Hello,

My Dad gave me some cash today towards a Laptop (Ti’s my Birthday today ), and I was wondering what sound card to get for the Laptop. What I want to do is connect my Triton Studio and Roland KR577 Arranger/Piano to it. This means I will need a sound card to accept two instruments. What sort of sound card will I need? – I’ve a rough idea, but not been into laptops before, so kind of new to me. Are we talking external cards ? – and if so, will I be able to get one with inputs for two instruments (My Arranger piano and Triton Studio) – or will I need another midi box or something on top of this (midiman?)

Thanks for your help in advance (TFYHIA for short

Anthony

Anthony,
I doubt that you will have any choice in sound cards for a laptop. That's integrated stuff, and unless you get an expensive plug in (PCMCIA) card .... you'll have to accept what the factory puts in the unit.

Anthony, What UD says about soundcards is right, you are pretty much stuck with whatever is inside. But, what I think you are really talking about is an interface. An excellent, reasonably inexpensive interface to connect your equipment to the laptop would be something like the Tascam US122. Edirol and M-Audio have comparable items. It doesn't sound like you need any internal sounds, so softsynths are not what you are looking for either. If your laptop is new and has a Pentium 3 or 4, then you should have no trouble getting your audio into the LT thru the interface I suggest. I have one and it is great. I would check out different laptops and compare drives, speeds and in/out availability. Almost everything uses USB 2.0 or Firewire; make sure you have enough I/O ports for your needs.

Anthony I use a small stereo mixer[Alesis Multimix 6 FX] into my new pentium 4 laptop..It records great..I wouldn't worry about the sound card in the laptop, most new models are okay..

Thank you all for the replies

Quote by Uncle dave I doubt that you will have any choice in sound cards for a laptop. That's integrated stuff

I have an AC97 (onboard) in my Desktop at the moment, and the sound is quite good - but when I RECORD (In sonar) - I get this buzzing noise (not loud, but enough to NOT sound professional) like say if the volume is on a scale of 1 to 10, I hear the noise at about 7 (in silent/quite parts)with 10 (full volume) being unusablem and 2 to 3 being not too audible (long subject no doubt - but NO Noise/Buzzing etc when I play a Windows Media file back, for example

Cassp, I will do a search round for those items, and the Alesis one you mentioned Fran (weren't alesis going bust or something?).

Funny that Tascam was the first "extra" you mentioned in your post, because I was going to get a Mixer for about the same price as a Laptop like this one : Tascam 2488

Laptops today have come down in price quite heavily actually, and £750-850 (about $1200) Sterling will get you a fairly decent model to boot - and some not much more than that come with DVD Writers!.

Thanks

Anthony




[This message has been edited by Jupitar5 (edited 03-15-2004).]

I use a Tascam US-122 for recording into my laptop also, and it works well. You'll probably want to use a mixer with it for your needs, which brings me to a new product coming out this summer, the Onyx mixers from Mackie. They look nice and Mackie mixers are legendary, plus they have an option for a Firewire interface. That would be a nice complete package of mixer and computer interface. More info.

[This message has been edited by The Pro (edited 03-15-2004).]

Music123 has something like this:
http://www.music123.com/item/?itemno=100844&t=1#tab

or
http://www.music123.com/item/?itemno=95456&t=1#tab

I don't use it so I don't know if anyone has any comment on it.

..rb

Hello and Congrats for your Bday:

About the sound cards or Audio capture interfaces, for the lap tops I would recomend the USB/Firewire,...( some with Midi I/O), Right now GC has a blow out in the Quattro (M-Audio)with 4ins-4outs plus one midi I/O...for about half price.......now if you want something with more control, the new Omega by Lexicon....also the Edirol ( Roland) the UA700 is really nice, check their web site...a lot of models to choose from.....I hope this info help you....Greetings.

Not forgetting Creative:

Audigy2NX: http://www.soundblaster.com/products/audigy2NX/

Extigy: http://www.soundblaster.com/products/extigy/

"MP3+": http://www.soundblaster.com/products/MP3+/

Trouble is the Creative external stuff only has a single line in so you will still need an external mixer.

I second the Tascam US122. I use it with my laptop and it's been bullet proof.
Terry

------------------
jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

Thanks all for the links and tips - much appreciated

By the way, my Roland Piano arranger KR-577 And Korg Triton Studio Go together a treat! - they compliment each other very well. Great saxes, Guitars (acoustic), Brass, Woodwind etc on the Roland, and the Pads,Synths/lead, Basses,Strings on the Korg etc. If i'm wanting for a sound, I'm sure to find it on one...or the other!.



Anthony

Roland just came out with the FA-101
firewire interface that lists for $650.
This could be the best interface
for a laptop/PC yet: for recording, softsynth
playing, software arranger, etc.

I really question the need for exspensive interfaces for laptops..With the right software and if needed a small mixer records fine on the newest laptops...Even my 6 year old CTX laptop records okay..It even has a builtin midi interface..
For audio recording I think you can do okay with the Arranger keyboard[PSR2100 or Tyros etc.], or if you need a mic preamp and effects, use a decent mixer..

I agree with Fran. Laptops are pretty capable of doing a good recording job without having to spend the farm on interfaces. I have a US122 and it is more than adequate for my needs. Sure you can go the bigger, better route, but you don't have to. Any type of small mixer and a line in jack to your laptop will almost do the trick. Find a happy medium.

Obviously, it all depends on what you can AFFORD - a Beetle or Mercedes(the PC "Mercedes" is a lot cheaper these days), and WHAT you want it to do.
Firewire is the Mercedes of audio interfaces,
but if you want a USB 1.0, it will, of course, still work. If you want to run multiple applications, like Alive, VST host,
VSTi plug-ins like softsamplers, etc.,RECORD more than 2 tracks at a time, the
more powerful the PC and interface,the better.
You can spend $200 for a Tascam USB or
$400 for a M-audio Firewire 410.
ONLY you can decide if the additional benefits or features are something you MAY
want in the near future. If not, go with the
cheapest.