Let's talk soundcards

Tinpusher

Tinpusher

Registered
OK, no bones about it- the built in speaker (Powermac G4) is rubbish (and others?).

Do you guys use the built in soundcard and connect an external amp/speaker combination to the headphone socket on the back?

Or do most people have another soundcard wired up to external amplification and speakers?

FWIW, I was thinking about getting a 5.1 soundcard for £60 or so, hooking it up to an external amp and speakers. However I spoke to a guy about it, and he said that the standard soundcard in the G4 isn't actually all that bad. So for £20 I could get a combination amp/speakers and wire it up to the headphone socket. Although having done some pro-audio stuff in a past life, this sounds like a bit of a botch...

My system: OSX 10.2.8, 1.5GB memory, Dual 1GHz PowerPC G4, 75GB HD and twin screen setup.
 
Yes a set of computer speakers is a must. Most Mac users use the good built in sound to external speakers. At least on my Rav. A D1.8 G5 5.1 is not a problem with devices like this. Also a cool little usb device for sound input/output is Griffin's iMic.

The only sound card I know that will work on a Mac is M-Audio's cards.

One more thing, Griffin Technology is working on older mac computer external device that will give 5.1 surround sound. It is called the FireWave.
 
Interesting, thanks for that... I was told that anything that would fit in a PCI slot would work as a soundcard, be it built for PC or Mac?
 
I do not think you can slap any old sound card into a Macintosh and expect it to work.

While certain PCI cards use chipsets that are cross-platform compatible (like some ethernet cards and some USB/FireWire cards), sound cards are pretty platform-specific, if I remember correctly.

Any PCI card will physically fit into the PCI slots in a Macintosh (they're standard PCI slots), but the firmware on the card and the driver situation is a completely different story.

M-Audio makes some decent Mac sound cards:

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.family
 
Sound blaster audigy 2 zs cards are great. I have one and for the price it sounds amazing. Integrated sound = teh suckage. A good set of 2.1 speakers can make the sound come to life!
 
SuperTyphoon - which Mac are you using with that SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS? I think tinpusher is wanting information for a sound card that can be used with a Mac...
 
first of all: soundblasters can work in macs, and have done since 2000. i'm not sure which though.

and SuperTyphoon, please stop blasting ignorantly. the sound set up inside a G5 is superior to most sound cards anyway, having been designed from the ground up to be a pro audio machine. as well as very low latency input and out put minijacks, it also offers full ToS-link digital optical in and out as standard. most sound cards don't even have that. the G4 that he speaks of is actually very good for sound already. they [apple] started coming round to this fact around 4 years ago with the G4 Digital Audio. as the guy in the shop said "the sound in an apple mac is good enough".

it is not a pc. on board sound and graphics are "actually good" on a mac. start believing.
 
Based on that, maybe I should just get a 2.1 combined amp/speaker kit and plug it straight into my G4?

I'm not doing pro audio (yet). All I want is decent quality sound (MP3s) emanating from my new 'pooter.
 
onboard sound on a pc DOES suck, big time. as jh2112 said, the speakers are what matter most (integrated ones in the computer/monitor won't cut it at all). A good set of speakers can give the most amazing sound for even onboard.
 
jh2112 said:
lol, 'mp3s' and 'decent quality sound' do not really belong in the same sentence. ;)

Don't waste your money on a sound card, just get some decent speakers.
Harmon Kardon Soundsticks, whilst pricey, are really good.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...1519/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_18_1/026-8210074-5324441
Click to expand...

LOL! Yes, sorry, just realised the oxymoron there.

Mind you, whenever I sample my own CDs, I sample them at 192 & 44kHz. File size is twice as big, but who gives a damn? That's what Maxtors are for!!!

Having examined the costs, I figure that my extra soundcard setup will have to wait. I'm going to get plug-in speakers for £20 from the shop at the top of my road, where the girl behind the desk is really rather fit.
 
I purchased the m-audio theatre usb audio device. It provides 7.1 surround sound sound and works great with my mac mini.

:D
 
hi all
from the sys profiler i have a::
CODEC: Texas Instruments TAS3001C

soundcard in my g4, and want to get audio in,, cant find a mic socket, is this possible or do i have to get a new soundcard???

also is it possible to alter the overall tone (eq) of my audio out?? i can do this for itunes only but this is application specific..

regards andy
 
On the back of the G4, top to bottom you have: headphones, mic, network, firewire, firewire, usb.

Mic second one down.

Glad to help someone at last... I'm normally the one asking the other guys for help!!!
 

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Oh, one more thing. Be aware you can't plug any old input into the Mic socket: you need to check things like impedance and v levels. Basically, mic sockets are set up for mics. If you want to put phono inputs (ie that coming out of a CD player) into your G4, you will need a suitably equipped soundcard.
 
Not all PowerMac G4s have sound inputs. The Digital Audio, and Quicksilver models do not have any sound inputs. The easy one to add is an iMic, which plugs in to a USB port, or one of the other interface boxes that use USB (or FireWire) and have various input options.
 
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