Re: [linux-audio-dev] Soundcard spotting (was Re: image problem [was Re: [Alsa-devel] help for a levelmeter])

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Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Soundcard spotting (was Re: image problem [was Re: [Alsa-devel] help for a levelmeter])
From: Peter L Jones (peter_AT_drealm.org.uk)
Date: Wed Oct 23 2002 - 01:00:17 EEST


On Tuesday 22 Oct 2002 22:07, Kai Vehmanen wrote:
Kai,

Many thanks for the reply.

> On Tue, 22 Oct 2002, Peter L Jones wrote:
> > I don't want to have to learn about DSPs and stuff to be able to identify
> > a _good_ sound card. I've currently got a shortlist for my next machine:
> > * MidiMan Delta Audiophile 2496 (Envy24)
> > * Creative SB PCI 128 (ES1371)
>
> I've used both of these extensively with JACK and numerous other ALSA apps
> and they work really well (full-duplex, low-latency use). Other
> soundcards/chipsets that I've used:
>

Heh. Now, one of these I have in my machine ((PII vintage) Celeron 400)
already. The other would set me back £150. Your comment makes me think
there's little to choose between them. So, simply upgrading my soundcard
from a £15 low end consumer-oriented unit to something costing 10 times the
price looks like getting me nothing. Or am I missing something? :-(

> - snd-intel8x0 (nice chipset, is suitable for low-latency use)
> - snd-cs4281 (good for low-latency although has a max two-interrupts
> per buffer limitation which can confuse apps)
> - GUS MAX (this very, very old ISA-card can still beat a number of
> today's crappy chipsets... I don't know whether to cry or laugh ;))

I noticed that the ENS1371 seems to have a better rating on one site I looked
than to EMU10K, so this doesn't surprise me!

>
> Cards that I have no personal experience with, but I've heard very
> good things about:
>
> - RME Digi9652
>
> Beware:
>
> - SB AWE models (ugh, crap!)
> - Yamaha YMF7xx/DS-XG (some have reported that these work ok,
> but in any case they have a max 3 periods limitation
> similar to cs4281, which can confuse apps)
>
> All in all, most of the PCI-cards supported by ALSA have fairly good
> drivers.

But how do I compare one card with another? What should I be looking for?
How can I tell which will reduce the load on my computer and which will
increase the load? Is there any difference?


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