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I'm looking for an ASIO sound card which I would be using in both Windows and Linux (dual-boot). It has to work flawlessly in Windows, and I would prefer it to work fully in Linux as well. However, I can live with a card that has some features disabled in Linux, as long as basic playback and recording works, I don't have to install any proprietary drivers, it works reliably, and is hassle-free (i.e. no configuration to get regular sound working, and none of that "has to boot in Windows first before it works in Linux").

I would prefer a PCIe card, and although I would be using this mostly for playback, I also want recording to work. I'm using Debian. Price range: less than 150€.

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    I'd like to know the answer to this too. Though I'd settle for any sound card that worked well on both Windows and Linux. I have been using the Soundblaster Live! 5.1 card for some time, and though it's a reasonable card, the sound quality leaves a little to be desired. Is ASIO a desirable standard for a sound card? I've read the Wikipedia page, but that didn't tell me much.
    – Faheem Mitha
    Commented Feb 1, 2016 at 16:28
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    @FaheemMitha ASIO is probably not needed if you want to play games, listen to music, and that sort of thing. ASIO is needed if you need really low-latency sound on Windows, and a lot of music-making software requires an ASIO sound card to achieve sensible (low) latency. For example, if you use a MIDI keyboard to trigger sounds played by the computer, you need to get the sound out of the speakers very soon after you've hit a key. Otherwise, it will be quite hard to play, especially if you're playing with someone else (like in a band).
    – Fabian Fagerholm
    Commented Feb 1, 2016 at 18:18
  • I was looking at the Xonar DX. See linux-hardware-guide.com/…. Is that a ASIO card?
    – Faheem Mitha
    Commented Feb 1, 2016 at 18:48
  • Actually, the similar D2X is listed as ASIO. See linux-hardware-guide.com/…
    – Faheem Mitha
    Commented Feb 1, 2016 at 18:56

1 Answer 1

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The Asus Xonar D2X appears to fulfil your requirements.

Here are two links regarding Linux support:

http://www.linux-hardware-guide.com/2014-08-02-asus-xonar-d2x-sound-card-pcie-7-1-digital-inout-dolby-dts-eax-192khz-24bit-asio

and

http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Vendor-Asus

Amazon.de appears to list it for under 150€. E.g.

http://www.amazon.de/Asus-D2X-interne-Soundkarte-Digital/dp/B0011BC1FO/

It is also an ASIO sound card.

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