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Portable USB audio card with optical input/output


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Hello everyone, I do have this card:

http://www.esi-audio.com/products/u24xl/

 

but i was looking for something maybe a bit more professional.

It is important for it to be portable so that I can use with a laptop when i go around ripping DAT tapes.

 

So far I found only cheap crappy cards like:

https://www.asus.com/Sound_Cards_and_DigitaltoAnalog_Converters/Xonar_U3/

http://www.startech.com/Cards-Adapters/Sound/USB-Audio/USB-7-Channel-Audio-Adapter-with-SPDIF~ICUSBAUDIO7D

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-2-0-External-7-1CH-Optical-Audio-Sound-Card-Adapter-/310151213238 (!!)

is there anything else on the market with the mentioned characteristics that you know of?

cheers!

 

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I've never heard of any of those companies (except Asus, though I've never heard of them in the audio industry), and I'm always skeptical of unheard-of companies.

 

M-Audio, MOTU, Focusrite, & RME are all good and in the lower price range.

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thanks for the advices, the optical input-output port i actually need are for this cable:

 

poc-da12spc.jpg

 

so as far as i can see only a few cards have those.

 

now i could easily find a used terratec for sale but i have read a terrible review of someone whose system was unstable and crashing and super slow because of the mentioned soundcard, how is your experience aliendna99 ?

maybe he was just unlucky... but i also notice is out of production now.

 

i do love the esthetic of the scarlet 18i8 and has it but it is 350 eur

 

focusrite_scarlett_18i8_rear.jpg

 

motu track 16 has it too but it is 500 eur :P:

 

dig-io.jpg

RME Babyface it has it too, now i noticed:

71KOg7thZPL._SL1500_.jpgbut it is 550 eur as well... ugh!


But now i also found this:

47742992_630186735_o.jpg
terratec dmx 6 fire usb that has standard output rca and optical +cspdif in-out on the front panel, maybe is not as professional as the others too but may do... since i found it for 215 eur.. but will it be good?

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  • 1 year later...

Creative SB1240 Sound Blaster X-FI HD
has also the Toslink line in, has anyone tried it or read any reviews?

c26-B004275EO4-1-l.jpg

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A very nice and thorough review Rotwang.

 

I too was disappointed with lack of 3.5mm port in the front when you are using it as a DAC/amp combo and feeding it to your headphones. Its a cool device for the price though.

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