Re: Using a sound card for measurement.

"Serge Auckland" <sergeauckland@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:e5Gdne3kxpLFYLbVnZ2dnUVZ8vidnZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> The ACER laptop was quite good enough for measurements, although I
preferred
> to use my Digigram VXPocket card as it has balanced analogue and digital
> I/O, albeit with only up to 48k sampling. Unfortunately the screen
failed
so
> I had to buy a new laptop as getting the screen replaced would have cost
the
> same as a new PC. My new HP laptop's internal audio card is appallingly
bad
> for both noise and distortion, although the frequency response is from
DC
to
> light (well almost!). It's so bad that I can't use it for audio other
than
> the occasional Internet radio or other non-critical application.
>
> I've been unimpressed with the external USB audio cards I've tried as
few
> have balanced I/O, and those that do don't take more than +4dBu for
0dBFS.
> The only exception I found was the Lexicon Lambda that would go to
+10dBu
> for 0dBFS like my VXPocket, but that had such poor distortion and noise
> figures that I returned it for refund. I then decided to keep my
Digigram
> card and reuse the ACER as new laptops don't have PCMCIA slots any more.
>
> I've removed the faulty screen and mounted the ACER laptop into a large
> briefcase, with an external screen mounted in the lid, and a large
> hard-drive underneath, and kept it purely for audio recoding and
editing.


Of course a simple 10dB attenuator would have been a lot easier and
smaller.
Then there are  number of firewire devices with balanced inputs up to
14dBu,
(and even a few USB devices if you look), but whatever works for you.

MrT.