Do I have the right sound card?

[TeyshaBlue]

That would work but here's the problem with usb interfaces, no matter how many inputs you may have they will be mixed down to only two signals which would be left and right. I'm not sure why usb has to "mix" all the inputs together, it doesn't make sense to me. An interface that connects via fire wire on the other hand would be able to transfer each individual input to its own track in your DAW (digital audio workstation).

why fire wire can do this and usb can't is beyond me. maybe someone could explain it to me.

Actually, there are many USB interfaces that support multiple simultaneous outputs. The MAudio Fast Track Pro UltraR is 8x8 and USB 2.0.

Cakewalk, Lexicon and probably some others I'm missing, make them as well.

 

[Kingofpain678]

Actually, there are many USB interfaces that support multiple simultaneous outputs. The MAudio Fast Track Pro UltraR is 8x8 and USB 2.0.

Cakewalk, Lexicon and probably some others I'm missing, make them as well.

never knew that.

lesson learned

 

[Chibi Nappa]

it would be in your recordings best interest to get the recommended interface soon.

using ANYTHING like the stock sound card in your computer or that turtle bay or what ever card will sound....

... well it will sound terrible.

Even the worst modern sound card is not bad. Things to spend money on before replacing your sound card:

Monitors/amplifier
Microphones
Instruments
Room treatment


UNLESS you absolutely need to record more simultaneous tracks than your current card can do. But then you are dropping serious $$$ to get 8 inputs or whatever.

As far as the 64-bit thing goes, that should be the absolute last thing on your mind. Right now if your card works, there are much more important things to focus on.

 

[kcearl]

Hmm. Is that sound card upgrade need right away? Or can I get away with what I have for a couple months?

I'm going to go with Sonar 8.5 64, what is the difference between Producer & Studio?

you have to look it up...its on the website..as there are quite a few

http://www.cakewalk.com/products/default.asp


Studio doesn't have the vocal strip or the drum strip...two of the best parts of 8.5

 

[Gidge]

Ok, I'll assume you don't want to actually record 32 tracks at once. And that you just mean having a tune with a total of 32 tracks etc...

Your CPU, and your RAM especially, will have more bearing on the ability to do that than your sound card.

i think hard drive speed plays more a part in that..

 

[Simbo]

Need to get back to the basic question How many tracks do you want to record AT ONCE ?

That would work but here's the problem with usb interfaces, no matter how many inputs you may have they will be mixed down to only two signals which would be left and right. I'm not sure why usb has to "mix" all the inputs together,

True and not true, USB 1 does only have 2 channels, but there are not all ways MIXED, with the M-Audio you can set you DAW to track input 1 as mono left and input 2 as mono right, this lets you record 2 different sound sources at once, that you can mix later in you DAW.

Mixers on the other hand that brag about their 16 inputs with USB, can only output a stereo L/R on USB

 

[legionserial]

i think hard drive speed plays more a part in that..

Yeah, forgot to mention the hard drive. RAM is pretty relevant aswell though. And if you're adding effects and EQ to tracks, and you have a shedload of them, the CPU's going to take a big hit.

 

[Bristol Posse]

As a computer builder here are a few points to clear up that always seem to cause confusion in this type of thread

Very, very Generally:

Sound card what you are mainly paying for on an after market "Audio Interface" is AD/DA conversion. Onboard/Gamer cards do an adequate job of DA conversion but are not really designed for serious AD converion. However it will work for a hobbyist.

Hard Drive Write speed will determine how many tracks can be recorded at the same time, read speed how many played back. An average 7200 RPM drive on a desktop, which is pretty much standard, even with all the junk big box manufacturers dump on them can easilly handle 50 simultaneous inputs and likely a hundred in playback

RAM heavy sample based stuff like MIDI instruments (not synths but sampled instruments being triggered my a MIDI command such as garitan personal orchestra or EZ Drummer) benefit from more RAM. More of the library can be held in RAM so the Hard drive does not neeed to be paged as often

CPU is for number crunching. VST Plugin effects and synths need to perform calculations on every note that passes through them. More CPU power means you can run larger quantities of these calcualtions at the same time without your computer locking up/freezing/popping/clicking

USB is not limited to a stereo pair input. there are plenty of USB inputs that can give you 4 or even 8 simultaneous inputs. Many USB units are limited to 2 channels due to bandwidth concerns as even USB 2 has a fairly low sustained throuput bandwidth and is more liable to give you pops clicks and dropouts with more than 2 channels. On a well executed USB bus (which is rare/unheard of on a big box brand) there is no reason that USB 2 couldn't handle more than 8 channels

get your computer working and then forget about it, more CPU, Hard Drive power RAM etc will not make your music any better it's just a receptical into which you record. Don't let the nuts and bolts distract you from getting the music right at the source!

 

[Gidge]

As a computer builder here are a few points to clear up that always seem to cause confusion in this type of thread

Very, very Generally:

Sound card what you are mainly paying for on an after market "Audio Interface" is AD/DA conversion. Onboard/Gamer cards do an adequate job of DA conversion but are not really designed for serious AD converion. However it will work for a hobbyist.

Hard Drive Write speed will determine how many tracks can be recorded at the same time, read speed how many played back. An average 7200 RPM drive on a desktop, which is pretty much standard, even with all the junk big box manufacturers dump on them can easilly handle 50 simultaneous inputs and likely a hundred in playback

RAM heavy sample based stuff like MIDI instruments (not synths but sampled instruments being triggered my a MIDI command such as garitan personal orchestra or EZ Drummer) benefit from more RAM. More of the library can be held in RAM so the Hard drive does not neeed to be paged as often

CPU is for number crunching. VST Plugin effects and synths need to perform calculations on every note that passes through them. More CPU power means you can run larger quantities of these calcualtions at the same time without your computer locking up/freezing/popping/clicking

USB is not limited to a stereo pair input. there are plenty of USB inputs that can give you 4 or even 8 simultaneous inputs. Many USB units are limited to 2 channels due to bandwidth concerns as even USB 2 has a fairly low sustained throuput bandwidth and is more liable to give you pops clicks and dropouts with more than 2 channels. On a well executed USB bus (which is rare/unheard of on a big box brand) there is no reason that USB 2 couldn't handle more than 8 channels

get your computer working and then forget about it, more CPU, Hard Drive power RAM etc will not make your music any better it's just a receptical into which you record. Don't let the nuts and bolts distract you from getting the music right at the source!

awesome post, and from what Ive seen, 1000% correct...

back in the day I easily did 24-32 tracks on a 500mhz Celeron with 362MB RAM...