Im looking at getting more into digital modes and SDR modes, my Dell D630 is using a very basic chipset for sound functions, looking for USB soundcard tghat has 96khz sampling, 16/24bits, 48khz aliasing filter.
What suggestions for a quality USB soundcard. ?
Regards
Frank VK3ZFS
High Quality USB sound card Suggestions?
Re: High Quality USB sound card Suggestions?
I think the Dell D630 is a laptop, so that you'll be looking for a USB sound card, rather than PCI or PCIe?
Check out the sound card page on the website for Telepost Inc. The E-MU 0202 is one of the more popular for SDR used for spectrum scopes because it gives a 200 kHz slice of a band. The 0202 has been superseded by the 0204 which will set you back a bit over $200.
What is important for SDR is that the sound card supports stereo in, which is not common.
Unfortunately a sampling rate of 192 kHz (say) does not always translate to a usable bandwidth of 192 kHz (say) in an SDR. It seems many sound cards include filters which mean that the effective bandwidth is only 100 kHz or so.
Dave VK1DJA
Check out the sound card page on the website for Telepost Inc. The E-MU 0202 is one of the more popular for SDR used for spectrum scopes because it gives a 200 kHz slice of a band. The 0202 has been superseded by the 0204 which will set you back a bit over $200.
What is important for SDR is that the sound card supports stereo in, which is not common.
Unfortunately a sampling rate of 192 kHz (say) does not always translate to a usable bandwidth of 192 kHz (say) in an SDR. It seems many sound cards include filters which mean that the effective bandwidth is only 100 kHz or so.
Dave VK1DJA
Dave
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VK2GOM
Re: High Quality USB sound card Suggestions?
Hi Frank,
I can recommend the E-MU 0202 external 'soundcard'. I use one with my SDR setup. 192kHz sampling, so even though it might be overkill for what you need just now it's a good way of future-proofing yourself if you get into more demanding applications that need a quality sound setup. I got mine off eBay for about $170. They also crop up as used items now and again also.
It's also a nice quiet device too; some soundcards generate a fair bit of noise during sampling.
There should be plenty of reviews on the web showing noise profiles. Also, there is some software you can download to test your soundcard for its noise profile.
73 - Rob VK2GOM / G0MOH
I can recommend the E-MU 0202 external 'soundcard'. I use one with my SDR setup. 192kHz sampling, so even though it might be overkill for what you need just now it's a good way of future-proofing yourself if you get into more demanding applications that need a quality sound setup. I got mine off eBay for about $170. They also crop up as used items now and again also.
It's also a nice quiet device too; some soundcards generate a fair bit of noise during sampling.
There should be plenty of reviews on the web showing noise profiles. Also, there is some software you can download to test your soundcard for its noise profile.
73 - Rob VK2GOM / G0MOH