Suggest sound card for recording ~$200

[waxcylinder]

I convert a lot of vinyl (finished mine, working on Mrs, Waxcylinder's now)

If I were buying today I would buty the integrated ART device- the USB Phono Plus: http://artproaudio.com/artcessories/tur ... o_plus-ps/
This is a combined phono preamp and USB sound card (and importantly it has a gain control and a grounding point).

I actually use an ART phono pre-amp,the DJ Pre 11: http://artproaudio.com/artcessories/tur ... /djpre_ii/

I have this running through an external soundcard an Edirol UA-1EX (no longer manufactuted but a few still available apparently)

I started with the Edirol taking its input from Mrs Waxcylinder''s old Technics amp - but when that died I had to source a food pre-amp for the task.

The build quality on the ARTcessories stuff is superb: solid, rugged, aluminium casing - and the sound is excellent too with a very low noise floor

I also note that the Phono Plus has optical and S/PDIF inputs - could be useful if you are also converting MiniDiscs (I have a similar facilty on the Edirol and indeed used it for my MD conversions).

In the UK it sells for £65-80, Amazon.com lists it at US$79, so well within your budget.

WC

[waxcylinder]

If you really want to spend more money I seem to recall seeing a Naim device a while back but I can't finf the link right now - but I think you would be more than satisfied with the ARTcessories gizmo.

WC

[steve]

The "FubarIO-MKII" has an excellent specification on paper and is massively expensive for a 16 bit no frills sound card.

Their DAC (digital to analogue converter) devices get pretty good reviews but I've not found any reviews of the FubarIO-MKII (which I think is their only model that has an ADC (analogue to digital) converter).

[audino]

If I were buying today I would buty the integrated ART device- the USB Phono Plus: http://artproaudio.com/artcessories/tur ... o_plus-ps/
This is a combined phono preamp and USB sound card (and importantly it has a gain control and a grounding point).

Thanks, this device seems very well regarded and the price isn't killing.
Ordering it from Australia will cost averagely 50% more than US prices, this is a standard issue here for nearly anything from US (software also up to 500% more) and people have started calling for prices gouging.

I actually use an ART phono pre-amp,the DJ Pre 11: http://artproaudio.com/artcessories/tur ... /djpre_ii/
I have this running through an external soundcard an Edirol UA-1EX (no longer manufactuted but a few still available apparently)

So isn't the ART USB Phono Plus v2 enough between the audio source and computer or I need one more device within the chain?

[audino]

The "FubarIO-MKII" has an excellent specification on paper and is massively expensive for a 16 bit no frills sound card.
Their DAC (digital to analogue converter) devices get pretty good reviews but I've not found any reviews of the FubarIO-MKII (which I think is their only model that has an ADC (analogue to digital) converter).

Thanks Steve, yet 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.
This device is just NEW in the market and it still uses USB 1.1 interface?!

[waxcylinder]

Yup if you get the ART Phono Plus that's all you should need.

It's an integrated device that combines the jobs of my ART pre-amp and my Edirol soundcard.

WC

[steve]

This device is just NEW in the market and it still uses USB 1.1 interface?!

USB 1.1 is extremely common with USB sound cards, even with new high-end devices.

The data transfer rate of USB 1.1 (12 Mbit/s) is more than adequate for stereo audio at 24 bit 96 kHz or less. It is a well supported, tried and tested format that is recognised by most operating systems without the need for special drivers. For a stereo audio I/O card I don't think that USB 2 offers any advantages. USB 3 is starting to be used for multi-channel sound cards, though firewire is still a lot more common for these types of devices.

[audino]

Yup if you get the ART Phono Plus that's all you should need.
It's an integrated device that combines the jobs of my ART pre-amp and my Edirol soundcard.WC

Thanks for help I'm going for it

[audino]

What do you guys think about this device??
Terratec PhonoPreamp iVinyl: http://www.terratec.net/en/products/tec ... _3663.html

[steve]

Terratec are a well established name in audio equipment. They used to make some semi-pro multi-channel interfaces, though that side of the business seems to be abandoned now. I've not used one but I'd expect that the electronics and the performance to be very good. It looks like a plastic box, which would be a shame (the ART pre-amps have sturdy metal boxes) but that's probably not a big deal for home use.