m-audio usb audiphile and other sound woes

Pro Audio Asylum

Pro studio recording equipment and music production/industry.

I've posted this issue in both computer hardware forums and in the pc audio forum here, but all the answers are leading me to think I need to run this by the pros. I work with some pro gear myself. I do sound for television, teach tv production, and work at a community radio station.
1. I was using my p4 2ghz 265 mb ram gateway's built in sound card because I wasn't doing much on it, professionally. It was fine except for the analog line out - which was about 1/4 the level a proper line out signal should be. It was also noisey and I sometimes got something like a ground hum.
2. I had the bright idea to get an outboard USB card. To experiment, I got the cheap $40 soundblaster MP3 model. On this, the headphone out was clean. The line level outs (unbalanced RCA) had a high noise floor (hiss) and the same 1/4th the signal they should have been putting out.
3. I said "Screw SB." I got the M-Audio Audiophile USB. Hooked it up. Headphone out is beautiful. Unbalanced RCA line outs are at the same 1/4th signal with a slightly less pronounced noise floor than the SB card. Furthermore, my USB port "hiccups." and I get a bad direct sound buffer error at random intervals.
4. I posted everywhere.
5. i called M-Audio for support. My issue got moved up to a more senior tech who was supposed to call me back but never did.
Additional info:
All unused inputs/outputs are muted.
I'm using 100% shielded 4m cable to an NAD 7140 (analog inputs only).
Other devices plugged into the same input on the NAD deliver normal results. Only ouputs from the PC and its various devices produce the 1/4th line level signal.
Some other pre-amp to boost this would just raise the noise floor. I tried that with a Folio Notepad mixer.
I'm running XP Professional. My machine is pretty much standard and way above M-Audio's min. specs.

So what do I do? i can't replace the computer, because I'm still paying for it. Do I give up having decent sound from my computer...ever???
Desperate for help,
mediaseth

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Topic - m-audio usb audiphile and other sound woes - MediaSeth 06:29:43 11/12/04 (7)

Re: m-audio usb audiphile and other sound woes - sixdonuts 05:48:12 02/01/05 (0)

latest news in case you were following... - MediaSeth 06:21:55 11/19/04 (0)

Re: m-audio usb audiphile and other sound woes - MediaSeth 12:27:30 11/14/04 (0)

Been there....done that..... - doodlebug 11:09:12 11/12/04 (3)

Re: Been there....done that..... - MediaSeth 11:54:54 11/12/04 (2)

some ideas for the sound card - tmcconell 21:46:26 11/12/04 (1)

Re: some ideas for the sound card - MediaSeth 00:05:29 11/13/04 (0)

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