ianr wrote: > Suggestions anyone for how to accomplish this on a reasonable (<2k) > budget? Is it hopeless?
The "pro audio" world has a lot of 6 and 8 channel "I/O adapters" that are in your price range. I've got a couple of M-Audio Delta 1010 devices in my studio. They can drive 8 channels independently with support for 24/96. They are actually ADC and DAC combined, and for playback, you don't need the ADC side. I think you are on your own for ripping software, things like Cakewalk Sonar have all the EQ, reverb, compression, etc that anyone would want. Including using high and low pass filters to drive separate signals to separate outputs for bi-amplification, etc. I've got two of the Delta 1010s, and have heard of folks with four in a single PC. The technology and hardware are there, commercially available at your nearest Guitar Center or MusiciansFriend.com But if you look at the general problem, I think it is hopeless. Multi-channel audio hasn't standardized on simple stuff, like speaker placement, whether all speakers have to be full range, how many channels are live, etc. I have zero interest in a sonic position of inside the band/orchestra. I want second row center seats, period. SACD and DVD-Audio failed last century, there is no hope for them to get traction. While the argument has moved to DVD-HD and BlueRay, the basic problem is the same: idiotic format wars to fight the last war. Music and video delivery by small flat plastic disks is dead, the sooner content providers start understanding that 'net delivery is all that there is, the sooner we can look for higher quality and better playback. But the fundamental issue is more serious: there is no mass market for quality anymore. -- Pat Farrell http://www.pfarrell.com/ _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
