PCIE AES/EBU card

[ken long]

Hello,

looking for something like the RME HDSP AES card but, hopefully, a little more affordable.

It is intended to be fed by an Apogee Rosetta 200. Perhaps someone has an alternative way to get my 1's and 0's into the PC from the Rosetta?

Firewire card for Apogee not really an option as there are no drivers for W10, AFAIK.

Thanks

[James Perrett]

If you don't mind using S/PDIF and aren't totally tied to an internal interface then the Zoom U-44 is worth a look. It has co-axial and optical inputs and outputs and works up to 96kHz sampling rate. It won't give you as low a latency as the RME card but then you are paying very much less for the Zoom. I've had one for about 6 months and haven't had any problems with it.

[ken long]

If you don't mind using S/PDIF and aren't totally tied to an internal interface then the Zoom U-44 is worth a look. It has co-axial and optical inputs and outputs and works up to 96kHz sampling rate. It won't give you as low a latency as the RME card but then you are paying very much less for the Zoom. I've had one for about 6 months and haven't had any problems with it.

James, you suggested this exact model a few months ago and I did buy one for some DATs. Its great as a self contained system and has been very useful (very low budget laptop system running Audacity and the U-44). This might end up being the solution.

I was looking for something a little more long term as a solution. Something in the box, not an external interface between the Apogee and the PC. Want to keep it tidy and the RME cards were just the ticket but budget might not stretch. I couldn't find any other company making these kinds of cards, hence the price?

[Wonks]

With the advances in technology in the past 13 years, you may now get something better than the Apogee with more channels for the price of an RME PCIe card. Yes the Apogee cost a lot when new, but a 13 year-old computer costing the same money would be almost useless and worth nothing these days.

Just a thought.

[James Perrett]

James, you suggested this exact model a few months ago...

I must be getting old...

A quick search brings up the Marian Seraph A3 with ADAT inputs at around £300 but otherwise nothing cheaper than the RME range. I know that Marian have been around for quite a while but I've never tried any of their cards.

It may also be worth keeping an eye on Synthax's Ebay store where they sell off ex demo cards

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/synthaxaudio ... 7675.l2559

and I see that Scan also have one or two B stock cards on Ebay.

[Dan LB]

I have no idea about prices, but there’s a company called Digigram that make PCIe cards with AES3 connectivity.

We have some audio PCs in work with them installed and they’ve been solid over the years. Actually, come to think of it, they’ve been in use for the last 12 years AFAIR In use practically every day since we’ve had them. The machines are old Carillon PCs running Windows XP and are long overdue for replacement but they work just fine! They’ve only ever had Adobe Audition and SpotOn installed on them though.

https://www.digigram.com/production-and-sound-cards/multichannel-sound-card-vx441e/

[ef37a]

There is this, https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-an ... gIyF_D_BwE

You would have to ask about W10 drivers. I assume the MOBO does not have a PCI slot? Otherwise you could still find an M-Audio 2496 or better, the AP192.

Dave.

[ken long]

Thank you all for the suggestions!

[ken long]

With the advances in technology in the past 13 years, you may now get something better than the Apogee with more channels for the price of an RME PCIe card. Yes the Apogee cost a lot when new, but a 13 year-old computer costing the same money would be almost useless and worth nothing these days.

I only need 2 channels though. I appreciate the thought but the Rosetta is still very good at what it does. Shame it's just not supported anymore.

[Sam Spoons]

I have a 24/96 which I loved but I missed the free upgrade offer and mine is an older 5V only card. If it's any use to anybody I'm sure we could come to an arrangement?

[Hugh Robjohns]

looking for something like the RME HDSP AES card but, hopefully, a little more affordable.

I use the AIO card which is around £500. Analogue I/O as well as ADAT makes it very flexible, and can be augmented with the TCO card for precise external clocking if required.

Although relatively expensive, the drivers are rock solid and the support is virtually endless. So the investment will be returned over a lengthy working life. I can't think of anything else that I could say that for.

Internal cards with AES are rare and inevitably expensive. There is the Digigram range as previously mentioned, but they aren't much cheaper than the RME and I wouldn't have the same confidence about driver support. However, there are quite a few used models going on ebay at bargain prices...

If cost really is the driving factor then a budget external interface is probably the better way to go, although driver support us still likely to limit longevity, and few budget interfaces have S/PDIF let alone AES.

The cheapest I can find is the ESI Audio U24 which has S/PDIF in and out, and it's trivial to make up a converter cable for AES-S/PDIF provided the cable lengths aren't too long.

https://www.esi-audio.com/products/u24xl/

Personally, though, I'd strongly recommend the AIO card... I've had mine for many years and it's been through two computers and three Operating Systems...

H

[ken long]

Thanks, Hugh. The AIO looks great. I feel like I'll probably end up biting the bullet for on the AIO as a long term solution but I'm going to test the U44 solution first as I've got one and if I need another, is 1/10th of the price of the HDSP. So it will be AES out of the Apogee to S/PDIF in on the U44 then over USB to the PC).

Internal cards with AES are rare and inevitably expensive.

Yes, and it's a little baffling (?) Would have thought there would be more of a market for this.