Digital or Analog

[PoorBoyRecordings]

Hi guys. I'm back with a bit of an embarrassing question. I have a hp pavilion quad core computer I've been messing with digital some some simple recording with. I never mess with digital recording much and have to ask this as I can't find it anywere else. On the back of my comp I have an analog input, so I got out my old Yamaha MG8/2FX sound card and tried it as it is analog also. Do I need an analog to digital converter of any kind. Everything seems to work ok and I get good sounds. I read somewhere that I need to put an A/D coverter between the 2. Any help guys .... thanks in advance.

 

[miroslav]

If you are refering to the mini-plug on the computer.....yeah, that's analog, but the computer is going to convert it to digital using whatever P.O.S. conversion it has as part of its OS.

Sure, you'll get sounds into the computer, but that is the worse option possible.
If you want to do decent audio or anything above....you'll need....make that "want"....some sort of decent interface/converter card.

 

[Seafroggys]

In the context of what you are talking about, everything is digital as far recording terminology is used.

Although to answer the question out of context, only go analog if you have money to spend. Digital is way cheaper to get into.

 

[Bobbsy]

Sound is analogue. It's pressure waves travelling through the air.

The output of a microphone or your mixer (ignoring for now USB mics and mixers which you don't have) is still analogue. The mic converts the pressure waves in the air to an alternating current electrical signal. If you put this into your mixer, the levels of that signal are amplified (and mixed with others if you use several channels but you still end up with an analogue electrical signal.

Computers are digital. For all their graphics and whiz-bangs they just add and subtract ones and zeroes.

Therefore, in order to process your signals, the output of your mic or mixer has to be converted to a digital signal. That analogue input on the back of your computer will do this--but it's probably a 39 cent chip that will make a big mess of your music. In built sound cards are for watching Youtube or making Skype calls, not doing anything serious with music.

So, a Miroslav says, to do anything with any quality, you need a specialist audio interface to do this conversion properly. What do you need? That'll depend on how you work and what you record. There are hundreds out there.

 

[PoorBoyRecordings]

Thx a million guys. I do have my small home analog recording studio to, I have just been playing around with the computer recording. So far I haven't done any vocals or mic use ... I plug everything into the mixer ( on at a time ) and lay out from 4 to 8 tracks depending on what I am recording. As always, I always ask b4 I do so 'tis the reason for the question and I thank you all again.