Scott,
theoretically the Yamaha SW1000XG card can provide what you need. you can buy one used fairly cheap, the card had some raving reviews and won "best card" or something for 4-5 years in a row. Has 20 MB of wave ROM, built in effects, doesn't take processor time, blah blah. If you search on the net you'll find many reviews.
But as Pro said, it is obsolete, and there is a chance it may not work with your particular Pc chipset. take a look at www.xgfactory.com for info. It is a $100 bet.
Another way would be Hypercanvas. sounds ok for me, and check the posts by Frank Rosenthal, rikkisbears and Starkeeper and download Another XG soundfont. they say it sounds good enough for styles and you can use it on a regular Creative card.

Hi Scott
I did an extensive search a while back for a midi playback card to compare with my keyboard,but with my laptop. Alec told me to get Echo. It is excellent. Look under the midi column for more. http://www.cdrecordingsoftware.com/card_compare.html

Bernie

Yes! The mainboard's chip set has to have a full PCI support so that ASIOdirect can work in a right way. I know that the VIA's chip set doesn't work correct for this choice.

Another point which conquers my mind is: Why do some people think that a sound/audio card for 500 bucks could sound like a super-nova-hyper synth for 5000 bucks?
I think there's absolutely no way for it.
For example: My 'old' Kurzweil K2000RS costed 10.000 DM in the year 1994. My PC costed 400 Euro (about 800 DM) in 2004. I know there is no chance for my PC to approximately sound like my K2000 because of the high quality AD/DA-converters.

But there is a chance that you know this all about and I'm telling you nothing new...

------------------
Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

I don't think there are many soundcards these days that have a great GM/XG soundset built-in, I would look at softsynths and soundfonts instead.
If you really want top-notch GM sounds you could try the Edirol SD-80 soundmodule...

Greetz ,
Marcel

[This message has been edited by Wazza (edited 03-28-2005).]

Thanks to EVERYONE who responded for your informative responses. Lot's of interesting choices for sure. The Yamaha SW1000XG card sounds like the best XG soundcard option, but because it's not longer sold or supported by Yamaha, I'm not very enthusiastic about that option. It appears that the only 1/2 decent sounding internal computer midi sound source only option may be with a software synth or sound fonts, but I concerned over how much CPU memory sources this takes up. I assume that with a 3 Gigahertz CPU (Windows XP) and 1 GB RAM this should'nt be an issue, right? If not , I guess it's time to explore the "Software Synth" and/or "SoundFont Libraries" options available. I need something that includes BOTH GM/GS & XG midi sound tables.

Currently most of my computer played back midi file istrument voices sound really cheesy, so I primarily need something (soundsynth, soundfont, or midi sound card) to more accurately (realistically) hear, and more conveniently playback (thru my computer alone) website accessed & internet downloaded GM/XG midi files.


Scott

If you purchase a SoundBlaster or Audigy soundcard, then soundfonts can be loaded onto the soundcard itself.
Starkeeper

Okay!
1. Cakewalk should be good enough and it is used in several studios too.
2. Your audio card provides ASIOdirect.
3. Your PC doesn't use VIA's chip set.
4. Your PC is running on 3 GHz with 1 GB RAM

I think you have all the powerful things you need to use virtual soundfonts, vst and so on. Don't use your PC for any other thing than music and you will be the king!

------------------
Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

I saw a reference here to Sound Blaster and Audigy.

Just so everyone is made aware, contrary to how this company is misleading the public, if recording and editing at 2496 is important to you, NONE of their products do this, regardless of what they claim.

If anyone is interested in what the audio techs of the world are saying about this, let me know and I'll find the posts on this tale.

Scott Langholff

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 03-28-2005).]

Scott,
You can start by doing a free test.
Try the free standalone sfz soundfont player
with the free Another XG soundfont.
Make sure you configure sfz to ASIO.
Also have MidiYoke installed on your computer
to connect sfz to other programs like
VanBasco. The above setup should use up less CPU than running Cakewalk hosting sfz.
Playing XG midi files is going to be tricky part.
If all your midi files were in GM/GS format,
running VSTHost(http://www.hermannseib.com/english/vsthost.htm)
hosting HQ Hypercanvas would
be a very decent quality playback setup(I have tested this setup MidiYoked to VanBasco and it works great)It would probably also use less CPU than Cakewalk hosting Hypercanvas.

[This message has been edited by Vquestor (edited 03-28-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Vquestor (edited 03-28-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Vquestor (edited 03-28-2005).]

I am using VanBasco as my player,with Midiyoke..My host program is Forte[Brainspawn], and my wavetable[soft synth] is Hyper Canvas..Asio4all is my driver.

All this works well with my Conexant sound card[came with the Compaq 2570US laptop].

I also have my PCMCIA sound card, Digigram VXpocket[a high quality card], but so far , I have not needed it with this laptop..
I use VXpocket with my "old" CTX laptop..