How to run two soundcards?? - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

Samgotit · 05-22-2006, 08:36 AM

I'm running an AV-710 and a M-Audio Firewire.

I'm going to assume you're using XP.

Install both cards. You can then choose between them, for any application, using:

Control Panel>>>Sounds and Audio Devices>>>Audio

Gabe Logan · 05-22-2006, 08:53 AM

What Samgotit said.

You can even place a shortcut on your desktop or quicktask bar without having to go through all those menus.

There was a piece of software somewhere that placed in icon on the botton right that was suppose to let you change between sound cards even simpler than the way mentioned above.I tried it long ago but it did not work for me.

skyline889 · 05-22-2006, 09:17 AM

Oh, didn't realise it was that simple, I heard some people had a lot of problems running duwl sound cards. One more question is there any way to hook up my DVD-RW to both sound cards? Do I need two digital outs on the dvd burner? Or should I just buy another burner as well and use one for dvd's and one for music?

Gabe Logan · 05-22-2006, 09:24 AM

I can't answer that last question,sorry.

Iv'e seen those connections on the back of cd/dvd but never knew what they were for.Is it so it goes straight to the soundcard instead of through the software?

skyline889 · 05-22-2006, 09:38 AM

Yeah iirc both soundcards run a toslink from the burner to the actual card. So the burner is acting as a transport and the soundcard the amp/dac.

Samgotit · 05-22-2006, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by skyline889

Oh, didn't realise it was that simple, I heard some people had a lot of problems running duwl sound cards. One more question is there any way to hook up my DVD-RW to both sound cards? Do I need two digital outs on the dvd burner? Or should I just buy another burner as well and use one for dvd's and one for music?

I wouldn't bother with a CD audio connector for your new card if you intend on using it only for audio.

skyline889 · 05-22-2006, 09:47 AM

What's a cd audio connector?

Samgotit · 05-22-2006, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by skyline889

What's a cd audio connector?

It's the little 3 wire IC from the CD/DVD ROM to the sound card. You don't need it if you won't be listening to Cds straight thru your CD/DVD ROM.

You can keep you original configuration for burning, ripping, gamming, etc.

Your sound card (either one) is not involved in ripping and burning.

skyline889 · 05-22-2006, 10:04 AM

My soundcard only has an Toslink potical cable running from the digital out on the Sony DVD burner to the sound card. Are the Emu/Creatives wired different from the AV-710s?

BTW thanks to both of you for the help.