Some Questions On The SoundBlaster Live!

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 26, 2006, 11:55 AM

I plan to build up my own homerecording-studio and got a couple of questions on my soundcard....
it's a Soundblaster Live! which i got from my old computer and i was wondering if it would be possible to have two stereo(four mono) ins to record from in cubase...(via ASIO of course)
i already tried to mess around with the mic and line-in but weren't able to get it running... it was just either the mic or the line-in....
i'm also wondering if the mic is only mono, because i read about it in other forums...
why i want to stick to the SBLive is because its about 2€ on ebay now and i don't have the money to buy a higher quality card.... so for example for recording drums i would need 8 mono ins and a new card with this much inputs would cost a bit and if i could buy another SBLive on ebay and get it running with 4 mono ins than i would have saved quite some money....

pls help me with this....

caught

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 26, 2006, 01:44 PM

well i just read that i need a card with a 10k2 board to have four mono inputs...
would a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS be such a card? And just to be shure: with this card i would then be able to record four different mono tracks at the same time right?

thomasabarnes · Oct 26, 2006, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

well i just read that i need a card with a 10k2 board to have four mono inputs...
would a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS be such a card? And just to be shure: with this card i would then be able to record four different mono tracks at the same time right?

I may be wrong, but I think the Audigy 2 ZS cards only have 2 analog inputs without the drive panel. But if I'm right that would mean only two stereo analog inputs or 4 mono inputs. Here are the specs:

http://us.creative.com/products/prod...Specifications

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 02:20 PM

The live *can* do it.... if
1) you have SPDIF IN (Digital CD in/SPDIF header/AD_EXT connectors) access on the card.
2) have something that converts audio into digital/spdif - like maybe a mic-preamp - or gutar fx processor etc)

So its not entirely 'impossible' with live cards.
And keep in mind - having 2 live cards - means connecting 1 via SPDIF to the other - as ASIO hosts only allow 1 ASIO device active at a time. So the 2nd live card sorta acts as a 'submixer' - with a SPDIF output.

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasabarnes

I may be wrong, but I think the Audigy 2 ZS cards only have 2 analog inputs without the drive panel. But if I'm right that would mean only two stereo analog inputs or 4 mono inputs. Here are the specs:

http://us.creative.com/products/prod...Specifications

The livedrive2 adds 4 analog mono inputs to the A2 ZS btw... (AUX2 + Line 2/mic2) for a total of 3 discrete stereo inputs + 1 mono. PLUS spdif inputs that can have an external a/d connected (Coax/optical + Digital CD in)

Otherwise - there is only 3 mono inputs (mic + line) on the card alone.
Or thats how my card is.

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 26, 2006, 02:48 PM

well first of all thank you for your replies....
so in conclusion... the best would be to have two audigy 2ZS right? and i'm kinda confused by all this SPDIF, line2 and coax and this stuff, so i need to ask again: with one single audigy 2ZS - how many inputs would i have without livedrive or SPDIF in or anything additional? two stereo?

thomasabarnes · Oct 26, 2006, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

with one single audigy 2ZS - how many inputs would i have without livedrive or SPDIF in or anything additional? two stereo?

You will have 2 analog stereo inputs per soundcard

but to have the 4 inputs, you would have to connect the 2 soundcards to each other by a cable.

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 26, 2006, 03:08 PM

Ok thank you very much! I guess i'll go buy two audigy 2ZS then...

cheers

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasabarnes

You will have 2 analog stereo inputs per soundcard

W/O live drive - Isnt it only 3 mono - Line in (2) + Mic in (1) = 3 mono??

What other input am I forgetting?

@OP:
SPDIF = Digital audio - as opposed to analog as you are prolly most accauianted with (line in is analog, mic in is analog - spdif - is digital and is most native for computers (and is a lossless transmission medium)
Line and mic inputs get converted to a digital format that the computer can manipulate - it then gets re-converted to audio at the analog speaker outputs.

Before buying anything - you really should do some more studying on some of these terms - because purchases made in ignorance = regret.

thomasabarnes · Oct 26, 2006, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

W/O live drive - Isnt it only 3 mono - Line in (2) + Mic in (1) = 3 mono??

What other input am I forgetting?

Hiya Mark!

Man you're confusing me LOL!

I only know of 2 stereo analog inputs per soundcard (without the drive panel). I'm counting that as 4 stereo inputs if he gets 2 soundcards connected through (SPDIF). Am I missing something?

Also, he can have 4 mono analog inputs with each soundcard using a Y spliter on each input.

Edit:

Wait, I see what you mean!! Oh chit! I was counting the Mic input as stereo. It's only 1 stereo and 1 mono input, or 3 mono per soundcard. I hope he see's this before he makes a decision to purchase those 2 soundcards? Oh chit!!!!

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 26, 2006, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

SPDIF = Digital audio - as opposed to analog as you are prolly most accauianted with (line in is analog, mic in is analog - spdif - is digital and is most native for computers (and is a lossless transmission medium)

but is spdif really necessary here?

i got 8 coax mics and simply want to record each of them on a single track.... and whats wrong with buying a cheap 20€ audigy from ebay anyway... i think it's at least worth trying isn't it

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 26, 2006, 03:55 PM

oh does this mean that mic is indeed only mono then?

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasabarnes

Hiya Mark!

Man you're confusing me LOL!

I only know of 2 stereo analog inputs per soundcard (without the drive panel). I'm counting that as 4 stereo inputs if he gets 2 soundcards connected through (SPDIF). Am I missing something?

Also, he can have 4 mono analog inputs with each soundcard using a Y spliter on each input.

Hey Thomas...
Sorry - didnt know how else to illustrate what I was sayihng...

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasabarnes

Edit:

Wait, I see what you mean!! Oh chit! I was counting the Mic input as stereo. It's only 1 stereo and 1 mono input, or 3 mono per soundcard. I hope he see's this before he makes a decision to purchase those 2 soundcards? Oh chit!!!!

Phwew - looks like hes still here...so hopefully - he reads it.

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

oh does this mean that mic is indeed only mono then?

yes - the A2ZS - W/O live drive = 3 mono inputs.

W/ livedrive2 (as in A2ZS platinum) the discreet inputs (meaning what can be recorded as NOT as submix of somethings) - adds 4 more mono analog inputs

So in summation:

W/O livedrive:
Note: #s are the number of MONO ANALOG inputs
1 - AC97 based mic input (ac97 is not exacly great Q, but its an input)
2 - AC97 based line input
-----
W/ live drive 2 add:
2 - AUX2 I2S based input (I2S - being a bit better than AC97)
2 - Line2 /Mic2 I2S based inputs

thomasabarnes · Oct 26, 2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

oh does this mean that mic is indeed only mono then?

Yes the Mic input on the Creative soundcards is mono (I don't know if that's changed with the X-FI soundcards, but kX is not compatible with the X-FI cards, anyway), but you can use a stereo mic in the Line In input, if that's what you want to do?

@Maddogg LOL man, phew! LOL

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

but is spdif really necessary here?

i got 8 coax mics and simply want to record each of them on a single track.... and whats wrong with buying a cheap 20€ audigy from ebay anyway... i think it's at least worth trying isn't it

AFAIK - to do this you would need 2 A2ZS 1 with a livedrive2 (A2ZS Platinum)
Or live (edited - settle on) with 7 inputs on a single A2ZS w/ livedrive2

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 04:14 PM

Or instead of buying another A2ZS - use the SBlives input then connect the SBlive to the A2ZS Plat via SPDIF.

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 04:16 PM

Note my sig - I have a total of 10 analog inputs I can use discreetly.

thomasabarnes · Oct 26, 2006, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

but is spdif really necessary here?

i got 8 coax mics and simply want to record each of them on a single track.... and whats wrong with buying a cheap 20€ audigy from ebay anyway... i think it's at least worth trying isn't it

Do you have a 8 channel mixer or something? Do you plan on recording 8 mics onto one track simultaneously? What program are you using for music production, if you don't mind saying? Maybe I'm misunderstanding you?

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasabarnes

Do you have a 8 channel mixer or something? Do you plan on recording 8 mics onto one track simultaneously? What program are you using for music production, if you don't mind saying? Maybe I'm misunderstanding you?

I interpret his statement as

To record 8 mics to 8 seperate tracks (aka 'discrete'). - please confirm.
The otherway - a 'submix' of 8 mics into a simgle track is WAY easier - but not recommended for 'studio' recording.

**dj_stick** · Oct 26, 2006, 04:32 PM

ok recording 8 inputs at once, you would need two Audigy or Audigy 2 based cards linked together via SPDIF (4 mono inputs per card)

each audigy card has two stereo input codecs, so you can use line in and aux in at the same time (you just need to connect a jack to the aux_in header)

using lex's profx ADC you ca neasily enable both input codecs to record discretely from in your ASIO application

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

ok recording 8 inputs at once, you would need two Audigy or Audigy 2 based cards linked together via SPDIF (4 mono inputs per card)

Thats assuming he can settle on a 'submix' of the 4 mono (via spdif) from the 'slave card' - which I have doubts.

**dj_stick** · Oct 26, 2006, 04:58 PM

using two spdif connections keeps those 4 inputs discrete

Maddogg6 · Oct 26, 2006, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

using two spdif connections keeps those 4 inputs discrete

I gotya...

But now - he also has to make sure they have the connectors now too - which I *thought* dont exist on some cards - thus the recommenation of the platinum which will definitly have it.

PS. OP - sorry we are counteridicting each other - and thus why it would be best for you to do more studying on the subject - so you can understand why. and be the best at explaining your wishes.

Doug W · Oct 26, 2006, 08:33 PM

But hold on there partners! I have an Audigy 2 ZS and an Audigy 1 (SB0090). I have 8 mono inputs. It does require a slight modification. The easiest way is to use one of those I/O adaptors made for onboard sound.

The first time I heard about it was this thread by dj_stick:
Quick Guide - get extra inputs on your card.

I described the process here: