[smuh]

Hello!

What would you suggest me to buy?

Echo Indigo (PCMCIA)
Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro (USB)
Miglia Harmony Express (USB)
or M-Audio Transit (USB)

I´ve read lots of things about the Indigo and had the chance to borrow it for a few days from a workmate, I was quite impressed how this little thing sounded

I´m asking for the USB-Soundcards because I could also take them to work and other Computers around the house. Also they might sound better, but I ´m not sure and couldn´t find much info about those cards.
Some Info about the Transit and that it doesn´t sound as good as the Indigo.

So which card would you recommend? I will use them with my rega ear headamp and my dt880 and k271 I just bought

I will use them with my hp xe3 notebook.

Thanks!

 

[blitze]

Some of the models you mentioned are in different price ranges. I did some research on the Indigo and it seems like an ideal solution, even has an onboard amp that makes listening with phones very convenient.

Only problem is it's not an USB device, which are convenient to play with different machines as you described. Price is a bit higher too I think.

Just started using my new M-Audio Sonica, an older model similar to their current 'Transit' one, and it does sound quite nice. 24 bit, 96Khz playback is waaay better than the onboard audio in most machines, specially laptops. One observation about it, the sound level output is lowish, so an amp is essential for 'phone usage.

I hope your Rega has a nice gain, my Corda seems to not like low level sources so much.

Good luck!

 

[utdeep]

I have an audigy 2 ZS Notebook. It's fantastic. I've owned the Sonica a while ago and did not like it as much.
Currently I've got an iPod with a line out to an SR-71 to my UE-10s. Plugging the amp to the ZS Notebook is almost as good as the iPod line out.
I love it, and it seems like it may be different from all the other ZS solutions. Check the net and you'll see that it's highly recommended.

 

[Bill Ward]

My only experience with any of your selections has been with the M-Audio Transit, and I found it a convenient and cost-effective introduction to usb audio. Sounded good with my DT880s. Took a little juggling to get ASIO happy, but I'd recommend the Transit. I'm currently using a Waveterminal U24. You might like to do a search for that as well. There have been some deals available lately.

Hope this helps.

BW

 

[the terabyte]

of those you mention, the only cards i have extensively used are the indigo and the transit. in my opinion the indigo is much more satisfying with certain phones than the transit (in that the transit has poor dynamics and little low end compared to the indigo). however, if you aren't pairing this source with a headphone/amp configuration that you think needs the added dynamics and weight that the indigo would provide, it would probably be best to go with the transit, as i did feel it was more detailed and had less treble roll-off than the indigo.

i should add that the indigo's integrated headphone amplifier is completely workable for when you want to be "ultra portable." it was even able to power the K1000s, although the volume pot was maxed out and the sound was questionable. it works quite well with the ER-4S, though.

 

[smuh]

ok, i think for now i´ll get the indigo. thanks!

i´ll probably get the m-audio transit aswell. but i was thinking about using the digital output from the transit in combination with a decent dac and my rega ear headamp (or maybe exchange my headamp for a better one aswell). would the quality increase dramatically?

 

[Alu]

I'm using an m-audio transit on my desktop pc even. It has ASIO output and optical out. A very good external card for its price.

 

[thomaspf]

Another vote for the Echo Indigo. Works very well with the Ety ER-4P and can even drive my HD600 to reasonable levels.

For a mobile solution the fact that it slides into your laptop is hard to beat.

Cheers

Thomas

 

[cgdef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by utdeep I have an audigy 2 ZS Notebook. It's fantastic. I've owned the Sonica a while ago and did not like it as much. Currently I've got an iPod with a line out to an SR-71 to my UE-10s. Plugging the amp to the ZS Notebook is almost as good as the iPod line out. I love it, and it seems like it may be different from all the other ZS solutions. Check the net and you'll see that it's highly recommended.

This guy has either really low expectaitions of has no idea what he is talkign about. Here is a LINK to the Creative forum that list only some of the problems that you are likelly to experience with Audigy ZS Notebook. Seems like Creative is fighting for bragging right only with propaganda AGAIN. And to think that I was seriously considering buying one of these ...

I would go with Echo Indigo any day even though it costs more but beware that there are several version and the good one is IAO (or something like that). Mini usb sound cards are very very bad because they use the smallest possible components that they can find and also the cheapest. Also after all the junk that Turtle Beach have been releasing latelly I would think twice before even considering a product of theirs. It is really sad that they still cannot make a better product that the >3 years old Santa Cruz.

 

[thomaspf]

Well

"Plugging the amp to the ZS Notebook is almost as good as the iPod line out."

does speak for itself.

Yes, definitely go with the Indigo....

Cheers

Thomas

 

[toor]

I have an audigy 2 and am just going to point out my thoughts.
It should be noted that all I ever use it for is movies, games, and music. No recording.
I have been completely satisfied so far with the sound and quality of the audigy. If you want to use surround sound (for movies or games) then this is definitely (possibly only PCMCIA) the way to go.

I cant comment on the recording issues people are having, but I will say that half the hardware and installation problems on the creative forums are made by idiots.

You should also note that with a new sound card you wont be able to use your laptop speakers.

Cheers

 

[rkw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgdef I would go with Echo Indigo any day even though it costs more but beware that there are several version and the good one is IAO (or something like that).

Are you sure about that? The versions of Indigo are the Indigo IO with one stereo input and one stereo output, the Indigo DJ with two stereo outputs, and the (now discontinued) Indigo with only one stereo output. The output sections of the three versions have the same specs and I suspect they use the same circuits.

 

[dallasstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkw Are you sure about that? The versions of Indigo are the Indigo IO with one stereo input and one stereo output, the Indigo DJ with two stereo outputs, and the (now discontinued) Indigo with only one stereo output. The output sections of the three versions have the same specs and I suspect they use the same circuits.

They're all the same, but the DJ version is the only one with "true" line-outs, which is what I think he was trying to get at.

 

[PFRfan]

I have an Indigo IO and I picked up a TB Micro the other day because it was cheap and I thought I'd see what it's like. I was really really suprised. That little thing more than powers my DT770's and it sounds pretty good, to boot! I like the fact that the Indigo has a volume wheel and a smaller profile when stuck in my notebook, but I'm not sure it really sounds better. I just installed Global Audio Control to handle the volume of the TB card, and I think it's really an excellent product for $30.

I haven't spent time comparing the two, but I'm pretty impressed none the less.

 

[smuh]

mmmh, the echo indigo dj has a line out, thats good to know, since i never really took a look on the other echo indigo cards. guess thats my new favorite then

i think i´ll drop the idea of getting a decent soundcard (for my pc) with a good/or better digital out in combination with a benchmark dac1 or something similar, thats getting way to expensive. instead i´ll get some really good interconnects/cables and more and more music.