Link to this article | 2009-02-04 20:02:33
Your computer most likely came with an on-board soundcard when you got it; or if it's really old you had to order the SoundBlaster 16 Value Edition separately. Soundcards like these however are not fit for music production, and that's why we call 'm soundcards instead of audio interfaces. The reasons:
They don't have enough inputs
If you don't have a mixing desk but you do have multiple instruments, you have to buy an extra mixer or you have to use a patchbay. Ideally you want all your tracks to arrive in your computer separately so it's easier to put effects over 'm or to touch 'm up a bit with an EQ or compressor.
Inputs aren't in the size you want 'm in
Your synthesizer has 2 jack outputs. Your microphone has a single XLR output. Your guitar has a mono jack that needs a Hi-Z input. None of these things fit in a mini stereo jack plug that's only good for cheap computer speakers and headphones/earbuds.
Their drivers aren't optimized for audio
This results in latency (a noticeable delay between pressing a key on your controller keyboard and the sound) and crackling/stuttering when too many sounds play at once. While latency can be remedied with ASIO4ALL (and its OS X equivalent, Core Audio), it's still not an ideal situation, because it does not solve the issues mentioned above.
Noisy and cheap converters
The insides of a computer are an electromagnetic storm, and noise from harddisks, fans and everything will contribute happily to degrading the quality of your signal. Furthermore, when it has to be translated from analog voltages to zeros and ones, the cheap converters won't do a good job. On-board soundcards are cheap and use cheap parts, which is nice if you have cheap PC speakers or speakers built into the monitor; good enough for Youtube-audio, on-line radio and the DING-sound every time someone gets online, bad for everything else.
So, enough reasons to get something better. But what? The music stores are filled to the brim with several kinds of audio interfaces. Here's a few steps that'll keep you sane.
1: Determine your budget
An audio interface last as long as your computer - or two of 'm, provided your needs don't change. Pick an amount of what you're willing to spend, and mention this if you ever ask this question on a forum; nobody has an idea of what "cheap" means to you.
2: Determine your needs
Do you want to hook up a microphone? Then you need an audio interface with an XLR input and a mic preamp.
Do you want to hook up a guitar? Then you need a Hi-Z input.
Do you want to hook up 4 stereo synthesizers? Then you need 4 x 2 = 8 inputs (and so on).
Do you want to have it look like a mixer? This is convenient if you don't want to buy a separate mixer or fader-controller.
A lot of audio interfaces will give you 1 MIDI input and 1 MIDI output for free - sometimes even more.
It's a simple matter of counting what you have in your studio and picking the interface that matches your budget.
3: Which computer do you have?
For laptops: USB, Firewire, PC-Card. Desktops: PCI, PCI-X, USB, Firewire. The PCI(-X) cards may have a dedicated cable with their own protocol leading to a break-out box (a little box with all inputs and outputs that could not be crammed in your computer anyway). Laptops with Firewire may have the small plugs, so see if you're getting the right kind of Firewire standard on the interface.
4: Arrested Driver Development
People generally won't have 3 or 4 audio interfaces at the same time, so it's really hard to make comparisons. You'll have to follow the reviews - but more importantly, check out the user forums and see if the company is responsive in terms of keeping their drivers bug-free. If your budget is such that you're not able to afford the top of the line interfaces, worrying about miniscule converter differences when you have a lot of stuff to hook up is wasted time.
Any company that dragged its behind in updating drivers when Vista was announced - subtract points. Any company that still doesn't have a Vista driver; remove from your list. While it may still be the near future, 64-bits driver development is telling too; are they just happy to put something in your hands that's going to be unusable in 2 years? If so, skip. Any driver that got off to a rocky start and still has problems? Skip.
There's no better way to find out, I'm afraid.
But I'm poor!
We all are. Check out the E-mu 0404 and the M-Audio 2496 - these can be had (secondhand) for not much and they're workhorses that'll do the job for you. Both come with MIDI I/O and are therefore good cards to start with.
Categories: MIDI, Computer hardware