Ubuntu Desires Lower Audio Latency For Gaming

[JS987]

probably, but i'm not wasting my time researching that for you, when you are perfectly capable of using google / visiting sites like FFADO.org or the ALSA:Matrix to find a card that is supported.... I will say though, if you don't mind spending just a little more than $200 (like $275 or find something used at that price or slightly lower) there are certainly options. For example, the other week i bought a small/more portable firewire audio interface for $275 CDN (brand-new), which was the Presonus: Firestudio Mobile (8-in / 6-out @96khz), plus it has a bunch of other useful features and is well-supported in FFADO (plug and play, no problems at all, works great).

only 96 kHz
only 300 mW at 60 Ohm headphone output
no replaceable op-amps
some security problem with FireWire
it isn't available in my town

[ninez]

only 96 kHz
only 300 mW at 60 Ohm headphone output
no replaceable op-amps
some security problem with FireWire
it isn't available in my town

96khz is fine for what i am using it for, nor would i be concerned about replaceable op-amps... but really (and i think you know this...!) My purchase was really just an example - or in my case, suited for a particular use (which is NOT to use headphones, but instead through my PA and/or amplifier. I'm not sure about the 'security problem' with firewire ~ but *please* do post a citation (that is recent and can be verified) because you probably wouldn't want to be unintentionally be spreading FUD, if it turned out to _not_ be the case. ( I myself, am not sure on that point... ) But regardless, (supported) firewire audio interfaces are very reliable with my linux/jackified systems, as having owned a few devices over the years - very reliable operation, everytime (and obviously, PCI cards that are supported, of quality design work very well, too.) .

Regardless, you may have to do some looking around aka: research... or even possibly order a device (which a store should be able to do for you - in most cases a down payment is usually required...). Obviously, there are other ways of getting what you want like ordering it online, whether that be right from the manufacturer, used/new on sites like ebay ... There are options anyway, so look into it...

I bought the presonus because of light weight / small (but rigid design) and mainly for live-use, so 96khz is totally fine...it's also much nicer to bring around ~ since it's not a heavy expense to replace (ie: i don't want to shuffle around my RME). I also don't need to be able to input more than 6 - 1/4 inch cables at once and the 2 front panel preamps (XLR or 1/4) have decent headroom and sound pristine/decent for the price/class of device.

[Redshirt001]

if you don't mind spending just a little more than $200 (like $275 or find something used at that price or slightly lower) there are certainly options. For example, the other week i bought a small/more portable firewire audio interface for $275 CDN (brand-new), which was the Presonus: Firestudio Mobile (8-in / 6-out @96khz), plus it has a bunch of other useful features and is well-supported in FFADO (plug and play, no problems at all, works great).

cheerz

Just why would an average user spend that amount of money on a sound card? It's just not something that's justifiable. In addition, aside from the cost, firewire isn't the most common interface available. It's usually going to be pci or pci express if it's not built in. Hardware mixing is just something that isn't available on most people's computers.

This is an internet forum. I believe that such things should be used to share knowledge and information, not to engage in ideological wars, such as I see so bloody often. Pulseaudio bad, Ubuntu bad, Alsa good, hardware mixing good, etc, etc. Such a misuse of the net.

[JS987]

96khz is fine for what i am using it for, nor would i be concerned about replaceable op-amps...

Different people have different needs. Onboard sound cards and my discrete sound card support 192 kHz. That $235 sound card has some crappy parts if it supports only 96 kHz.
HW mixing can be advantage in some cases, but it isn't option in many cases. If I would have to buy new sound card tomorrow I would still buy sound card without HW mixing because there is no reasonable priced card with HW mixing
which provides high quality sound to my headphones, which is most important to me. Using two sound cards is unacceptable because it isn't possible to connect one headphones to two sound cards at same time.

[ninez]

Different people have different needs. Onboard sound cards and my discrete sound card support 192 kHz. That $235 sound card has some crappy parts if it supports only 96 kHz.

Or it's not a matter of crappy parts, but their choice/design to be 96khz. You want to talk about crappy parts, IntelHDAs - crap! straight up. My presonus isn't as good as my RME (which afaik does 192khz), but again, i don't need the presonus to support that - but what i do need (which NO discrete card does!) is have multi-in/out (being able to record/feed-in-live multiple signals), 1/4 + XLR connections + 48v phantom power, proper preamps, H/w mixing and the soundcard needs to be able to keep up to whatever is thrown at it, which your discrete card would never be able to do.

HW mixing can be advantage in some cases, but it isn't option in many cases. If I would have to buy new sound card tomorrow I would still buy sound card without HW mixing because there is no reasonable priced card with HW mixing
which provides high quality sound to my headphones, which is most important to me. Using two sound cards is unacceptable because it isn't possible to connect one headphones to two sound cards at same time.

which just means, you have very basic needs in terms of sound on a computer - and thus can't justify spending money on that sort of thing. Myself, i have no problem spending a bit of money and do feel justified in purchasing soundcards that are more expensive (i mean the presonus is a fraction of the cost of my RME- but obviously, the RME is much more powerful / higher grade).

Just why would an average user spend that amount of money on a sound card? It's just not something that's justifiable. In addition, aside from the cost, firewire isn't the most common interface available. It's usually going to be pci or pci express if it's not built in. Hardware mixing is just something that isn't available on most people's computers.

$200-300 is not some huge expense from my perspective (like a small fraction of a weeks pay). and FYI firewire is HUGELY common for soundcards (that are multi-channel in/out and have connections for things like 1/4 and XLR) on any operating system. If you actually do your home work, you will see that in reality, USB2.0, FIrewire are as common as PCI sound devices, if not more so. and both USB2.0 and Firewire are certainly more common than PCI/e soundcards.

[bwat47]

Or it's not a matter of crappy parts, but their choice/design to be 96khz. You want to talk about crappy parts, IntelHDAs - crap! straight up. My presonus isn't as good as my RME (which afaik does 192khz), but again, i don't need the presonus to support that - but what i do need (which NO discrete card does!) is have multi-in/out (being able to record/feed-in-live multiple signals), 1/4 + XLR connections + 48v phantom power, proper preamps, H/w mixing and the soundcard needs to be able to keep up to whatever is thrown at it, which your discrete card would never be able to do.



which just means, you have very basic needs in terms of sound on a computer - and thus can't justify spending money on that sort of thing. Myself, i have no problem spending a bit of money and do feel justified in purchasing soundcards that are more expensive (i mean the presonus is a fraction of the cost of my RME- but obviously, the RME is much more powerful / higher grade).



$200-300 is not some huge expense from my perspective (like a small fraction of a weeks pay). and FYI firewire is HUGELY common for soundcards (that are multi-channel in/out and have connections for things like 1/4 and XLR) on any operating system. If you actually do your home work, you will see that in reality, USB2.0, FIrewire are as common as PCI sound devices, if not more so. and both USB2.0 and Firewire are certainly more common than PCI/e soundcards.

200-300 is in insane amount to spend on a soundcard, that's not remotely justifiable for most people.

[ShadowBane]

200-300 is in insane amount to spend on a soundcard, that's not remotely justifiable for most people.

This. Also, for the average user (someone not doing pro-audio type stuff) that $200-300 would better be spent on a video card, a better processor, more ram, etc.

[RealNC]

Needless to say, this would also translate to "if you want non-crappy audio on Linux pay 200 bucks for a sound card."

[Hamish Wilson]

This is an internet forum. I believe that such things should be used to share knowledge and information, not to engage in ideological wars, such as I see so bloody often. Pulseaudio bad, Ubuntu bad, Alsa good, hardware mixing good, etc, etc. Such a misuse of the net.

I think you are fighting a losing battle here mate.

[ninez]

Look guys, you are starting to twist this all around. I said for me that isn't some huge expense. I am not saying everyone _must_ go out and by a $300 audio interface, but if they desire certain features (and we were talking about H/W mixing, as well as me asserting earlier on that not everyone needs it, nor some of the features i would commonly use to add to that), then there are devices for $300 and under, that if chosen well (ie: researched and it's well-supported) work quite excellently under linux these days.

....arguments to be made over where money should be spent on one's computer is up to the individual to decide. For me, in both machines (Phenom II + i7) that i use daily, i don't feel the need for any upgrades, really - aside from adding the extra 8gig of RAM that i _could_ add to each machine (they each have 8gig right now) ...if i really felt that i needed 16gig of ram, which i haven't yet - maybe that will change... Both machines have decent Nvidia GFX cards (no more than 2-3yrs old), and decent sized drives... and i have other junker-boxes lying around too - so it's quite justified (for me) to make that kind of purchase. Just like in the next year, i hope to purchase an SSD/pcie hybrid card (although, that is entirely another subject )

hd audio / onboard cards vary in H/W and driver quality(especially, in linux) and there are definitely other options, whether that be some ASUS gaming type soundcard, or to some low/mid/hi end audio interfaces that comes in a variety of shapes, designs and sizes, depending on your needs.... but in most cases, you really do get what you pay for... (and in the case of linux, there is the extra hassle of often having to know exactly what you are buying, as well.).