Sound Card For New PC

[castellar]

My friend is building me a desktop computer that is going to be strictly used for recording and jamming with a couple of my friends. We are going to build a recording room in my apartment. But anyway, he asked me what kind of sound card i would want. He recommended (very highly)the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum sound card, but i was wondering if there is any other or better sound cards with a front panel on it? Trying to keep the sound card under $250.
Also... could i still hook up something external, like the mobilepre for additional hookups.

Any recommendations on the setups would be great. In case its important, for the most part there will be two guitars and a keyboard hooked up and 4 mics (two for the guitars and two for vocals.)
I really know NOTHING about recording equiptment so im trying to learn here before i put something togethor thats real bad.
Any suggestions?

[sunglassesatnight]

Get something that has other inputs besides just 1/8". Also, something like the MobilePre is USB, so the two have nothing to do with one another.

[castellar]

whats the 1/8 jack's purpose, and what other kinds would i need? know of any specific sound cards that would be better? and is it possible to have some equiptment hooked up to the sound card and more to the mobilepre and record all at the same time?

[Trippin Hillbilly]

That sound card will do the job but it's not great. I have one but I wish hadn't bought it a while back.

If you're planning on recording everything in to one track then the Sound Blaster will do.
But if you want to record all the instruments live and get them to go to seperate tracks, you're going to need a card that has multiple line inputs.

For example, M-Audio Delta series or Lynx or RME souncards.
like this:

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/A ... -main.html

or this

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/D ... -main.html

[sunglassesatnight]

Miguel is correct. I have the Audiophile 2496, and I wish I had gone up to the 192 for the more ins/outs.

[castellar]

That sound card will do the job but it's not great. I have one but I wish hadn't bought it a while back.

If you're planning on recording everything in to one track then the Sound Blaster will do.
But if you want to record all the instruments live and get them to go to seperate tracks, you're going to need a card that has multiple line inputs.

For example, M-Audio Delta series or Lynx or RME souncards.
like this:

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/A ... -main.html

or this

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/D ... -main.html

Ok so did more research and i think im going to go with that one. Will it still be good to go with something like the mobilepre or is that worthless. And is there any other type of equiptment i should know about so i could tell him what to order for me.

[sunglassesatnight]

Remember that with this sort of card, you need an external mixer or mic preamp to supply phantom power for condensor mics. The MobilePre does that itself.
So if you want to get that card, get a mixer too, one with plenty of outputs on RCAs so that you can separate the channels correctly.

[castellar]

Remember that with this sort of card, you need an external mixer or mic preamp to supply phantom power for condensor mics. The MobilePre does that itself.
So if you want to get that card, get a mixer too, one with plenty of outputs on RCAs so that you can separate the channels correctly.

Alright, maybe someone can clarify this for me please. So with the m-audio delta card, i should get a mixer correct? And now im looking at mixers but i dont understand the purpose fully. will the guitars plug into the sound card or the mixer, or both at different times? not really too sure. But i hope someone can help before im stuck with all this equiptment and not having a clue what to do with it.

[sunglassesatnight]

The guitars will plug into the mixer.

Guitar-->Mixer on standard guitar cable THEN
Mixer--->Sound Card on RCA cables

Guitar does not go to the sound card. Not ever.
Mics will also plug into the mixer.

[castellar]

The guitars will plug into the mixer.

Guitar-->Mixer on standard guitar cable THEN
Mixer--->Sound Card on RCA cables

Guitar does not go to the sound card. Not ever.
Mics will also plug into the mixer.

wow i didnt think it would be that easy. thanks for the explination. So the sound card just provides the support to be able to handle everything?. I think i got it.

[sunglassesatnight]

Sound card is simply what takes the music, as electicity, which is what the mixer and mics make it, and turns it into data that your recording program can handle.