ALSA compatible sound card to connect an amp?

Trifid · 2 Feb 2009 at 08:17

Hello.

I have given up trying to get my M-audio 2496 to work with ALSA on Ubuntu. I am now looking for a high(ish) end sound card to replace it. I have been thinking of getting a external one that is USB or firewire in the hope it would have greater electrical isolation.

I must have midi connection, RCA out plus digital out (coax and optical would be good but either will do, bit perfect.) (Not 1/4 or 1/8" plugs.)

What would also be good is to have alsa drivers for when in Windows.

Anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks.

pingwing · 2 Feb 2009 at 13:41

Hummm quite a few cards come with alsa drivers nowerdays probably the best thing to do is pic a card that fits your needs and google it with alsa on the end

For refference im running an asus xonar d2x with alsa fine, and i think usb cards should be fine given theres one or 2 distros based completally on music edditing out there (i think)

yashiro · 2 Feb 2009 at 19:38

You want a Soundblaster Audigy2 Pro ZS, with the external box.
It's about 4+ years old now though. So you're looking at 2nd hand/ebay.

Trifid · 2 Feb 2009 at 20:06

I'm more looking at E-mu side of things than Creative. Is anyone able to confirm that these are 100% compatible with ALSA? Half tempted to go overkill completely and get a 1616/1616m.

yashiro · 2 Feb 2009 at 21:18

All the ports on my Audigy2 Pro supposedly work.
I've not used the midi din plugs though they do show up in alsamixer, so make of that what you will.
The external volume knobs however, do not work.

For the complete joke that Alsa and Linux audio is, I don't think anything is as 'supported' as the old Creative rubbish. Try asking on some Linux audio sites and see what is popular.