It doesn't list linux in support unfortunately. However, the latest
> linux kernal might recognize the card. Then pick a soundcard from the
> list of supported devices.
>
> For my particular situation, I bought a Magma PCI expander on ebay. I
> plugged it in and it worked with the soundcards I had on hand (Diamond
> 5.1 using C-Media chipset). With the shipping, it worked out to be
> about $39 a PCI slot. [My time, about 10 minutes, not counting
> searching ebay.] Thus the price for the SIIG seems reasonable if you
> only need to run one card. However, I can't vouch it will work. The
> Magma boxes do work, but are obscenely expensive new and bulky.
>
>
>
> Dmitri Seletski wrote:
>> Hello Guys
>> I am thinking to buy pci express sound card. Nothing fancy, just
>> something with dolby surround 7.1 and decent sound quality, rather
>> inexpensive, i am not audiophile.
>>
>> I have noticed that there are not that many sound cards out there which
>> have descent support in Linux(unlike many forums claim). I have had
>> MAJOR problems with pci xfi card from creative labs(fatality gamers
>> edition), my buddy still has a lot of problem with it, like major issues
>> with input. No mic - no skype or other voip, you know yourself...
>>
>> I have found source of asus xonar dx(namely ebay), it is not that
>> expensive compared to many other pci express cards out there, still is
>> expensive enough, from alsa matrix it appears to be quite descent.
>> Question is, is it worth buying? Is it painful to get it
>> running?(probably nothing unusual, matter of loading module), does it
>> work fully(does microphone work, does surround sound 7.1 work?)?
>>  Is there something better for similar money?(EUR 73 or £65 or $97)
>> Please do not propose incompletely supported cards(while i wouldn't mind
>> submitting issues to mail lists if i come across bugs, i wouldn't want
>> product that doesn't work)
>>
>> I appreciate any comments.
>>
>> Thank you in advance.
>> Dmitri
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Register Now & Save for Velocity, the Web Performance & Operations
>> Conference from O'Reilly Media. Velocity features a full day of
>> expert-led, hands-on workshops and two days of sessions from industry
>> leaders in dedicated Performance & Operations tracks. Use code
>> vel09scf and Save an extra 15% before 5/3.
>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/velocityconf
>> _______________________________________________
>> Alsa-user mailing list
>> Alsa-user@lists.sourceforge.net
>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/alsa-user
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database:
>> 270.12.13/2091 - Release Date: 05/01/09 17:52:00
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
> Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.12.15/2093 - Release Date: 05/02/09 14:23:00
>
>   

Re: looking for advice on buying a card

[Clemens Ladisch]

Dmitri Seletski wrote:
> I am thinking to buy pci express sound card.

The Asus Xonar cards are the only supported PCI-E cards.

> Nothing fancy,

That rules out the D2X.

> just something with dolby surround 7.1

Now the only choice is the DX.

> Is it painful to get it running?

No, it's standard PCI Plug&Play.

> does it work fully(does microphone work, does surround sound 7.1 work?)?

Yes.

> Is there something better for similar money?

There is nothing else (assuming that you do not want to pay more for the
D2X just to get an S/PDIF input and colorful LEDs in the jacks).


Best regards,
Clemens

Re: looking for advice on buying a card

[Dmitri Seletski]

Thank you very much!!!!
Stuff is ordered :)))
you just made my day. thank everybody for you time and advices. knowledge i
got will not be in vain!

On Tue, May 5, 2009 at 9:10 AM, Clemens Ladisch <clemens@ladisch.de> wrote:

> Dmitri Seletski wrote:
> > I am thinking to buy pci express sound card.
>
> The Asus Xonar cards are the only supported PCI-E cards.
>
> > Nothing fancy,
>
> That rules out the D2X.
>
> > just something with dolby surround 7.1
>
> Now the only choice is the DX.
>
> > Is it painful to get it running?
>
> No, it's standard PCI Plug&Play.
>
> > does it work fully(does microphone work, does surround sound 7.1 work?)?
>
> Yes.
>
> > Is there something better for similar money?
>
> There is nothing else (assuming that you do not want to pay more for the
> D2X just to get an S/PDIF input and colorful LEDs in the jacks).
>
>
> Best regards,
> Clemens
>