Thinking of recording music. Is the X-Fi Fatality for me?

[Stummpy]

I want to start recording music with my computer from my guitar. I'm computer literate but have never really bothered with sound cards. The X-Fi Fatality looks like what I want, but are there other cards that can do the same, cheaper. I'm just looking for a card that can record music through a guitar or keyboard through the jacks. Please help!

 

[TunaSoda]

I want to start recording music with my computer from my guitar. I'm computer literate but have never really bothered with sound cards. The X-Fi Fatality looks like what I want, but are there other cards that can do the same, cheaper. I'm just looking for a card that can record music through a guitar or keyboard through the jacks. Please help!

Have you checked out the Line 6 Guitar Port unit?

If you do use a soundcard to record guitar, make sure you use a non-preamped line-in jack (most soundcard pre's suck!)

EDIT: I have the X-Fi eXtremeMusic card, but I havn't tried recording guitar with it yet, This is what I use to record with: Sta Dsp2000 I grabbed one from ebay for like $250

 

[ziscwg]

If you want to record music with Creative, get the Elite Pro. The breakout box has a guitar input. For that kind of cash, you may want to look at the ENU line. It won't play games as good as the Creative stuff, but they are design with music creation in mind.

 

[uncle_ben]

Fatal1ty is for gamers really. $50 cheaper x-Fi platinum has the same connections as fatal1ty and will record guitar same well - if connected thru DI box. So you can get Fatal1ty but if you are not much into gaming it's waste of money. You better off get Platinum.

Elite Pro has, so to say, DI box built-in, so you can simply connect guitar straight into the breakout box of the Elite Pro. It's highest quality card and uses the same components as EMU (not ENU 😉 range. If your budet allows that, go for it. Otherwise get Platinum.

Having said that, you can record guitar to X-Fi Xtreme Music, technically speaking. You will need DI box. But you won' be able to record mic at the same time and the connectors are at the rear of the PC. That's way I think X-Fi Platinum is your best choice.

 

[Stummpy]

Thank you Uncle Ben. That cleared some of the mud, but what is a DI box?

 

[uncle_ben]

np 😉
DI box on wikipedia

It's commonly used in studios where everything is as modular as possible. For home usage, I guess, the more compact, the better.
I mean when you can have one gear instead of two pieces it's usually less messy to set the recording space up and in case something goes wrong you can, arguably, easier pin down what's the problem. Anyway, to sum up:

1) technically you can record guitar with any X-Fi
2) only Elite Pro has special guitar input that eliminates need for DI box.
3) Fatal1ty=X-Fi Platinum + XRAM. Treat for a gamer, not for musicians.
4) basic Xtreme Music version may be less comfortable to work with because it lacks multiple front inputs of the Platinum Version.

Hope it helps!

 

[Stummpy]

Thank you, it helped alot. 😱

 

[Stummpy]

Where could i purchase a DI box and at what price?

 

[xslimmiejimmiex]

Hardware
- Mbox 2 Mini (Pro Tools LE)
- PreSonus Firebox (Cubase)
and more...

Software:
- Pro Tools LE
- Cubase LE
- Logic / GarageBand
-etc...

Head down to Guitar Center or call up Sweetwater or another company and they'll be glad to help. They can even help guide you through the setup (or learn by yourself through research/books/etc.) The more you learn, the better off you'll be. It can be overwhelming at first, just learn the basics, stick to what you know and like, and learn how to do what you love doing!

Good luck

 

[Blistered]

Hey!
Just my 2 cents, but I got the X-FI elite pro, and it absolutely rox out of my S750 speakers, but I got it for the gaming /entertainment side...the fact it was capable of being used for direct input was just a bonus to me... I used to record, but haven't in an age - but it's good to know I have the option without getting a music production centred card.

I get the impression you don't normally record, but just wanna see what it's like... in that case just go for the x-fi elite pro...but if you're dead serious about making a record from your pc...get a proper audio production card eg Emu range.

Follow the other advice here, and go learn a bit about it first 😀

 

[astrallite]

I think he knows a bit about the "reproduction" side which is probably why he didn't choose the X-Fi : P

 

[Blistered]

8O
I don't really follow...maybe I got the wrong end of the stick...although i'm talking about production, as in the creation of music from scratch, not 'reproduction' (i guess you mean sound quality of music??)
I'm kinda confused...
what I said above was simply because I think Stummpy is after the same thing from a sound card as I am ie. not a dedicated card - like stepping up into the Emu range.
I hope that makes sense...
all I know is my sound setup really does rock, and I would defo recommend it 😀

 

[Soultaker22]

I want to start recording music with my computer from my guitar. I'm computer literate but have never really bothered with sound cards. The X-Fi Fatality looks like what I want, but are there other cards that can do the same, cheaper. I'm just looking for a card that can record music through a guitar or keyboard through the jacks. Please help!

I have the X-Fi Fatal1ty with the drive bay bit and it works well for casual (definitely not professional) guitar recording and effects processing. I plug my Epiphone SG right into the Line 2 input on the drive bay, turn on the volume knob beside it, and I'm in business. Guitar FX Box 3 works great for effects processing, has a free trial version, and the full is only like $30. Again this is nothing professional but the input is clean and I can't notice any delay on the effects processing with the app priority set to high. Definitely worth the money IMO.