Some Questions On The SoundBlaster Live!

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 08:31 PM

Live card has

1 mic and line in for certain.
total of 3 - (possible to add CD and Aux for a submix WITH line in

Audigy card has
1 mic
2 line in
(if it has a secondary UDA - then add 2 for aux/cd)
Total of 3 or 5

Live drive adds
2 - Aux 2
2 - Line2/Mic 2
Total of 4

Grand total

10 - 12 inputs w/ live drive.

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 08:33 PM

So yes - I can say it should work for you.

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 08:39 PM

Something you should be aware of...
AC97 based inputs are 'submixed' to 2 monos on live cards and audigy cards...

My (edit: any card - with the secondary UDA) A2ZS - happenes to have the ability to use 4 monos (choose 4 of the following - 2 line in - 2 aux in - 2 cd analog in - 1 mic in) - as long as I use Lex's ProFX - which is no problem and works great - if you get the updated version.

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 27, 2006, 08:42 PM

i don't exactly know what you mean by 'submixed'... sry for this but i'm pretty knew to this soundcard stuff as you have noticed....

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 08:44 PM

The confusion comes (to me) when differentiating 'discrete' (record each one seperately on seperate tracks) - or as a 'submix' - and is recorded into 1 track.
It is recommended to use 'discrete' tracks when recording in a 'studio' so you have full control over the mix AFTER recording.

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

i don't exactly know what you mean by 'submixed'... sry for this but i'm pretty knew to this soundcard stuff as you have noticed....

Say I record a drum set 'submixed'
After recording I have no real way of say... making the snare louder with out affecting ALL other drums too.

But - If I record them discretely - all mics are sent to sperate tracks - and thus can have their levels individually adjusted after recording.

Did that make sense?

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 27, 2006, 08:57 PM

well that's exactly my point... i want a card with that much inputs because of drum recording in a way to be able to re-adjust the volumes of different mics.... if i wanted to record those 8 mics on one track (you called it submix right?) i could use my live card with a single stereo input, because i got a mixer with 8 inputs from which i could record from....

but i would be able to record those 10 or whatever inputs to discrete tracks wouldn't i?(i wonder because you said that AC97 are submixed to two monos and i don't really know what you mean by that)

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

well that's exactly my point... i want a card with that much inputs because of drum recording in a way to be able to re-adjust the volumes of different mics.... if i wanted to record those 8 mics on one track (you called it submix right?) i could use my live card with a single stereo input, because i got a mixer with 8 inputs from which i could record from....

Yes thats exactly right... you DONT want to record 'submixed' usually. (in recording theres no real right and wrong, but typical or usually)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

but i would be able to record those 10 or whatever inputs to discrete tracks wouldn't i?(i wonder because you said that AC97 are submixed to two monos and i don't really know what you mean by that)

Yes - AC97 on the live is different than on my A2ZS card (I dont know what all card ARE different from lives tho..)

For instance on my Live card - If I use the Line in AND CD in - they WILL be subixed.

BUT on the A2ZS - it has the ability to use 4 out of 7 discretely and can choose which ones
2 line in and 2 aux - or
2 line in and 2 CD in
etc...
Its becuase this card has a 'secondary UDA' that makes this possible.
I dont know for certain if the Audigy card has the secondary UDA or not.

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 09:08 PM

Also - the inputs supplied on the cards are all AC97 based - the inputs on the live drive dont have such limitations (are NOT ac97 based) and are all discrete.

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 27, 2006, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

BUT on the A2ZS - it has the ability to use 4 out of 7 discretely and can choose which ones
2 line in and 2 aux - or
2 line in and 2 CD in

so this would be 4 stereo inputs to record from discretely or?

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

so this would be 4 stereo inputs to record from discretely or?

No 4 mono inputs (actually 2 stereo) you can record from discretely.

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 27, 2006, 09:17 PM

ah ok and with the livedrive i would have a grand total of 4 stereo inputs from which i can record from discretely...

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

ah ok and with the livedrive i would have a grand total of 4 stereo inputs from which i can record from discretely...

With that audigy and live drive + your existing live card - yes - at least 4 stereo inputs you can record from discretely.

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 27, 2006, 09:30 PM

um... do i need an additional live card? i mean wouldn't just the audigy + livedrive be enough?

audigy : 2 (mono) from line in
2 (mono) from aux or cd

live drive: 2 (mono) line in2
2 (mono) from mic2

edit:
the audigy has that 10k2 thing...

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

um... do i need an additional live card? i mean wouldn't just the audigy + livedrive be enough?

audigy : 2 (mono) from line in
2 (mono) from aux or cd

live drive: 2 (mono) line in2
2 (mono) from mic2

edit:
the audigy has that 10k2 thing...

But does it have the secondary UDA that makes 4 discrete mono AC97 instead of 2 discrete mono AC97.. ?? Thus the words - 'at least'.

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 09:47 PM

An A2ZS + live drive (= A2ZS Platinum btw) - YES for certain - all on its own.

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 27, 2006, 09:55 PM

ok that should be enough for now....

thank you so much for helping me out on this

i'm glad there people out there who can be bothered with such newbie questions... that was a long way but i finally know now what is to do... (well i think at least

)

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

ok that should be enough for now....

thank you so much for helping me out on this

i'm glad there people out there who can be bothered with such newbie questions... that was a long way but i finally know now what is to do... (well i think at least

)

no problem - if I did actually help .??

What did you decide on...

||-->CaughtFire<--|| · Oct 27, 2006, 10:15 PM

well first i'll find out if the audigy has this second UDA (i think it has because as far as i know 10k2 means 2 UDAs, 10k1 means 1 UDA) and if so i'll try to get the audigy card on ebay and the livedrive... hopefully they won't raise too much...

well i hope the drum sounds will improve then, because at the moment i don't even have those drummics i talked about and i recorded with only one single mic standing in front of the drums (you probably can imagine the crappy sound)... but anyways my recording studio won't be too modern, because i simply don't have enough money for buying high quality 'up to date' equipment (that's why ebay lol)
i hope i'll get some good recordings from my band....

Maddogg6 · Oct 27, 2006, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

well first i'll find out if the audigy has this second UDA (i think it has because as far as i know 10k2 means 2 UDAs, 10k1 means 1 UDA)...

I wouldnt jump to that conclusion...but its an interesting view I never seen before. I wonder if this has any thruth behind it??

Quote:

Originally Posted by ||-->CaughtFire<--||

well i hope the drum sounds will improve then, because at the moment i don't even have those drummics i talked about and i recorded with only one single mic standing in front of the drums (you probably can imagine the crappy sound)... but anyways my recording studio won't be too modern, because i simply don't have enough money for buying high quality 'up to date' equipment (that's why ebay lol)
i hope i'll get some good recordings from my band....

I was in a 'pro-studio' for a friends band to track drums.. and they only used 6 mics.
1 - snare
1 - bass drum
2 - l & r toms / cymbles
2 - off axis 'ambience' (pinting 90 degrees opposit - partially at toms/cymbles.

And sounded great - but I attributed this to:
1) great mics & pre-amps.
2) lots and lots of mic placing experiments.
3) the room was engineered accoustically. (even tho from the ouside it resembled a barn)

Good luck and dont forget to share your success in the 'powered by KX' forum so we can hear it too

Oct 27, 2006, 08:42 PM	Thread Starter #34
\|\|-->CaughtFire<--\|\| DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Nuremberg, Germany Posts: 16 Rep Power: 0	i don't exactly know what you mean by 'submixed'... sry for this but i'm pretty knew to this soundcard stuff as you have noticed.... __________________ Fuck Armageddon, this is hell (Bad Religion)

Oct 27, 2006, 08:57 PM	Thread Starter #37
\|\|-->CaughtFire<--\|\| DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Nuremberg, Germany Posts: 16 Rep Power: 0	well that's exactly my point... i want a card with that much inputs because of drum recording in a way to be able to re-adjust the volumes of different mics.... if i wanted to record those 8 mics on one track (you called it submix right?) i could use my live card with a single stereo input, because i got a mixer with 8 inputs from which i could record from.... but i would be able to record those 10 or whatever inputs to discrete tracks wouldn't i?(i wonder because you said that AC97 are submixed to two monos and i don't really know what you mean by that) __________________ Fuck Armageddon, this is hell (Bad Religion)

Oct 27, 2006, 09:17 PM	Thread Starter #42
\|\|-->CaughtFire<--\|\| DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Nuremberg, Germany Posts: 16 Rep Power: 0	ah ok and with the livedrive i would have a grand total of 4 stereo inputs from which i can record from discretely... __________________ Fuck Armageddon, this is hell (Bad Religion)

Oct 27, 2006, 09:30 PM	Thread Starter #44
\|\|-->CaughtFire<--\|\| DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Nuremberg, Germany Posts: 16 Rep Power: 0	um... do i need an additional live card? i mean wouldn't just the audigy + livedrive be enough? audigy : 2 (mono) from line in 2 (mono) from aux or cd live drive: 2 (mono) line in2 2 (mono) from mic2 edit: the audigy has that 10k2 thing... __________________ Fuck Armageddon, this is hell (Bad Religion)

Oct 27, 2006, 09:55 PM	Thread Starter #47
\|\|-->CaughtFire<--\|\| DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Nuremberg, Germany Posts: 16 Rep Power: 0	ok that should be enough for now.... thank you so much for helping me out on this i'm glad there people out there who can be bothered with such newbie questions... that was a long way but i finally know now what is to do... (well i think at least ) __________________ Fuck Armageddon, this is hell (Bad Religion)

Oct 27, 2006, 08:31 PM	#31
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 50	Live card has 1 mic and line in for certain. total of 3 - (possible to add CD and Aux for a submix WITH line in Audigy card has 1 mic 2 line in (if it has a secondary UDA - then add 2 for aux/cd) Total of 3 or 5 Live drive adds 2 - Aux 2 2 - Line2/Mic 2 Total of 4 Grand total 10 - 12 inputs w/ live drive.

Oct 27, 2006, 08:33 PM	#32
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 50	So yes - I can say it should work for you.

Oct 27, 2006, 08:39 PM	#33
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 50	Something you should be aware of... AC97 based inputs are 'submixed' to 2 monos on live cards and audigy cards... My (edit: any card - with the secondary UDA) A2ZS - happenes to have the ability to use 4 monos (choose 4 of the following - 2 line in - 2 aux in - 2 cd analog in - 1 mic in) - as long as I use Lex's ProFX - which is no problem and works great - if you get the updated version.

Oct 27, 2006, 08:44 PM	#35
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 50	The confusion comes (to me) when differentiating 'discrete' (record each one seperately on seperate tracks) - or as a 'submix' - and is recorded into 1 track. It is recommended to use 'discrete' tracks when recording in a 'studio' so you have full control over the mix AFTER recording.

Oct 27, 2006, 09:08 PM	#39
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 50	Also - the inputs supplied on the cards are all AC97 based - the inputs on the live drive dont have such limitations (are NOT ac97 based) and are all discrete.

Oct 27, 2006, 09:47 PM	#46
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 50	An A2ZS + live drive (= A2ZS Platinum btw) - YES for certain - all on its own.

Oct 27, 2006, 10:15 PM	Thread Starter #49
\|\|-->CaughtFire<--\|\| DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Nuremberg, Germany Posts: 16 Rep Power: 0	well first i'll find out if the audigy has this second UDA (i think it has because as far as i know 10k2 means 2 UDAs, 10k1 means 1 UDA) and if so i'll try to get the audigy card on ebay and the livedrive... hopefully they won't raise too much... well i hope the drum sounds will improve then, because at the moment i don't even have those drummics i talked about and i recorded with only one single mic standing in front of the drums (you probably can imagine the crappy sound)... but anyways my recording studio won't be too modern, because i simply don't have enough money for buying high quality 'up to date' equipment (that's why ebay lol) i hope i'll get some good recordings from my band.... __________________ Fuck Armageddon, this is hell (Bad Religion)