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#175500 - 07/09/05 07:47 PM Sound Cards
Caragabal Offline
Member

Registered: 11/01/04
Posts: 320
Loc: Hobart Tasmania Australia
I am considering upgrading to a Sound Blaster Audigy 2NX External Sound Card.
I have at present a Creative SB Live Series Pro EMUI AUDIO Processor WMD installed in my two year old IBM Computer with a Intel Pemiumn 4 Cpu 1.70 Ghz
1700 with memory of 256 MB.
Could I leave the old card installed or would there be a conflict?
I would use the new card to play mainly mid and to record voice.
By the way I recently did my first solo performance at a local Nursing Home and was received with delite by those attending.
I used material off the Internet played through my PSR3000 as accompaniment.
I have also discovered the joy of using a microphone.
Cousin Ken

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#175501 - 07/10/05 02:56 AM Re: Sound Cards
Bernie9 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/02
Posts: 5508
Loc: Port Charlotte,FL,USA
Hi Ken
I have this sound module on my pc for my midi playback,and think it is good for the money. I ordered the Creative soundfont upgrade to make it even better. Using the Soundfont Manager allows you to make the sounds as good as you wish.

There should be no problem as this uses a USB port.
Congratulations on your progress.
Bernie
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pa4X 76 ,SX900, Audya 76,Yamaha S970 , vArranger, Hammond SK1, Ketron SD40, Centerpoint Space Station, Bose compact

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#175502 - 07/10/05 04:41 PM Re: Sound Cards
rikkisbears Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/22/02
Posts: 6020
Loc: NSW,Australia
Hi Ken.
I bought one for my laptop to give me a second source for soundfonts. Certainly sounds better than my laptop's internal card.
Might want to double check as it may require usb2?? which my laptop has. http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=204&prod uct=9103&nav=3

best wishes
Rikki



[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 07-10-2005).]
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best wishes
Rikki 🧸

Korg PA5X 88 note
SX900
Band in a Box 2022

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#175503 - 07/24/05 11:21 PM Re: Sound Cards
Caragabal Offline
Member

Registered: 11/01/04
Posts: 320
Loc: Hobart Tasmania Australia
Thanks Bernie and Rikki for the information.
I have bought the Sound Card but before I break the seal on the packaging would you please confirm that you actually play midi through it.
This probably sounds silly to you but I have got conflicting information on the telephone from the call centre for Creative.
If it is possible could you please advise how you connect it to the computer
I hope I am not straining you patience.
Cousin Ken

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#175504 - 07/25/05 04:59 AM Re: Sound Cards
Bernie9 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/02
Posts: 5508
Loc: Port Charlotte,FL,USA
Hi Cousin Ken
The whole purpose of a forum is to exchange information.

The information is for a USB Audigy 2 NX Sound Module(grey box 3x5).

Turn on your pc
connect your USB cable(square end to module)
plug in module
powerup
Windows will detect hardware,and will promp you for drivers. IMP: CLICK CANCEL
Insert CD and follow directions.

I only use "Front" out to speakers as I use a Logitech Z5500 system.

Make sure you follow directions about going into control panel and selecting Creative as your midi player.
The module is USB1/2 compliant.

When you get that far and have questions,email me anytime.

Good luck
Bernie
_________________________
pa4X 76 ,SX900, Audya 76,Yamaha S970 , vArranger, Hammond SK1, Ketron SD40, Centerpoint Space Station, Bose compact

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#175505 - 07/25/05 05:07 AM Re: Sound Cards
travlin'easy Online   happy
Senior Member

Registered: 12/08/02
Posts: 15560
Loc: Forest Hill, MD USA
Bernie nailed it! Congrats on the nursing home job Ken, and I'm confident you'll get many more.

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy
_________________________
PSR-S950, TC Helicon Harmony-M, Digitech VR, Samson Q7, Sennheiser E855, Custom Console, and lots of other silly stuff!

K+E=W (Knowledge Plus Experience = Wisdom.)

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#175506 - 07/25/05 08:32 AM Re: Sound Cards
Scottyee Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 10427
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, CA, US...
Quote:
Originally posted by Caragabal:
I have bought the (Sound Blaster Audigy 2NX External Sound Card) Sound Card ( but before I break the seal on the packaging would you please confirm that you actually play midi through it.


Hi Ken, good question. The Sound Blaster 'Audigy 2NX' soundcard does NOT include any midi sounds (GM/XG or otherwise) in its 'hardware' as our arranger keyboards do. Instead, midi data is converted to digital audio via computer 'software' (Sound Font 2.1) and then sent (as all other digital audio data is (WAV, MP3, etc) to the Audigy SNX for 'digital to analog' conversion, and subsequent playback thru your computer's analog speakers.

Scott
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#175507 - 07/25/05 04:07 PM Re: Sound Cards
rikkisbears Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/22/02
Posts: 6020
Loc: NSW,Australia
Hi Ken,
not sure I quite understand your setup.
The nx2 doesn't have midi In/Out sockets
( like for instance an m audiophile card).

NX has audio out. Audio in. Mic in. USB

My set up is the following

Laptop _ Socket 1 USB connects to Clavinova
Socket 2 USB connects to NX 2

Clavinova acts as midi controller keyboard for OMB software.
NX2 acts as my sound module via a variety of " Soundfonts".
So in short, instead of having an arranger keyboard like the psr, I can use my digital piano to act as a controller ( chords & melody) , Omb software to play the styles, the nx2/soundfonts as soundsource for the styles and/or melody.

I don't quite know how your setup works and I don't record myself so could someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, but I would imagine if you're trying to record an audio performance of your voice and the audio output of an arranger keyboard you'd actually be using Audio input & mic input, not midi in/out sockets.
If you're using software sequencers, then it could be a bit more complicated.
best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Caragabal:


[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 07-26-2005).]
_________________________
best wishes
Rikki 🧸

Korg PA5X 88 note
SX900
Band in a Box 2022

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#175508 - 07/25/05 11:55 PM Re: Sound Cards
Caragabal Offline
Member

Registered: 11/01/04
Posts: 320
Loc: Hobart Tasmania Australia
Thank you everyone I have the sound card up and running.
Listening to it now and it sounds good.
Does a good job of playing MP3's as well.
I have a few quiries though.
Does the player with it play midi.I have been unable to get it to,however I have been able to play midi through Virtual Sound Canvas.
Windows Media player does not work nor the player wich came with The internal Sound Blaster card but I had this problem before the instalation of the external card.
Looking forward to your comments.
Cousin Ken

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#175509 - 07/26/05 12:19 AM Re: Sound Cards
Scottyee Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 10427
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, CA, US...
Cousin Ken: Your last reply here seems to confirm what I stated in my original reply to you on this thread, that the Audigy 2NX probably doesn't include a 'built in' onboard midi sound card. If this is true, then Midi file playback (sound production) must be processed by your computer via a software program such as Virtual Sound Canvas, Microsoft GS WaveTable SW Synth (which I think is included with WindowsXP) and is selected via:

Control Panel > Sounds & Audio Devices > Audio Tab > Midi Music Playback: Default Device.

If the Audigy NX does not appear as a selection option, then this confirms the fact that it doesn't include midi support. You then must select from the other midi sound playback options: Virtual Sound Canvas, Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth, or other midi music playback selection option(s) available. Once you do this, your midi files should play thru Windows Media Player. In addition, you may want to select Windows Media Player as the default Player for .mid files as well: In Windows Media Player, go to: Tools>Options>FileTypes and place a check in the .midi file box.

Hope my explanation helps you solve your midi playback problem. Good luck.

Scott
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