Suggest sound card for recording ~$200

[kozikowski]

...this device is no frills also it seems to me aimed at Mac users, people who give greater importance to the external design of a device and much lees to what is inside it and they pay much more for what is outdated too.

Yes, there is that, but I don't need an external digitizer. Mine is built-in. $0 USD.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/MacLineIn.jpg

Koz

[audino]

I decided to go for the ART USB Phono Plus v2 Phono PreAmp with USB and to stop hunting around.
Thanks everyone for help, I'll keep informed

[audino]

Sorry everyone but I still need some advices please.

I see the Art USB Phono Plus v2 is defined as a pre-amp but not as an audio device.
My computer has an onboard audio and I know it might be good for gaming and listening at music, but what about recording music?
I would prefer to record music through the line-in of the computer but NOT via the usb one.
My audio system has a background noise I can hear when I use the headphones and strangely only during gaming.

That is why I was looking to upgrade to a better audio device, now is the Art USB Phono Plus v2 suitable for my set-up or I just said a lot of non sense issues??

[waxcylinder]

I see the Art USB Phono Plus v2 is defined as a pre-amp but not as an audio device.

No, it is a combined phono pre-amp and USB sound device (USB soundcard - with ADC/DAC onboard). And note that it it is a two-way sound device so you can route you sound output through it too (it has line level outputs marked "PREAMP LINE OUT").

I would prefer to record music through the line-in of the computer but NOT via the usb one.
My audio system has a background noise I can hear when I use the headphones and strangely only during gaming.

If that is the case then all you need to buy is something like the ART DJ-Pre11 (the one I have). But see below.

My audio system has a background noise I can hear when I use the headphones and strangely only during gaming.

Folk tend to listen more closely when they have headphones on - so it's sometimes easier to hear the defects. This suggests that you on-board soundcard is posssibly picking up mains hum or RF interference (the interior of PCs, especially laptops, can be very electrically "noisy") - or is of poor quality. That is why I, personally, prefer to use an external USB soundcard.

WC

[audino]

If that is the case then all you need to buy is something like the ART DJ-Pre11 (the one I have). But see below.

Could you kindly explain what is the benefit by using the ART DJ Pre 11 instead of the Art USB Phono Plus v2?
Is that only because I won't record through usb and so I could save money by purchasing the DJ Pre11 or there is something else?

[waxcylinder]

The Phono-Plus v2 is effectively a DJ-Pre11 with a USB sound card added (all in the same box).

If you are happy to use the ARTs ADC and its USB services to deliver digitized sound to your PC (and I certainly would be) then this could be the device for you.

If however your PCs onboard soundcard is adequate or good (but your comments about noise suggest otherwise) then you could go for the simpler and cheaper DJ-Pre11 and feed the line-level output of its pre-amp to the line-in port of your PC and use the onboard soundcard's ADC.

My preference is to opt for external soundcards for a couple of reasons:
1) Souncards in PCs are normally selected down to a budget and not always good except for making the ping etc. noises beloved of o/s developers
2) External soundcards are what that manufacturer maks and focuses on in that product.
3) External soundcards can be better shielded from the electrical noise inside a PC
4) External soundcards can be readily moved from one PC to another.

WC

[audino]

The Phono-Plus v2 is effectively a DJ-Pre11 with a USB sound card added (all in the same box).
If you are happy to use the ARTs ADC and its USB services to deliver digitized sound to your PC (and I certainly would be) then this could be the device for you.

Now it makes sense to me, so in my case I should connect the device to computer through USB because my onboard audio is pretty rubbish!
Also I was looking at the Phono Plus v2's block diagram and that shows what you just told me.

It's better this one, for a little more money you get much more value and you can use it practically in any configuration, there seems to be no limit for its use!

Thank you very much.