Hi all. I’m thinking about replacing my M Audio 2496 with one of the closeout Delta 410’s on Ebay (about $100). It would be cool to have the 8 analog outs but other than that I suppose it sounds just like the 2496. Does this seem like a dumb idea?
Thanks
I have a Delta 410 and it works great.
I would suggest you keep your 2496 and add the 410 in addition to it. That way you could the 2 inputs on the 2496 by running and SP/DIF cable from the out on the 2496 to the in on the 410 and have 4 inputs.
Don
Pardon my ignorance, but what would one use eight ouputs for? I understand the need for multiple inputs, but I’m missing the point of all those outs…
-John
John,
I don’t use all 8 outputs either at this point. I am more concerned with suggesting to Bobby a cheap way to get four 24-bit analog inputs for only $100.
I’m sure there are good uses for 8 or 10 outs. For one thing this would allow you to run individual tracks out to a mixer so you could mixdown projects with a real mixer rather than with a mouse. I remember well the days when I worked in the analog domain and played the sliders like an instrument while mixing down a project.
This would also facilitate the use of any hardware peripherals in your setup. Might also simplify your monitoring setup.
Don
but what would one use eight outputs for?
I had the same question, but I agree with Don. Mixing with a REAL mixer is attractive. Most of us won't bother though.
I see a bigger potential market for an 8 IN - 2 OUT card, but there may be economic reasons that it's almost as cheap to manufacturer an 8/8 card an an 8/2 -- it's easier to playback 8 discreet channels than it is to record them. After all, a Creative Audigy 2 will do 6 out but only 2 in. Echo isn't going for the gaming market but the config of a Gina isn't that much different when you look at just the channel IO.
The other reason to have it is for multiple channel mixodown....5.1 and 7.1. Direct playback through the discreet outputs is necessary to mix for those formats even if encoding takes place in another app. I've experimented doing this a little using WMA and it works well. n-Tracks can get the tracks ready by doing mixdown to multiple files - one for each output - then import them as 6 or 8 mono files into the encoder for positioning and...welll....encoding.
I had the same question, but I agree with Don. Mixing with a REAL mixer is attractive. Most of us won't bother though.
I see a bigger potential market for an 8 IN - 2 OUT card, but there may be economic reasons that it's almost as cheap to manufacturer an 8/8 card an an 8/2 -- it's easier to playback 8 discreet channels than it is to record them. After all, a Creative Audigy 2 will do 6 out but only 2 in. Echo isn't going for the gaming market but the config of a Gina isn't that much different when you look at just the channel IO.
The other reason to have it is for multiple channel mixodown....5.1 and 7.1. Direct playback through the discreet outputs is necessary to mix for those formats even if encoding takes place in another app. I've experimented doing this a little using WMA and it works well. n-Tracks can get the tracks ready by doing mixdown to multiple files - one for each output - then import them as 6 or 8 mono files into the encoder for positioning and...welll....encoding.
The outputs are good if you want to create a bus mix for an outboard effect. I have a MOTU 828mkII with 20 inputs and 22 outputs. One set of outputs goes into my Lexicon MPX500 and then from that it goes back into a set of inputs. This way I can run a track throw the effects unit and record a new track. This still leaves me with the un-effected track just in case I want to change things down the road. If you have a lot of outboard gear, those outputs can come in handy.
I have the 410 as well, and the 410’s 8 out feature is set up for creating a PC-based DVD 5.1 or 6.1 surround sound system. This gives enough outs for Left & Right Front speakers, center channel, Subwoofer, and 4 additional surround speakers, and a subwoofer output. And the audio driver has all of these options for managing the “sweet spot” and setting the distance for each speaker to manage the delay for each channel. That is where I think this card is in its element.
Dave
| Quote (John @ Jan. 15 2005,15:47) |
| Pardon my ignorance, but what would one use eight ouputs for? I understand the need for multiple inputs, but I'm missing the point of all those outs... -John
|
It depends on how you prefer to work. I basically use n-Track as a multitrack tape machine and have 16 outputs from the computer (2 soundcards) running into an analog mixer. I think it gives me the best of both worlds, using analog EQ and faders, external effects but also run some vst instruments and effects usually "printing" them to a .wav file instead of running the vst live.
Of course, if you prefer to work keeping everything inside the computer then you probably won't need more than 2 outputs.