Wow, some quick googling got me no hits from M-Audio, E-Mu (Soundblaster) and Asus. All of these PCI
cards use SPDIF only, some via both optical and RCA connector, but not 75-ohm balanced AES/EBU. RME
has pricey cards with many channels that work with AES, that was the only PCI interfaces I could
fine. When you get to Firewire and USB, you have more options, but not in simple 2-channel models.
My recommendation would be, buy up as many CardDeluxe cards as you can from places like BSW and
eBay.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Seubert" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] digital input sound card recommendation


> The conversion happens externally and since this is a new setup, we need a new AES/EBU input card.
> I haven't kept up on this as we have Card Deluxes that have been in service here for 10+ years and
> we standardized on them so we wouldn't have to troubleshoot multiple driver/OS problems.
>
> I just need something simple that passes the incoming bitstream to the computer, stays out of the
> way, and isn't bundled with other hardware and software as our workflows are already set around
> our existing hardware and software.
>
> David
>
> On 8/9/2011 10:46 AM, Tom Fine wrote:
>> Hi David:
>>
>> That's a real bummer. Those are my front-line ADC's too.
>>
>> There has been much progress in recent years with external ADC's. However, I keep reading
>> articles and papers about the USB connection not being ideal due to jitter and latency issues.
>> And yet, firewire keeps getting de-emphasized by hardware manufacturers. I'm also not sure what
>> role video circuitry plays in a modern Windows system. Even thru XP, there was some interaction
>> between digital audio and the video subsystem, I'm not expert enough to discuss details but there
>> are articles and white papers out there.
>>
>> If you're doing your analog-to-digital conversion externally and then "recording" an AES/EBU
>> stream, it seems like you could use a very simple interface, but again I'm not sure how much
>> clocking and latency matter in that setup.
>>
>> I've had some CardDeluxe cards since 1999 and they still work fine. Why not just recycle them as
>> you upgrade computers, or are you building out more workstations and now need a new way to skin
>> the cat?
>>
>> -- Tom Fine
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Seubert" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 1:38 PM
>> Subject: [ARSCLIST] digital input sound card recommendation
>>
>>
>>> This discussion has come up repeatedly over the years but I just learned that the Digital Audio
>>> Labs CardDelux has been discontinued. I'm not sure why they have been discontinued, but we got a
>>> call from the manufacturer who said that they are "obsolete." We have long used their cards (we
>>> are a PC shop) and I need to spec out another PC-based audio workstation. I use the CardDelux
>>> for the AES/EBU digital inputs.
>>>
>>> What are people using for digital input from an external ADC these days? Is there an equivalent
>>> sound card to the DAL card with AES/EBU digital inputs? I know some ADCs offer firewire/USB
>>> outputs, but I haven't really explored that.
>>>
>>> Please send any suggestions to me on or off list.
>>>
>>> David Seubert
>>> UCSB
>>>
>
> --
> David Seubert
> Head, Special Collections (Acting)
> Davidson Library
> University of California
> Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010
> Tel: 805-893-5444
>