Need a special sound card (1 Viewer)

[Mike LS]

Lately I've found myself doing alot of tape - CD transferring, along with some minidisc - CD as well.

I have a very basic (cheap-o) sound card in my PC and using the 1/8" input works ok, but when I need to swap from tape to minidisc or back, I have to pull the desk out from the wall and swap the cables over.
On top of that, after awhile I find that those stereo plugs tend to degrade. I get bad connections and crackling sounds if the plug isn't set just so.

I'm sure something like this exists, but I just don't know where to look. I'd like to get a soundcard, first of a good quality, but mainly with RCA inputs. I can connect a switch box to the inputs to connect multiple devices, but I mainly want the RCA inputs either on the card or on a 5 inch insert for the front of the case.
I also wouldn't mind digital ins and outs for the minidisc transfers, but that's not a must have.

Anybody have a suggestion of where I can look (and what to look for)? Also a price range of something like this?

 

[Dereck Graefer]

I think a Creative SB audigy2 Platinum would provide what you need. Check the specs here
I remember seeing the Audigy2 Platinum on www.newegg.com for around $US 170. A little pricey. I'm not sure if you can still buy Audigy1 Platinums anymore. I know they have the front panel audigy drive thing. I imagine creative pulled that line so people would buy there audigy2 platinum instead. I believe there are many more(maybe better) cards out there, but the creative cards seem to be the most popular.

 

[Mike LS]

I've done some research this morning and in mass retail product it looks like Creative and Hercules are the 2 most popular. I like the Creative EX and the Hercules Theater XP card since they have an external rack for connections. I have 1 5 inch bay open, but the way my mobo mounts in my case, I don't think I could use an internal rack.

Anybody have an opinion of the Hercules?

 

[Brian Ruth]

Mike:

If you REALLY want the optical capability without shelling out the $170 for the Audigy 2, you can probably find the Audigy 1 Platinum for less. As long as you don't want DVD-Audio decode capability, the Audigy 1 should suit your needs great also.

I've had no problem with the optical input on the system -- in fact, compared to the ATI AIW analogs, the sound is AMAZING.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

i have had great experiences with the audigy platinum 1 with the live drive. and the optical input really does sound amazing, as brian said. the optical out sounds pretty damn good too, my mp3s sounded great when played through my receiver. but now i have a usb input with my elite 45tx, so i just play them that way now.

CJ

 

[Mike LS]

The optical in/out would be nice and might come in handy, but the main requirement I have is a set of RCA inputs.

Price wise, it looks like that Hercules set is the best deal.

 

[Matt DeVillier]

I'd go with the Hercules GTXP