[Jacke]

I'm thinking of getting an external Firewire sound card (in order to get a line-out) to go with the new monitor speakers I'm planning on buying, but as I'm sitting on a family computer, the idea of not being able to control the volume via the keyboard might be confusing for some family-members.

So I'm wondering if it's possible to choose which audio interface to use in the system prefs while an external FW audio card is attached? So while I'm not using the full sound system, I could just select to use the eMac's integrated speakers, and when I need to use the monitors I just activate the FW card in the system settings. Not being familiar with multiple sound cards, I don't know if that's possible. Is it?

[jebjeb]

Yep, that is how it works.

On one of my machines I have an amp and speakers hooked up via the line out on the mac as well as a USB headset. I can either choose through System Prefs to have all audio come out of the line out or USB headset of indivdual apps can use different outputs i.e. Skype through the headset and the rest through the line out (I use this for World of Warcraft so the sounds from the game come from the main speakers and the chat audio comes through the headset).

Tomorrow I will have a usb coax digital output for my machine on my 2-channel setup in the living room. That will be setup just like yours with the audio patched through the external card (going to some Meridian DSP active speakers) as well as the line out hooked up to the tv's input just in case I don't want to use the mains.

All you do is click on the output device in the sound section of system prefs and all audio will be routed through that.

Sorry for the long reply!

[Jacke]

Great, that's all I needed to know, thanks!

[jebjeb]

Just to confirm, what I mentioned before is exactly correct now that I have tried it with my M-Audio Sonica Theatre. Can just switch between the MacBook Pro internal speakers and the system hooked up to the USB sound card by clicking on the relevant device in the Output tab of the Sounds screen in Sys Prefs.

What Firewire sound card you getting?

[Jacke]

I would prefer to have an M-Audio Firewire Solo, but the budget is a bit tight, so I might have to go with the el-cheapo Behringer FCA202. I know Behringer doesn't have the best of reputations, so I wouldn't be expecting wonders from it.