[alsa-devel] supported sound cards

[Clemens Ladisch]

Edward Terry wrote:
> I'm starting a business selling Linux-based computers, and I'm looking
> for a high-end sound card that works well under Linux.  I don't have a
> specific use in mind; this would be for a wide range of end-users, from
> audiophiles to gamers.

The only chip where hardware mixing is supported is Creative's Emu10k1
(snd-emu10k1 driver), used on the SB Live!, most Audigy and certain low-
end X-Fi cards.  (Cards with the 'real' X-Fi chip do _not_ work well in
Linux.)

Other supported chips are ICE1724 (M-Audio Delta 1010(LT), DiO 2496, 66,
44, 410, Audiophile 24/96; Digigram VX442; TerraTec EWX 24/96,
EWS 88MT/D, DMX 6Fire, Phase 88; Hoontech SoundTrack DSP 24/Value/
Media7.1; Event EZ8; Lionstracs Mediastation, Terrasoniq TS 88) and
VT1720/24 (AMP AUDIO2000; M-Audio Revolution 5.1, 7.1, Audiophile 192;
TerraTec Aureon 5.1 Sky, 7.1 Space/Universe, Phase 22/28;
Onkyo SE-90PCI, SE-200PCI; AudioTrak Prodigy 192, 7.1 (HIFI/LT/XT), HD2;
Hercules Fortissimo IV; ESI Juli@; Pontis MS300; EGO-SYS WaveTerminal
192M).

The most high-end supported cards are probably the Asus Xonar cards.
The D2/D2X have even slightly better audio quality than the best X-Fi,
and, as the obviously most important feature, colorfully illuminated
jacks.  The various Dolby features are done in software in the Windows
driver and are not supported in Linux.  If you need a PCI-E card, the
Xonar DX or D2X are your only choice.


HTH
Clemens