Sound Cards

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

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

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).]

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

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

Bernie nailed it! Congrats on the nursing home job Ken, and I'm confident you'll get many more.

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy

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

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).]

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

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

Sorry,but, the Soundfont Manager already contains a GM soundset right out of the box. In addition,you can download any soundfonts,including large expensive ones.

Once the software and drivers are installed,you will see Creative. Choose it for midi out.
Bernie

Hi Ken,
under "Soundfont Bank Manager" program
you are able load additional soundfont banks,
better ones than what comes standard with the card.
Click "Bank " icon and choose a new soundfont bank.
Click " Midi Devices" and select midi in, I use "USB" because my piano has usb interface.

With this setting , you can actually use a midi keyboard to play soundfonts in realtime.

If you're using a sequencer to play midifiles, just make sure your midi in setting is ( in my case USB) and midi out is set to Creative USB Soundfont Synth.

Depending on the capacity of your computer you can load soundfonts well over 100mb.

My laptop is 512 mb and plays soundfonts up to about 140mb in size.

If you're interested in delving further into the soundfont system I can give you some links to free soundfonts.


best wishes
rikki



[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 07-26-2005).]

Hi Scott,
the nx2 doesn't have it's own built in sounds like a hardware sound module does, but it can be used as a sound module in conjunction with a computer.
Works quite simply really,
Laptop
USB controller keyboard
nx2 card with assorted free & commercial soundfonts
( speaker system )
With the above setup, a controller keyboard can play the soundfonts in realtime, in short the laptop/nx2 card becomes a sound module. The sounds can even be edited.
From there the setup can even be turned into an arranger keyboard using OMB or Livestyler software.
Amazing the technology nowadays.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scottyee:
[B]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.

Hi Rikki. Yes, it appears the function of the 2nx soundcard (like most all other soundcards these days) is solely for A/D (analog to digital) & D/A (digital to analog) conversion.

In the past, some soundcards had actually INCLUDED a complete set of GM midi sounds right on the card. This was essentially a hardware sound module piggy-backed on the card itself. The advantage of this hardware type configuration is that it didn't use up CPU resources as software driven midi 'sound fonts' do. The other issues with software produced midi sound is recording latency as well as the compromised sound quality. Thankfully, with the advent of faster computer processors & improved soft synth technology, software produced midi instruments are sounding better, but imo, external hardware midi sound modules still outshine software produced midi instruments, even the aforementioned Creative 'sound fonts'. This said, I'm a bit surprised that are no companies offering a complete table of GM/XG instruments on a dedicated PCI card. Anyone have a guess? - Scott

Scott, I would have to respectfully disagree. Given todays computers and software, the sound quality of software based solutions are vastely superior to hardware based modules or keyboards. Plus the latency is much less than say a Tyros. I can easily run my system at 2.5ms. Most hardware runs at 10ms or more. This is, of course, good enough for live performances.

It is for these reasons that serious composers, screen writers and performers are turning to such systems. It is true that these people usually do not use soundfonts. They use Kontakt, GigaStudio, Halion and so on. I have given examples in some of my past posts.

The main disadvantage is that the control surface is not as good as that of say a Tyros.....but one can get used to it.

Frank. I'll AGREE with you that Kontakt, GigaStudio, Halion probably can deliver sound quality results at least equal to the best hardware based sound modules & keyboards out there, but my comparison was aimed at dedicated MIDI synth software (Creative Sound Fonts, Microsoft WaveTable SW Synth, etc) of which were specifically intended for MIDI file playback. I have yet to find a dedicated MIDI software Synth' that approaches the sound quality of going out to a dedicated hardware GM/XG sound module or keyboard like the Yamaha Tyros.

Frank, does Kontakt, GigaStudio, Reason, or Halion include a dedicated set of GM/XG midi instruments as well? If so, then perhaps this may finally be the idea SOFTWARE solution for playing back GM/XG midi files on the computer alone, replacing GM midi instrument software like: Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth, Creative's Sound Fonts, or having to go out a hardware sound module. Thanks for futher input on this.

Scott

Hi Scott,
I know the ones you mean. I must admit I'd never bothered with them, I was too busy collecting keyboards & soundmodules. My old Atari/Notator software was still in use up till about the year 2000. It pretty much had all the sequencing functions I wanted.
P.C's as a soundsource never really interested me that much till recently.
(Frank's to blame haahaa)

I don't have a dedicated arranger keyboard anymore, instead I'm using omb with a Clavinova CLP170 ( same piano as Simon Williams got recently) and soundfonts.
I use mainly Simon's styles and they require tweaking for use with the Clavinova's xg soundset. Recently started tweaking them for soundfonts also. At times I can't tell whether the styles are using fonts or clavinova sounds. I actually have the output of the nx going into the input of my Clavinova. The Clav's basically my speaker system.
XG drums are a bit of a hassle as far as fonts go, but, I've started editing them and putting an xg mapped drumset set together.

Probably by the time I finish, Yamaha will have put out their own soft synth and /or soundcard, again, and I'll be ready for a nursing home ( haahaa)


best wishes
Rikki


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scottyee:
[B]

Scott, when it comes to GM or other standards we are not there yet. I have purchased the East West Colossus 32 GB Library which is also GM compatible. Kontakt has made some updates so that you can use it to call up instruments utilizing program change numbers. I will likely now make some compromises and use Colossus for both my lead and auto accompaniment instruments. The quality of these instruments is not as good as the top of the line pianos, trumpets, etc. in libraries such as VSL, QLSO Gold/Platinum, etc.

Also as you know you can save midi files as projects in Sonar or Cubase which will call up the correct instruments and effects via VST or DXi, etc. This would be excellent for studio work but to slow for live performances.

Although I am satisfied with the sounds using Virtual Sound Canvas and MP3 through Roxio There are certain features that I am not able to use.
This is probably due to the fact that I did not install the card the right way.
I unintentially let Windows install the drivers etc.
Could someone advise me step by step how to uninstall the card and programes and then
reinstall.
There appears no icon in control panel.
There are entries in the programe files under Creative but I will have to keep in mind the
SBLive card still installed.
I use XPHome
Wainting in anticipation.
Cousin Ken.

Well I am back on deck after a prolonged period with the dreaded flu.
Now have the sound card up and running and am very pleased with it.
In the next week or so I will be getting 5.1 Logitech speakers to go with it.
My wife who is a Mario Lanza fan has ben quite impressed and is talking about getting a new sound card.
Thank you all for your interest.
Have another concert next Thursday at the nursng home.
Cousin Ken