| Home recording and general music post from the archived Yabb Recording Website Message Board. Some of the info here may be outdated but many of the audio recording and home studio tips are still good. Note: The only tags I made and attempt to convert are italics, bold, center and underline. So if you see some gibberish surrounded by brackets, just ignore it.
Recording Website Archived Yabb board Post
Febuary 2001 Yabb Message Board Archive
Subject: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by EddieCD | 04/10/01 at 10:36:49
;D
Hi guys. Back from a bit of time away from music & recording.
I've got a question:
I want to run two audio cards in my PC. I'm running Windows 98 on a 600MHz Pentium 3.
Let's assume I want to use two Sound Blaster Live cards. Can someone explain in detail how to do this and keep Windows happy as well as your other applications happy?
I've tried this once before with two older sound cards and Windows kept USURPing one card for the other one and using the two together to record with Cool Edit Pro never seemed to work. It only ever saw one card.
Thanks for your advice in advance.
Eddie
8)
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by Jon | 04/10/01 at 10:55:29
Hello.
For awhile I was running 2 sound cards on my 400mHz pooter. It was a Delta 44 and a Sound Blaster. I never came across or found a way to use both cards in one app. The only way I ever got them to work was to have the Sound Blaster running inside Giga Studio and the Delta 44 running in Logic Audio Plat. That way I could play the piano in Giga, route the signal from the Blaster out to the Delta in, and record along to my other tracks. As far as I know, most apps only let you use one card.8)
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by JR#97 | 04/10/01 at 11:45:26
From what I understand, you can only run two of the same card if the driver is capable, but you should be able to run multiple cards of different types without too much hassle. I've run 2 Dman 2044's with an AWE64 and a Surreal audio something or the other for a total of 4 freaking cards. What a mess huh?
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by Tim_Z | 04/10/01 at 11:51:58
If your cards are multi-client capable, then you are probably okay. I can use two LynxONE cards and the Dakota/Tango system all in one software application without any problems, so it is possible. The other thing you need to be aware of is the clocking issue surrounding the converters. My LynxONE and Tango all have word clock so I am able to clock them all together. If you don't clock them all together you will likely get clicks and pops if you try to record form all A/D converters at the same time.
TZ
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by pcrecord | 04/10/01 at 12:04:47
NO IT WON'T WORK !!!
I've tried two soudblaster live and the driver can't manage two cards. >:( But, the soundblaster live and an older model (blaster pro, awe32 etc) worked fine together. What you must do is install the older one first with static IRQ and address (use the jumpers, not plug and pray). I forced my motherboard irq for the slot used for the awe32 to be sure there was no mistake. Once this one worked, you go with the sounblaster live with standard installation. And that's it, 4 mono input and output in cakewalk. The problem with this setup is the noise level of the older cards, real bad !!!
I'd suggest a delta 44 (real cheap) or 66 if you need digital and you can still keep your blaster live for midi, soundfont and occasionnel 2 more track recording. (total of 6 with the 44 and 66 ; just enough for drum recordings if you place the toms in stereo)
Any questions ; pcrecord@yahoo.com
Good luck !!
;)
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by eddie | 04/10/01 at 13:05:28
I agree with pcrecord... I have two Terratec EWS88MT and SB Live 1024.. it works fine. I tried to install to of SB LIve but it didn't go..
Only thing you can do is to install two Sound Blaster 128.
My freind told me that but I didn't see it..
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by pcrecord | 04/10/01 at 13:48:55
Hey Eddie,
I assume EddieCD is a different person or personnality ?? ;D
Are you sure about the two soundblaster 128 ?? The drivers are quite near of the sound blaster live. Not sure they will support two cards ?? But if somebody have make it work, that's great for our friend EddieCD. You should post how !
I use delta 66 and soundblaster live, planning for a second delta 66 in a couple of months. ( The drivers of the 66 can support up to 4 units )
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by Tim_Z | 04/10/01 at 14:06:09
Just a sec here. Let's go back and look at the original question.
"I want to run two audio cards in my PC. I'm running Windows 98 on a 600MHz Pentium 3.
Let's assume I want to use two Sound Blaster Live cards. Can someone explain in detail how to do this and keep Windows happy as well as your other applications happy?"
The SB Lives were only used as an example. The answer is yes, you can use two or more soundcards in Windows, BUT it depends upon whether or not your soundcards and their drivers support this. Obviously you are going to check this out with the manufacturer before you purchase. Right ;)
TZ
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by Jim | 04/11/01 at 09:06:21
I thought I would just add that many cheaper or integrated soundcards are very much stuck with a pre-defined IRQ and DMA.
When I first got into computer services work the rule was let the soundcard (esp. SoundBlaster)setup first (not using plug and pray)then add other cards, because some of these cards for one reason or another had intermittent problems if you changed the IRQ and DMA settings including, but not limited to, system lock ups. It mainly had to do with drivers and hard coded chipsets, but in todays world of multi-media there is more flexibility today than in days of yore. The thing is make sure that one you have at least 1 spare IRQ and that your application will support 2, finally investigate the soundcard manufactures website and forums to find any issues.
I just thought I would throw my 2 cents worth in just for info purposes. These posts are excelent and no information is better than what you get from folks already doing it.
Subject: Re: Running two audio cards on the same PC
by JR#97 | 04/11/01 at 10:46:19
Good point on the IRQ thing. I had to set-up 2 hardware profiles to run multiple cards. One profile for multiple cards that disabled my USB, and another profile that was USB enabled that disabled one of my DMAN 2044's. Pain in the @ss, but there's only so many IRQ's in the world.