supported sound cards

supported sound cards

[Edward Terry]

I'm starting a business selling Linux-based computers, and I'm looking 
for a high-end sound card that works well under Linux.  I don't have a 
specific use in mind; this would be for a wide range of end-users, from 
audiophiles to gamers.

Is there a particular high-end sound card that stands out as working 
well under Linux?  If not, what cards should I consider?

I appreciate any information or suggestions.

Edward

Re: supported sound cards

[Vedran Miletić]

HDA works nicely if it works. If you can test a specific motherboard
that works, and then build a system based on it, great.
Envy24 (ICE1712) and Envy24HT(-S) (ICE1724/ICE1721) cards work
particularily well in Linux. Most of them are listed here:
http://envy24.svobodno.com/
However, note that ALSA unfortunately doesn't support all of them (for
example, Infrasonic Quartet isn't supported, and Maya 44 is supported
only in Takashi's unstable git tree). Most of them are supported,
though. Some newer models also offer extremely high quality DACs and
ADCs.
On the other hand, you have E-mu cards. They aren't fully supported,
unfortunately, but they do work in day-to-day usage. They also have
high quality DACs.
However, I'm not sure about gaming cards. Maybe Aureal (:-P) or SB
Live! / SB Audigy would qualify here. Somebody else might know this
better.

2008/10/30 Edward Terry <eterry@openboxbuilder.com>:
> I'm starting a business selling Linux-based computers, and I'm looking
> for a high-end sound card that works well under Linux.  I don't have a
> specific use in mind; this would be for a wide range of end-users, from
> audiophiles to gamers.
>
> Is there a particular high-end sound card that stands out as working
> well under Linux?  If not, what cards should I consider?
>
> I appreciate any information or suggestions.
>
> Edward
> _______________________________________________
> Alsa-devel mailing list
> Alsa-devel@alsa-project.org
> http://mailman.alsa-project.org/mailman/listinfo/alsa-devel
>



-- 
Vedran Miletić
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Re: supported sound cards

[Clemens Ladisch]

Edward Terry wrote:
> I'm starting a business selling Linux-based computers, and I'm looking
> for a high-end sound card that works well under Linux.  I don't have a
> specific use in mind; this would be for a wide range of end-users, from
> audiophiles to gamers.

The only chip where hardware mixing is supported is Creative's Emu10k1
(snd-emu10k1 driver), used on the SB Live!, most Audigy and certain low-
end X-Fi cards.  (Cards with the 'real' X-Fi chip do _not_ work well in
Linux.)

Other supported chips are ICE1724 (M-Audio Delta 1010(LT), DiO 2496, 66,
44, 410, Audiophile 24/96; Digigram VX442; TerraTec EWX 24/96,
EWS 88MT/D, DMX 6Fire, Phase 88; Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24/Value/
Media7.1; Event EZ8; Lionstracs Mediastation, Terrasoniq TS 88) and
VT1720/24 (AMP AUDIO2000; M-Audio Revolution 5.1, 7.1, Audiophile 192;
TerraTec Aureon 5.1 Sky, 7.1 Space/Universe, Phase 22/28;
Onkyo SE-90PCI, SE-200PCI; AudioTrak Prodigy 192, 7.1 (HIFI/LT/XT), HD2;
Hercules Fortissimo IV; ESI Juli@; Pontis MS300; EGO-SYS WaveTerminal
192M).

The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
The D2/D2X have even slightly better audio quality than the best X-Fi,
and, as the obviously most important feature, colorfully illuminated
jacks.  The various Dolby features are done in software in the Windows
driver and are not supported in Linux.  If you need a PCI-E card, the
Xonar DX or D2X are your only choice.


HTH
Clemens

Re: supported sound cards

[John Rigg]

On Thu, Nov 06, 2008 at 01:15:05PM +0100, Clemens Ladisch wrote:
> Other supported chips are ICE1724 (M-Audio Delta 1010(LT), DiO 2496, 66,
> 44, 410, Audiophile 24/96; Digigram VX442; TerraTec EWX 24/96,
> EWS 88MT/D, DMX 6Fire, Phase 88; Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24/Value/
> Media7.1; Event EZ8; Lionstracs Mediastation, Terrasoniq TS 88) and
> VT1720/24 (AMP AUDIO2000; M-Audio Revolution 5.1, 7.1, Audiophile 192;
> TerraTec Aureon 5.1 Sky, 7.1 Space/Universe, Phase 22/28;
> Onkyo SE-90PCI, SE-200PCI; AudioTrak Prodigy 192, 7.1 (HIFI/LT/XT), HD2;
> Hercules Fortissimo IV; ESI Juli@; Pontis MS300; EGO-SYS WaveTerminal
> 192M).

Many of the above are ICE1712 (Delta 1010(LT), Audiophile 2496 etc.)
not ICE1724.
 
> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.

`High end' means different things in different situations of course.
RME HDSP series are probably the `highest end' cards supported, but they
need external converters, so they're probably unsuitable here.

John

Re: supported sound cards

[Edward Terry]

Clemens Ladisch wrote:
> The only chip where hardware mixing is supported is Creative's Emu10k1
> (snd-emu10k1 driver), used on the SB Live!, most Audigy and certain
> low-end X-Fi cards.  (Cards with the 'real' X-Fi chip do _not_ work
> well in Linux.)
>
> Other supported chips are ICE1724 (M-Audio Delta 1010(LT), DiO 2496,
> 66, 44, 410, Audiophile 24/96; Digigram VX442; TerraTec EWX 24/96,
> EWS 88MT/D, DMX 6Fire, Phase 88; Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24/Value/
> Media7.1; Event EZ8; Lionstracs Mediastation, Terrasoniq TS 88) and
> VT1720/24 (AMP AUDIO2000; M-Audio Revolution 5.1, 7.1, Audiophile 192;
> TerraTec Aureon 5.1 Sky, 7.1 Space/Universe, Phase 22/28;
> Onkyo SE-90PCI, SE-200PCI; AudioTrak Prodigy 192, 7.1 (HIFI/LT/XT),
> HD2; Hercules Fortissimo IV; ESI Juli@; Pontis MS300; EGO-SYS
> WaveTerminal 192M).

Thanks.  I'll look over these cards.

> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
> The D2/D2X have even slightly better audio quality than the best X-Fi,
> and, as the obviously most important feature, colorfully illuminated
> jacks.  The various Dolby features are done in software in the Windows
> driver and are not supported in Linux.  If you need a PCI-E card, the
> Xonar DX or D2X are your only choice.

What about the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3?

John Rigg wrote:
>> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
>
> `High end' means different things in different situations of course.
> RME HDSP series are probably the `highest end' cards supported, but
> they need external converters, so they're probably unsuitable here.

The Xonar cards do look interesting, but I'd also like to carry one
higher-end card.  I'm looking for a single-slot PCI Express solution
that works as a standalone sound card, i.e. without any mandatory
external devices (though optional ones are fine).

Thanks for the information.

Edward

Re: supported sound cards

[Edward Terry]

Clemens Ladisch wrote:
> The only chip where hardware mixing is supported is Creative's Emu10k1
> (snd-emu10k1 driver), used on the SB Live!, most Audigy and certain
> low-end X-Fi cards.  (Cards with the 'real' X-Fi chip do _not_ work
> well in Linux.)
>
> Other supported chips are ICE1724 (M-Audio Delta 1010(LT), DiO 2496,
> 66, 44, 410, Audiophile 24/96; Digigram VX442; TerraTec EWX 24/96,
> EWS 88MT/D, DMX 6Fire, Phase 88; Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24/Value/
> Media7.1; Event EZ8; Lionstracs Mediastation, Terrasoniq TS 88) and
> VT1720/24 (AMP AUDIO2000; M-Audio Revolution 5.1, 7.1, Audiophile 192;
> TerraTec Aureon 5.1 Sky, 7.1 Space/Universe, Phase 22/28;
> Onkyo SE-90PCI, SE-200PCI; AudioTrak Prodigy 192, 7.1 (HIFI/LT/XT),
> HD2; Hercules Fortissimo IV; ESI Juli@; Pontis MS300; EGO-SYS
> WaveTerminal 192M).

Thanks.  I'll look over these cards.

> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
> The D2/D2X have even slightly better audio quality than the best X-Fi,
> and, as the obviously most important feature, colorfully illuminated
> jacks.  The various Dolby features are done in software in the Windows
> driver and are not supported in Linux.  If you need a PCI-E card, the
> Xonar DX or D2X are your only choice.

What about the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3?

John Rigg wrote:
>> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
>
> `High end' means different things in different situations of course.
> RME HDSP series are probably the `highest end' cards supported, but
> they need external converters, so they're probably unsuitable here.

The Xonar cards do look interesting, but I'd also like to carry one
higher-end card.  I'm looking for a single-slot PCI Express solution
that works as a standalone sound card, i.e. without any mandatory
external devices (though optional ones are fine).

Thanks for the information.

Edward

Re: supported sound cards

[Edward Terry]

Clemens Ladisch wrote:
> The only chip where hardware mixing is supported is Creative's Emu10k1
> (snd-emu10k1 driver), used on the SB Live!, most Audigy and certain
> low-end X-Fi cards.  (Cards with the 'real' X-Fi chip do _not_ work
> well in Linux.)
>
> Other supported chips are ICE1724 (M-Audio Delta 1010(LT), DiO 2496,
> 66, 44, 410, Audiophile 24/96; Digigram VX442; TerraTec EWX 24/96,
> EWS 88MT/D, DMX 6Fire, Phase 88; Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24/Value/
> Media7.1; Event EZ8; Lionstracs Mediastation, Terrasoniq TS 88) and
> VT1720/24 (AMP AUDIO2000; M-Audio Revolution 5.1, 7.1, Audiophile 192;
> TerraTec Aureon 5.1 Sky, 7.1 Space/Universe, Phase 22/28;
> Onkyo SE-90PCI, SE-200PCI; AudioTrak Prodigy 192, 7.1 (HIFI/LT/XT),
> HD2; Hercules Fortissimo IV; ESI Juli@; Pontis MS300; EGO-SYS
> WaveTerminal 192M).

Thanks.  I'll look over these cards.

> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
> The D2/D2X have even slightly better audio quality than the best X-Fi,
> and, as the obviously most important feature, colorfully illuminated
> jacks.  The various Dolby features are done in software in the Windows
> driver and are not supported in Linux.  If you need a PCI-E card, the
> Xonar DX or D2X are your only choice.

What about the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3?

John Rigg wrote:
>> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
>
> `High end' means different things in different situations of course.
> RME HDSP series are probably the `highest end' cards supported, but
> they need external converters, so they're probably unsuitable here.

The Xonar cards do look interesting, but I'd also like to carry one
higher-end card.  I'm looking for a single-slot PCI Express solution
that works as a standalone sound card, i.e. without any mandatory
external devices (though optional ones are fine).

Thanks for the information.

Edward

Re: supported sound cards

[Vedran Miletić]

2008/11/6 Edward Terry <eterry@openboxbuilder.com>:
> Clemens Ladisch wrote:
>> The only chip where hardware mixing is supported is Creative's Emu10k1
>> (snd-emu10k1 driver), used on the SB Live!, most Audigy and certain
>> low-end X-Fi cards.  (Cards with the 'real' X-Fi chip do _not_ work
>> well in Linux.)
>>
>> Other supported chips are ICE1724 (M-Audio Delta 1010(LT), DiO 2496,
>> 66, 44, 410, Audiophile 24/96; Digigram VX442; TerraTec EWX 24/96,
>> EWS 88MT/D, DMX 6Fire, Phase 88; Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24/Value/
>> Media7.1; Event EZ8; Lionstracs Mediastation, Terrasoniq TS 88) and
>> VT1720/24 (AMP AUDIO2000; M-Audio Revolution 5.1, 7.1, Audiophile 192;
>> TerraTec Aureon 5.1 Sky, 7.1 Space/Universe, Phase 22/28;
>> Onkyo SE-90PCI, SE-200PCI; AudioTrak Prodigy 192, 7.1 (HIFI/LT/XT),
>> HD2; Hercules Fortissimo IV; ESI Juli@; Pontis MS300; EGO-SYS
>> WaveTerminal 192M).
>
> Thanks.  I'll look over these cards.
>
>> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
>> The D2/D2X have even slightly better audio quality than the best X-Fi,
>> and, as the obviously most important feature, colorfully illuminated
>> jacks.  The various Dolby features are done in software in the Windows
>> driver and are not supported in Linux.  If you need a PCI-E card, the
>> Xonar DX or D2X are your only choice.
>
> What about the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3?
>
> John Rigg wrote:
>>> The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
>>
>> `High end' means different things in different situations of course.
>> RME HDSP series are probably the `highest end' cards supported, but
>> they need external converters, so they're probably unsuitable here.
>
> The Xonar cards do look interesting, but I'd also like to carry one
> higher-end card.  I'm looking for a single-slot PCI Express solution
> that works as a standalone sound card, i.e. without any mandatory
> external devices (though optional ones are fine).
>
> Thanks for the information.
>
> Edward
>
> _______________________________________________
> Alsa-devel mailing list
> Alsa-devel@alsa-project.org
> http://mailman.alsa-project.org/mailman/listinfo/alsa-devel
>

Xonar HDAV 1.3 is supported, but not fully (yet).


-- 
Vedran Miletić
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Re: supported sound cards

[Clemens Ladisch]

Edward Terry wrote:
> What about the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3?

I don't have the hardware, so the driver for this model is very
experimental, I don't know what works, and I don't know if the support
can ever be improved.


Regards,
Clemens