Can Vegas handle 2 sound cards?

eddydde wrote on 8/1/2003, 7:53 PM
As a newbie, can I use 2 sound cards with vegas?

I would like to use 2 sound cards to allow me to use the 'line inputs' of the sound card. Line in = 2 mono channels per card ( one in each channel of the stereo inputs) = 4 mono channels for 2 sound cards.

Is there an easier or better way to get 4 mono channels into vegas?

Comments

vanblah wrote on 8/1/2003, 9:16 PM
The easiest way to get multiple inputs is to buy a card with multiple inputs. There are sound cards with up to 8 or 10 inputs and outputs ranging from inexpensive to very expensive. I am partial to Aardvark cards. There's the Delta cards and several others.

As far as handling 2 soundcards, that would really be up to the machine and the cards themselves. I would assume that if the two cards "get along" then Vegas would see them both just fine.
PipelineAudio wrote on 8/1/2003, 10:55 PM
vegas gets sketchier than normal with multiple soundcards. I used to use Aardvark TDIF + Soundscape Mixtreme + Toyz-R-Us Gina. Better luck came from two cards from the same manufacturer, such as the 2 soundscape mixtreme combo I used to use ( and I think Karl C still does ) or the 2 RME HDSP9652's I'm using now that give me 52 I/O's. Its still pretty sketchy tho!

But anytime you say " gee I wonder how this compressor would sound in this mix" or " Wow I bet that rack mount reverb would work a hell of a lot better than the DSP 101 dx reverbs on my PC " or anytime you just MUST run a speaker and some mics into your bathroom for that " intimate" sound, multiple I/O's are a godsend
Cold wrote on 8/2/2003, 11:19 AM
Be carefull doing multitrack recordings using inputs from multiple cards. Unless the cards themselves are designed to work in tandem, they may not run in proper sync. Test this by recording the exact same source simultaneously into the four imputs for at least a five to ten minute duration, then check the timeline for syncronocity across the tracks. Do this test several times, for example try after using different software to listen to music or play a game, try after a fresh boot and also try after the system has been on for a few hours of hard use.
HTH
Steve S.
Rahman wrote on 8/28/2003, 12:24 PM
I wouldn't do it dude!!!

I had an Audiowerks 2 card in the same machine as an ADAT PCR card,
and was running Vegas under Win98SE. After months of troubleshooting, nightmares, frustration, anger, intermittent crashes, lockups, freezes, and instability, I finally did a post on this forum and someone said:

"hey dude, maybe the audio drivers from the 2 cards are conflicting
and don't like being in the same system ".


duh....

I pulled 1 card = much more stable!
I pulled other card and put back the 1st card = very stable also.

but togather = F****'D

(especially running Win98SE)


Therefore,

I would definitely recommend a single card with multiple I/O. I also
found that Win2000 Pro OS, was magnitudes more stable for running
audio than Win98SE. I have also heard good things about XP also.


good luck.


peace
Rednroll wrote on 8/28/2003, 3:33 PM
The key to having this work is for the sound card driver to support this so that they have sample accurate sync with each other. I would not recommend mixing different brands of sound cards like Pipeline and Rahman did in their setups. You're only asking for trouble, by doing this. It is very unlikely that the 2 different drivers will talk to each other properly. I run dual Echo Gina sound cards and have no problems with the sync between these 2 cards using Vegas. The drivers are designed to do this, and is a listed feature on the cards. Echos drivers are designed to work with multiple cards accross all their products. So I could mix a Layla with a Gina, or a Mia with a Gina, or as I'm doing a Gina with a Gina.

Basically Vegas has no problem supporting this as long as the sound card driver properly supports it.
Geoff_Wood wrote on 8/28/2003, 8:22 PM
Can do it, bit will drift out of synch due to separate hardawre clocks.

Even 'same model' cards that have this as a feature usually have a 'link' cable to synchronise the clocks.

You may get away with it with 2 dissimilar cards, but their driver latencies will not be identical either. Give it a try, but don't hold your breath. Th e Vegas end of things can handle it fine.

geoff
Rednroll wrote on 9/4/2003, 9:32 PM
"Even 'same model' cards that have this as a feature usually have a 'link' cable to synchronise the clocks."

Not Echo, there's a simple check box within their echo console which says "Syncronize Wave Devices". No cables between the 2 cards, done through the drivers.