Delta 44 poor playback quality... Crap card?

[53Crëw]

I'm using a M-Audio Delta 44 sounds card... I'm monitoring the guitar sound going into my PC using the software mixer and hardware built into the Delta 44 card during tracking. The sound is fairly punchy with good presence. But on playback, it doesn't sound as good. It's dull, muddy, and overcompressed sounding - the clarity is degraded and it sounds fizzy. I normally record using 24-bit/44.1k, but tried upping to 24/88.2k and that didn't seem to help a whole lot. I'm wondering if the converters in this card are crap? But the thing is marketed as a "professional" interface and I was told had the same converters as the Delta 1010. Do you think its poor quality in the soundcard that I'm hearing, or perhaps a setting somewhere I need to change?

Edit:
(I should clarify that loops and other recordings sound okay when played. It just seems that what goes into the card is not accurately what comes out so I'm suspicious of the A-D converters... or a botched setting.)

Cheers.

 

[Omega_Void]

I have a Delta 66 which is basically the same card. I've not had any such problem.
Caveat: my Delta 66 is about 5yrs old, product spec may have changed since then.
It can't be the A-D converters 'cos you're monitoring through the software mixer and it sounds OK.
I'd say check settings in your recording software. I can't offhand think of a setting in the Delta CP which would cause that kind of problem.

 

[53Crëw]

Okay. Thanks for the comments!

 

[fistula]

im using a delta 44 - never had problems like that - i think you should check your recording settings and wires...