DIY daw - soundcard confusion

[LuZeR]

Hey all

I've decided to go the DIY way of getting the required parts needed to build a DAW for recording audio and playing MIDI programs (like Sibelius) and softsynths/vsts.

i've worked out the easier stuff out but only the soundcard problem bugs me.

If lets say the only soundcard i have on my DIY cpu is M-audio's 2496 and nothing else...will it be able to:

- playback sounds in midi programs (eg. Sibelius) or those midi music that you can find online?
- convert recorded midi in softsynths (eg. Reason) into Wav files?
- use iTunes (or other programs) to convert Wav files into mp3 format?
- have firewire 410 plugged in as well but the firewire for recording purposes and the 2496 only when im listening to music, watch dvd and playing games?

OR

What if the only soundcard i wanna use is firewire 410 and nothing else?

 

[Cheez]

One soundcard is sufficient.

1. You will not be able to playback sounds from midi files you find online unless you have a GM soundbank. Most pro-soundcards do not have midi soundbanks built into them. That means unlike Creative cards, they don't play back midi files. If you really want to play back GM midi files, you'll have to: (i) get a soundcard that does that, mostly gamers cards or (ii) get a GM VSTi, the cheapest I know being the Edirol virtual soundcanvas. The higher end will be things like East West's Colossus.

2. Yes you can record softsynths and any plug-ins into wav files. These are done internally and you don't need to route any external wires.

3. Converting wav into mp3 does not depend on the soundcard - you can do that with any programs that convert wav into mp3. Unless the converter runs inherently within the sequencer you are using, I don't recommend installing any other programs in your DAW. DAW should be dedicated - if you want to iTunes/Media Player/Real Player etc, you should dual boot it. Extra programs takes up resources and messes up the registry. My DAW is entirely dedicated and clean - boots and shuts down within seconds (actually shuts down in only 2 second!).

4. 2496 can record. You don't need that + the firewire. One of them will do. I don't recommend playing games on your DAW. Dual boot it. If your games run midi sounds, you'll have no sound coming from your 2496.

 

[LuZeR]

Yea, i intend to dual boot it, that's why.

Thanks for the information thus far. My main worry is midi playback cuz i use Sibelius alot for transcriptions to learn how to play songs and to also do my own transcriptions from time to time.

Ok, i've decided not to get the 2496 but the Revolution 5.1
That can support games, dvd, etc....but can it playback midi files?

So, Revolution 5.1 for basic stuff......Firewire 410 for recording