[CQ-Contest] Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live 24 bit cards

[David Hachadorian]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "W0MU-Mike Fatchett" <w0mu at w0mu.com>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>; <N1MMLogger at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 5:25 PM
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live 24 bit cards


> This new card does not have multiple inputs!  It shares one
> line-in/mic-in
> jack.

I have one of these cards. This is true.


> If you are interfacing with a rigblaster and you need a line-in and
> mic-in you are out of luck!

I guess if you are trying to record the whole contest, this would be
an issue. Otherwise, either/or should be ok, right? Maybe I'm missing 
something here.


> K1TTT reports that the newer cards are slow and don't switch off
> immediately, they tend to fade out.

I haven't noticed this. Is this an AFSK issue? I haven't tried that.
The card works FB on RTTY Demodulation with MMTTY/Writelog. I use FSK
transmit. There's no fade-out delay on SSB.

>
> The 24bit live card graded out as a 7b.  Would not support SO2R.

That is the report from the soundboardcheck program. However, I've
used it with Writelog in a dual sound card setup for RTTY demod, and
it works fb. I've also used it in an SO2R SSB contest, with a Heil mic
plugged into the mic input, one radio on the left front audio output,
and one radio on the right front audio output, and it does all the
switching for that, live and prerecorded, just fine.

Incidentally, the card comes with a software equalizer program, and
you can tweak the prerecorded message audio to where it sounds really
outstanding. I mean REALLY outstanding! Unfortunately, the equalizer
works only on WAV IN, not on MIC IN, so it can be used only on the
prerecorded messages.

I'm happy with mine. It has 24 bit DAC's, has a nice quiet background,
and has a 20 dB boost for the Heil mic. I won the RTTY Sprint with it
last Saturday evening.


Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ