Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough ?

[A.D.Ryan]

Hey guys,
I wonder what my options are. Is this Realtek HD sound card ok? Do I have to buy a new cards? Are there any Interfaces/Mixers with soundcards incorporated. I`m not very good at... opening computers and replacing cards.
Thank you!

 

[grimtraveller]

My laptop came with a Realtek soundcard.
I put in an Echo Indigo.
The difference is like a baby hippo to a Hollywood actress.
'Nuff said !

 

[jlewis]

Indeed. You don't need to replace your sound card if you get an audio interface. When you plug it in, it will bypass your sound card and give you more and better options than recording directly into your computers card. There's lots of posts on which interface to buy, check out some of those

 

[A.D.Ryan]

Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough?

Thank you guys! So the sound card is very bad. I should replace it. But if I get an interface ( any kind) I don`t have to worry about the card.
Lewis, what if I get a mixer? Would that also do?

 

[jlewis]

Kind of depends what you're going to do with it, but I think you want an interface over a mixer. Some mixers work like interfaces with mic pres and stuff, but at this point, you probably should get something with a couple mic inputs like an m-audio fast track pro usb interface. When using something like this, your mixer will be the one that is already in your DAW.

 

[Manslick]

I don’t think the Realtek card is bad per se as far as sound goes. Don’t your CDs sound good thru it? Or your video games?

My problem with the Realtek is the 3mm jacks. The mic input is a stereo input so with a splitter you can run two mics into it, but when I did I got some bad cross fades due to the cheap ass splitter I bought. If the Realtek has 5.1 or better surround sound you can do some cool stuff with it. I used the Realtek for quite a while before I just got fed up.

That said, I ended up with an M-Audio Fast Track pro USB interface for one simple reason – phantom power, well two reasons, that and SPDIF connections and MIDI. I guess that’s three reasons. Well one more reason, I had an M-Audio PCI 2496 in my last PC.

Replacing an audio card in a (assuming) PC is as easy a task as removing a few screws and popping in a PC board. Well then there are the drivers and all which you will have to contend with regardless.

 

[TimOBrien]

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production.
Bad drivers = high latency
Do you really want to run your thousands of $$ worth of instruments and music software through 25-cents worth of analog>digital>analog chips??? NO.

#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.

Here's a good guide and tested suggestions that WORK: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm
(you'll want to bookmark and read through all of Tweak's Guide while you're there...)

Another good article: Choosing an audio interface - http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/audiointerfaces.htm

 

[A.D.Ryan]

Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough?

Lewis, thanks mate. Interface it is then!

 

[A.D.Ryan]

Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough?

Manslick,
The interface you`re using is cheap and it has good reviews! I really liked this one, but...in Europe it`s 450 Euros and In Osaka (where I live) it`s 80.000 Japanese yen ( about 800 bucks!)
http://www.thomann.de/index.html?partner_id=97926&page=gb/motu_ultralite_mkiii_hybrid.htm

 

[A.D.Ryan]

Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough?

Cheers Tim. That`s a good site. I`m gonna settle for a USB Interface, since the Firewire requires you to opene the computer and... install a card...if I got that right. I really prefer not to... I`m computer challenged!

 

[Supercreep]

Good enough?


Good enough for what?

 

[Washburn100]

When I first started, I found the computer jargon (soundcard) and audio jargon (interface) confusing.

Simply put, the interface is your soundcard. Get one meant for recording, not games.

 

[A.D.Ryan]

Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough?

Oh, I wish I knew more about this. So, even if I buy an USB interface, I still have to open my computer and replace the sound card??? Or not?

 

[A.D.Ryan]

Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough?

Supercreep. To record songs at home. I want good quality, of course...

 

[Bristol Posse]

Oh, I wish I knew more about this. So, even if I buy an USB interface, I still have to open my computer and replace the sound card??? Or not?

Nope no need to open up the box

If you get a USB interface (Soundcard) your recording software will have an input selection option where you can pick either the onboard realtek or outbourd USB device as the recording device.

If you pick the outboard device then onbaord sound (Realtek) will be bypassed.

Remember if you select the USB device you will usually need to plug your monitor speakers into this Device also as the onboard sound will not be active

 

[Seidy]

Oh, I wish I knew more about this. So, even if I buy an USB interface, I still have to open my computer and replace the sound card??? Or not?

nonono. just plug the interface to your usb port, install drivers and you are ready to make some music

-edit-
aah. the Bistrol Posse was faster

 

[A.D.Ryan]

Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough?

Seidy, Bristol posse, thanks guys! My day is brighter now) Might go shopping

 

[Washburn100]

Oh, I wish I knew more about this. So, even if I buy an USB interface, I still have to open my computer and replace the sound card??? Or not?

Just to re-iterarte what the others said:
1) The usb interface IS your soundcard.
2) Your speakers get plugged into the interface, not your computer anymore
3) Disable the internal soundcard of your computer through windows control panel, you don't physically remove it or do anything else.

 

[A.D.Ryan]

Is the Realtek HD sound card good enough?

Oh, this is big help! I honestly had no idea about this stuff! All I know is how to write songs. I`m starting from scratch. Thank you for your help, mate!

 

[Supercreep]

Supercreep. To record songs at home. I want good quality, of course...

We all want good quality. How much do you want to spend chasing it down?