Re: [LAU] PCIe audio gear [was: Too many xruns]

On Sat, September 8, 2012 11:59 am, Fernando Lopez-Lezcano wrote:
> On 09/07/2012 01:31 PM, Kevin Cosgrove wrote:
>>
>> On 7 September 2012 at 6:14, "Len Ovens"<len@email-addr-hidden> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, September 6, 2012 9:58 pm, Kevin Cosgrove wrote:
>>>> On 6 September 2012 at 21:52, "Len Ovens"<len@email-addr-hidden> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, September 6, 2012 8:57 pm, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
>>>>>> On Thu, 2012-09-06 at 20:35 -0700, Len Ovens wrote:
>>>>>>> I just had to look... and sure enough they do exist:
>>>>>>> http://ca.startech.com/Cards-Adapters/Slot-Extension/PCI-Express-to-PCI-Adapter-Card~PEX1PCI1
>>>>
>>>> Also, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158165
>>>> which has some customer reviews.
>>>
>>> The review looks bad for audio cards. I guess there is an
>>> onboard regulator that does not allow enough current :P So
>>> the onboard reg would have to be bypassed and an external one
>>> added.
>>
>> I wonder if there's enough current to run the PCI card portion of
>> the Delta 1010 setup? The data converters are in a break-out box
>> in an audio rack. There isn't a whole lot on the PCI card, no
>> fans, and I don't even think any heat sinks. That might indicate
>> low power.
>
> There should be no problem with power. We are running tons of Delta66's
> and I used to have a few 1010's as well. Easy cards to work with (so I'm
> surprised at the problems you are having). The 1010's had problems with
> some capacitors in the break-out box (in the power supply doubler or
> quadrupler circuit) - replacing them fixed the issue.

On any normal MB PCI slot there should be no problem as the regulator has
to be sized to cover all the PCI slots as well as other MB stuff. In this
case with a PCIe slot to PCI card adapter the reg may be sized for exactly
whatever the PCI card current spec is (dumb as lots of cards, not just
audio, assume there are some empty slots they can use the excess current
capability from). What this really says (to me), is that the PCI standard
does not provide enough current for all uses... or that these adapters do
not provide current to spec... Or that some PCI cards really should have
had an external power plug because they really draw more current than the
MB is "supposed to" supply.

All of that is not a help really, to someone who is having problems. The
RME solution of having a digital PCI/PCIe card powered by the MB and and
external box with pre amps and converters on it (powered externally), is
probably the correct solution in this case. The PCI bus is not designed to
supply power for much more than digital activities. It is like expecting
to get good quality pre amp stuff and phantom from USB power... your mic
probably sounds better with 48v than 24v.

All this from the proud owner of a D66 :P 6 in and 4 out has proved (so
far) to be more than I need. But then I have never had a drum kit to
mic... or the more than 4 mics needed either. I have in the past used two
mics to record vocals and guitar, but the comb filtering drove me nuts,
one mic sounds better. So far I have not had the privilege of recording
more than one person at a time. However, I now know what to buy when I get
there... if PCIe is still around.

-- 
Len Ovens
www.OvenWerks.net
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