Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Solved

Audio Q: Upgraded my PC, now i'm stuck..

Tags:
  • Audio
  • Components
  • Sound Cards
Last response: in Components
Share
July 24, 2014 4:49:02 AM

Evening,

My former pc setup was retired this week, all internals replaced besides harddrives and soundcard, my old Audigy 2 ZS Platinum with front panel hub.

My system is used mainly for audio production / recording and the audigy did all i needed it to do, rca connections and headphones in the front, speakers out the back. It took a bit to get it to work running Win7x64 with 8GB RAM, but either daniel_K or Kx or PAX drivers (i forget which) got it to work. I have it working now, but with 16GB of RAM, the audio quality is experiencing technical difficulties and I cannot stand by.

I am finding it difficult to research a replacement as all of my understandings of audio routing have been limited to the Audigy.

My setup is as follows:
2x Condensor mics (XLR) -> 2x Preamps (1/4) -> Mixer (RCA) -> Audigy front Panel -> Audigy PCI line out (1/8 to RCA) -> Amp (speaker cable) -> Speakers..

Now i've upgraded, my sound routing has a gap between:
Mixer -> Amp..

I have looked at a lot of different USB audio interfaces and PCI alternatives paying attention to their I/O ports, and so far will get vocals from the Mic -> PC, but I am not understanding how to get sound from my PC to my Amp, if the only connection from the PC is to the audio interface via USB.

I hope it's not a case of it being so obvious that I'm unable to see the solution, because this is really getting at me. Maybe it's the cabling i've been using that is limiting my options, I don't know.

If you can help me, or point me in some direction, please and thankyou!!

More about : audio upgraded stuck

July 24, 2014 5:05:33 AM

Usually the USB audio interfaces will also have separate speaker/line outs. I have regular PC speakers to which I connect my PC soundcard's audio out, but for audio production, I have a separate set of powered studio monitors connected to my USB audio interface for output from protools. It's this type of output you might connect to the external amplifier. Does that make sense?
m
1
l
July 24, 2014 5:44:11 AM

Thanks for your time Ubercake.

Your reply makes sense, though I am unsure of where / how the interface will fit into my chain. Please bare with me.

So, for input:
Mics -> Preamps -> Mixer -> Interface -> PC

And for output:
PC -> Interface -> Amp -> Speakers

Or:
PC -> Interface -> Headphones

Is that close?

m
0
l
Related resources

Best solution

July 24, 2014 6:26:48 AM

Actually, it will be more like this:

Input:
Mics -> Preamps -> Mixer -> Interface -> PC

Output:
PC->Interface -> Amp -> Speakers

The USB interface acts as the input to the PC as well as the sound output when recording/producing/mixing. The same USB cable simultaneously carries the input to the PC and the output from the PC to USB interface and then the speakers.
Share
July 24, 2014 6:28:39 AM

Wow, i think i've been looking at the Audigy as if it were two separate devices.

You're a champ UC, thanks!
m
0
l
July 24, 2014 6:36:41 AM

I use a fast track pro USB interface that handles the whole thing. I use it for small productions. The input (instruments, mics, mixer or whatever) plug into the inputs on the front. The device also has unbalanced and balanced speaker outs that I run to a pair of powered KRK Rokit 6s. The USB cable carries all of the input and output data.
m
0
l
July 24, 2014 6:47:08 AM

I had looked at the fast track pro, do you use it as your audio device only for production or are you able to route regular sound through it too?

I have only used it for production as I built that particular PC only for that purpose. I'm pretty sure you can run the PC's audio through the fast track pro though.
m
0
l
July 24, 2014 8:13:12 AM

Thanks again UC, i looked around some more and got the Steinberg UR22 at a good price.

All the best chief.
m
0
l
July 24, 2014 8:18:31 AM

That's a good unit. The mix knob balances the volume output of the input source and the output from your production software. That's a good thing to know if you've never had experience with these interfaces.
m
1
l
July 25, 2014 3:02:41 AM

"Hi, I would like to apologize as our inventory numbers were messed up and we no longer have any Steinberg UR22 in stock. Please consider an alternative interface which we do have, yada yada yadaaa.."

Oh well, back on the hunt..
m
0
l
!