Decent sound card for recording

[acole1]

My current on-board solution is not working for me. It has too much background noise that can comes and goes randomly, so I think I need to upgrade to an add-in card. My primary use is recording. I don't need anything "studio quality", I just want to get rid of the background noise.

I tried an older Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS that I had laying around, but I couldn't get it to record in Windows 7.

Some friends recommended Auzentech, but I wasn't sure if I could justify the $135 price tag for the X-Fi Forte 7.1 model.

So, I have been considering Creative, but I'm not sure which model would be best.
The Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio is $50 on Newegg, and the X-Fi XtremeGamer, Sound Blaster Recon3D, and Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium are all $100. Which one is best for recording?

Do you have any recommendations?

 

[mmntech]

I'd probably go with the X-Fi XtremeGamer or Titanium if you don't want to spend a lot. The XtremeAudio is software driven IIRC, so it's the same as using onboard audio.

M-Audio's stuff is used for a lot of studio recording. What are you trying to record? What's the source?

 

[acole1]

Thanks for the help! I'm recording music and speech. The source is 3.5mm line in from a mixer.

Edit:
I see the M-AUDIO Audiophile 2496 ($95 on NE) takes RCA input. I do adapt from RCA to 3.5mm, so that may also be an option.

 

[viivo]

Maybe look into some things by HT Omega. I know they have a few in that price range.

 

[acole1]

Is there any reason not to go with the Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D? It is new and will probably have support the longest.... Same price as the X-Fi Titanium for today.

 

[sdifox]

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Audiophile192.html

2496 if that is all you need.

 

[Matt1970]

I would dig deeper into that model as it looks like it is digital input on the RCA jack. Most likely you have an analog mixer?