home studio using SB

[rkruz]

My PC is the center for everything I do.
I do a bit of recording of guitar over backing tracks and some voice recording too.

I use the Soundblaster Value card that came with the Dell I have. It seems to do the job ok for me. All my sounds, guitar, voice etc are mixed into that card then output through the power amp and speakers.

Does the analog pass through on the SB card cause signal degration. SHould I play my guitar through a seperate amp and just use the SB do digitize for recording?

Any thougts appreciated.

[MichaelK]

Originally posted by rkruz
SHould I play my guitar through a seperate amp and just use the SB do digitize for recording?
As opposed to what?

[rkruz]

"All my sounds, guitar, voice etc are mixed into that card then output through the power amp and speakers.

Does the analog pass through on the SB card cause signal degration. SHould I play my guitar through a seperate amp and just use the SB do digitize for recording?"

[Bassomatic]

The SB stuff is pretty horrid for converting signals to digital.

[MichaelK]

If what you're doing was clear, I wouldn't have asked. But that's OK, you'll figure it out.

[tedm]

first, what SB card is it, what model?

what drivers are you using? If they're the WDM default drivers from the windows OS and on some of the card's cd-roms, your analog pass through could be digital as soon as it hits the line in of the card, the WDM drivers do automatic sample rate conversion so it might appear to be an analog pass through.

In any case, if you're on a budget, go to at least the SB Live which is down to $19 or so, and if you can, go to the 1212m EMU line $199, but still a steal.


Originally posted by rkruz
"All my sounds, guitar, voice etc are mixed into that card then output through the power amp and speakers.

Does the analog pass through on the SB card cause signal degration. SHould I play my guitar through a seperate amp and just use the SB do digitize for recording?"

[rkruz]

yea....its a SB Value Live.......came with the Dell. It works fine as far as i can tell. Just wondering what it does to tone in a pass through mode....those that are really into tone with good ears probabaly have a good opinion on that..

thanks for any thoughts