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For stereo music you need only two outputs. If you want to alter the sound of individual tracks, you should do that in your recording software. --Ethan

The notion that digital clipping is horrible and must be avoided at all costs is a myth. Hard clipping in digital is no different than the hard clipping you get from overdriving most solid state audio devices. Personally I try to avoid that while recording, since I want everything as clean as...

I agree with the suggestions to get an interface that has a preamp. If you already have a sound card and mixer, the mixer probably has a perfectly good preamp. If for some reason you do need to buy a preamp, avoid anything that has tubes in it. Or buy a USB condenser microphone. --Ethan

Agreed. For the OP, this short article will help you put "interface quality" into proper perspective: Converter Loop-Back Tests This article with video goes even deeper: Converter Comparison --Ethan

I agree with this. Further, it's much better IMO to record everything clean and flat, then add "color" to taste while mixing when you can hear everything in context. That's what plug-ins are for! --Ethan

Exactly. Even cheap speakers are reasonably flat within their effective range. No speaker has half a dozen nulls 20+ dB deep, all below 500 Hz. But most rooms do! For the OP: Acoustic Basics Room Measuring Primer --Ethan

No, I simply raised the volume of the Wave file so it became clipped. That's the same as overdriving an A/D input. Either way you get hard flat-topping, similar to overdriving a typical solid state analog circuit. I can't imagine that overdriving an A/D input is any different, but I'll be glad...

There are two types of "calibration" to deal with. One is very basic - simply ensuring that both the left and right loudspeakers are the same volume. The correct way to do this is with band-limited pink noise that plays only midrange frequencies. The attached MP3 file is from my Audio Expert...

Not only are they too narrow to "be any good," they're so narrow that it's not appropriate to even call them bass traps. Are these meant for sale to hi-fi types as opposed to studio people? Too-small acoustic products are common for that market. --Ethan

It all depends on what you need! If you need an indication of how loud something sounds, then average levels are appropriate. But if you need to know whether your record levels are acceptable, which is what most recordists care about most of the time, then a peak meter is clearly the better...

Exactly. I wish more people would actually test this stuff, because it's not that difficult to do! :D As for the notion that digital clipping is worse than analog clipping, it really isn't because it's exactly the same thing. At least when clipping a normal preamp type circuit. I just did that...

Well, analog is usually also very clean right up to the point of hard clipping. And I did address that above: Setting levels to avoid clipping below digital zero is not that difficult. --Ethan

Not only that, the notion that "digital clipping" is terrible is a myth. I proved this with a file to accompany my Audio Expert book where I clipped a gentle acoustic guitar intentionally by running it 2 dB over digital zero. It sounds fine. Maybe a tad thicker than the unclipped version. People...

Yes, the notion that digital audio "sounds better" when recorded at levels well below clipping is simply false. Proof is here: The Truth About Record Levels Now, it's possible to have distortion at levels below 0 dBFS, but that's due to improper level setup between an external preamp and sound...

For stereo I prefer full range speakers that can get down to 40 Hz or so without needing a subwoofer. A sub is definitely needed for mixing surround sound movie sound tracks. One problem with a sub is you then have three physical location where bass frequencies come from, making integration with...

Well, now you know how I feel about all the stuff I criticize! :eek: --Ethan

Of course. Mixing is an art, so there's no right or wrong. Now, you may change your mind five minutes or five days later and wonder "Whatever was I thinking?!" I've done that many times. But this is very different from learning if tweaks such as the Mpingo discs really change the sound, which is...

I agree with Dave - be scientific when possible. The method I use explained below is from my Audio Expert book. --Ethan

I think a small format mixer is very useful. It's easier and simpler to set up an earphone mix, and it gives you a volume control to lunge for if something starts squealing really loudly! :D This article should help: Using a Mixer With a DAW --Ethan

I think the Acoustic ART bowls have those beat: System | Synergistic Research $3,000 for a set of five "saki cups" that do nothing is not only a waste of time, it's over the top expensive. I call stuff like this placebo-based products because that's their entire operating principle. :D Yet...