[Leaplist] A decent Sound card

[Bryan J Smith]

On Tue, 2008-12-09 at 10:01 -0800, Ram K. Singh wrote:
> Friends,
> I am seeking your opinion for a sound card for my desktop that I enjoy
> for playing music for me.

The Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) is at the heart of kernel
2.6, which is pretty much in all Linux distros to come out in the last 4
years.

The Soundcard compatibility list is here:  

http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Main  

In all honesty, it's been almost 4 years since I bought a new desktop
sound card.  I know there are several, solid, sub-$25 PCI codec/ASICs
that lower CPU utilization better than your typical ALC600/800 series.

Personally I've been utilizing a pair of Creative SoundBlaster Audigy2
ZS Platinum "kits" since then (one for me, one for my wife).  It has the
Emu10k2 ASIC that is hard to find in products now.

http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Vendor-Creative_Labs  

As you'll note from the table, most of the newer SoundBlaster line ships
with either the cheap CA0100 series (even the mis-named "Audigy2 ZS
Value"), with varying support, or the newer Emu20k1, which is not yet
supported.  Just a year ago or so, I could still find the older products
on clearance as old stock was still sold.  Nowdays, it's more difficult.

I know there are a couple of codecs/ASICs out there that are solid 5.1
and/or 7.1 audio cards with 96kHz output, and you can find them in "no
frills" OEM cards for sub-$25.  Just don't know them off-hand, because I
haven't bought any in years.  The other members may know.

At the same time, the built-in ALC600/800 series codecs are "good
enough" for basic 44.1/48kHz audio in many cases.  More than enough to
play back compressed, digital music like MP3, although AC3 and surround
support may vary.



-- 
Bryan J  Smith                Professional, Technical Annoyance
Mugshot Homepage:  http://mugshot.org/person?who=58wDcGKx6NcZAb
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