Sound card recommendation - Airtime Support Discussions on Sourcefabric Forum

Jared Hoover

We're setting up an airtime server to replace our current radio station automation system. What PCI-Express sound card would be recommended that can do analog balanced +4 dbm professional level audio output that is well supported under Linux?

Thanks,

Jared

hoerich

any ALSA-compatible soundcard will do the job.
check the ALSA-Matrix-Chart => http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Main
We will use M-Audio Delta 44 from next week on.
greetz

Daniel James

For a typical Airtime server it is not really necessary to have a PCI Express card since it only needs two channels out (and two in, if you are using the live show recording feature). If you have a PCI slot you may be perfectly happy with an M-Audio Delta 44 using TRS balanced jacks. The +4dBu setting for these cards is available in envy24control. Using an internal card restricts you to using a 3U or larger server case (unless you can squeeze the card into a 2U case using a riser).

Class-compliant USB external interfaces might be worth consideration as they should work with any server, and they can be swapped out with very little downtime. If money was no object I would want to audition the Prism Sound Lyra:

http://www.prismsound.com/music_recording/products_subs/lyra/lyra_home.php

but in real life I use the M-Audio MobilePre which has the bonus of phantom power for mics. The original model with the blue faceplace is not class compliant:

http://www.core-sound.com/mobilepre-usb/mobilepre_large.jpg

I use this one:

http://www.acorn-designs.com/images/MobilePre.jpg

which does not have balanced outs or +4dBu but that suits me fine, since the cables are short.

Cheers!

Daniel

Albert FR · Post edited by Albert FR at 2012-11-29 08:37:48

for me the best one is Audiophile 2496 (M-Audio)

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