If it's what I think it is, then it's not designed for professional recording.

I personally think that soundblaster level cards are just another tool to record with - albeit one which is very limited. Kinda like using a rock as a hammer - works if you have no other hammers around.

If you are recording two channels of line level source (from a radio, turntable (with high level (NON AMPLIFIED) output) or something of the sort) then you should get acceptable quality.

But a proper mic and preamp will be far superior.

Codemonkey is correct. Your sound card is not up to the task really. A good two channel recording interface would be the TC Electronics Konnekt 24D or its not-as-good buck toothed brother the Konnekt 8.

well those options are nice they are more then I need. I do not need anything with a preamp or mic pre built in and I really don't need anything external. I just need stereo recording.

I guess you could put this in the "sound blaster" category but the main focus of this card is not gaming but is high end playback. What attracts me is the socketed opamps which makes it great for upgrading. If I were to take a card like this and upgrade the opamps and bypass and/or upgrade the caps in the audio path that it would be on a "profesional" sound level albeit not on par with the options usually needed for a complete setup?

What we are saying is that for onboard soundcards you really won't get your money's worth. Spending $100 on an external soundcard with built in pres will sound and perform 100x better than an internal soundcard of the same price. Save yourself the hassle of changing the opamps, get yourself an entry-level interface.

USB is good enough since you say there isn't any real call for high quality, but I would seriously recommend a firewire device.

USB - link removed

Firewire - link removed

need to know if it is able to record 2 channel audio as well as it can play it back.

No. It isn't.

Thanks for the help guys. I ended up digging through some of my stuff and finding an old m-audio usb quattro that I have. I will be using that for now.

On a side note, it's a shame that it is so easy to find DACs and DAC kits that are good quality and affordable but there just arnt many options for ADCs. If I could find a quality ADC kit that was affordable I could just use that with my digital ins on my motherboard.

When you consider what all goes in to isolating power etc from audio stream in a good or great preamp; and conversely what the 1/8" TS "mic jack" on the average computer is for (internet chatting); then it begins to make a little more sense. Circuit isolation in computers is pretty darn shoddy.

I have to ask what you are recording that this has become such a crucial question for you? Just curious. Mind you knowing what your intent is will gauge the kind of answers you will get.

archiving old records at the highest quality possible is why this was important to me.

Then get the Konnekt 24D (for the AD conversion) w/ a great turntable and the ART Deejay Pre II.

The cheapest route I would recommend is this ART USB RIAA box.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBPhonoPlus2/

Your M-Audio box will also work of course. I'm just not a big fan of the lower end M-Audio/Digi gear.

************

highest quality possible

and

I really don't need anything external

These statements are not in agreement.

That konnekt 24d does look like a nice peice. I have a good pre already so I can skip that.

I agree with you about the m-audio not being so great but free isn't bad. I have thought about modding the power supply, upgrading the output opamps and getting rid of any unnecessary caps in it but it just may not be worth the hassle.

Thanks for the input guys, its been very helpful.