I need an external (USB 2.0 or maybe fireware), 7.1 sound card, for a laptop. Features I need in order of importance:
1) Real 7.1 support, which means 8 actual analog outputs. The sound effects I'm generating are not in Dolby or DTS or any other tricky format, it's independent streams that get mixed in software in real time, and I need them rendered in 8 independent analog outputs. This seems to be what's now hard to find. 5.1 is a fallback position that I'll take if I have to.
2) Decent SNR. I work (well, play) in a soundproofed room with pretty revealing equipment, and over the years I've heard soundcards injecting faint but audible hiss and whine. I'm cursed with sensitive ears. Humor me here.
3) [edit] I'd *prefer* if the card wasn't discontinued. If it needs support, I'd rather not hear "Oh, that old thing...?"
I don't so much need support for formats like DTS, Dolby, etc. I won't complain it it supports those things though a TOSLINK interface for convenience, but for the most part, if I want to watch a movie I already have a DVD player. This device isn't intended for prerecorded, premixed, preencoded sounds.
I know Creative Labs used to sell a device like this. (Audigy, if I remember). I had one, it broke quickly, and they don't sell it anymore anyway. I'm not too fond of Creative and would rather not buy from them, but that's ok since they no longer seem to have an offering like this.
Most home theater device sellers seem to think that if they offer a DTS passthrough, they are multichannel devices. (I ran into that with my SIIG soundwave device.) Crrrrap.
All I've found so far is
http://www.lhdigital.co.uk/product_info.ph...oducts_id=93629
and it worries me that they don't mention Vista support. At that price, I don't want to experiment, I want it to work, first time.
This shouldn't be so hard - I must be looking in the wrong places. Who has suggestions?