New PC/ Sound Card

  • Thread starter Thread starter evadbowl
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evadbowl

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Does it matter what kind of sound card that you get with a new PC if you are going to use a Audio Interface? Thanks.
 
i dont use a sound card...i use a mackie micro mixer that plugs into my line in HD jack with a certain cable...it works the same and has more channels..
 
i dont use a sound card...i use a mackie micro mixer that plugs into my line in HD jack with a certain cable...it works the same and has more channels..

I have a feeling you are using a sound card and just don't realize it. If you are plugging anything into the line in on your computer (instead of firewire or usb) then you are sending to the computer's sound card and it is handling the Analog to Digital conversion (probably quite badly)

As far as the original question:

If you use and Audio Interface it will replace the computer's internal sound card when you are recording/playing back rom your DAW software if you configure everything correctly
 
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If you use and Audio Interface it will replace the computer's internal sound card when you are recording/playing back rom your DAW software if you configure everything correctly

Which, btw, is infinitely preferable to using a sound card.

But no, it shouldn't matter at all what kind of sound card comes default with your pc. . .
 
the computer's sound card and it is handling the Analog to Digital conversion (probably quite badly)
the soundcards built into modern computers arent all that great, but I wouldnt call them bad either..
 
Which, btw, is infinitely preferable to using a stock sound card or "soundblaster" type sound card.

Thought that should be fixed... There are plenty of very good aftermarket recording-specific soundcards on the market. But, none of them will come stock in an off-the-shelf computer... :)
 
Thought that should be fixed... There are plenty of very good aftermarket recording-specific soundcards on the market. But, none of them will come stock in an off-the-shelf computer... :)

Totally agree. . . That's basically what I meant - the default soundcards in pc's these days don't really lend themselves to good quality recordings. (As if they ever did?)
 
the soundcards built into modern computers arent all that great, but I wouldnt call them bad either..

Wow, then what WOULD you call bad? The most common soundblaster DAC literally costs well under a dollar per channel. They spent a lot more time/$ on the playback quality vs the input quality.

To the OP - When any interface or USB/firewire mixer connects to your PC, the OS recognized it as a sound card. Disable whatever soundcard your PC came with in BIOS, so your OS doesn't even know it's there.
 
the soundcards built into modern computers arent all that great, but I wouldnt call them bad either..

I would.... as far as analog to digital conversion goes, even compared to cheap USB interface onboard sound or soundblaster/audigy are terrible. but maybe I'm a snob :D
 
Totally agree. . . That's basically what I meant - the default soundcards in pc's these days don't really lend themselves to good quality recordings. (As if they ever did?)

I figured. I just wanted to clarify for the newb that comes along and reads that and takes it out of context to somehow universally mean that usb/firewire "sounds" better than pci. :)
 
Studio Foam

ok so im about to buy some studio foam. Theres no way in hell im buying at guiar center for 200 a panel. ive been looking at egg crate foam and other stuff. Any suggestions??
 
ok so im about to buy some studio foam. Theres no way in hell im buying at guiar center for 200 a panel. ive been looking at egg crate foam and other stuff. Any suggestions??


I suggest you go to the studio building forum on this site and read about all the reasons why both foam and egg crates are a complete waste of time and will not help your music at all
 
Yeah I know what you mean. To continue clarifying - the 'PCI' part of the soundcard isn't the problem, it's the AD converter. By the time the audio hits PCI, USB, or firewire, it's already been converted from analog to digital. There are some great pci based interfaces - the difference between those and a soundblaster is the DAC's.
 
ok so im about to buy some studio foam. Theres no way in hell im buying at guiar center for 200 a panel. ive been looking at egg crate foam and other stuff. Any suggestions??

Search for OC703 - You can make a 4'x2' 2" thick panel with the frame and wrap it in fabric for $25 or so. DIY broadband acoustic absorption.
 
THANK U!!! its perfect......but will it make a difference?

At a fraction of the cost it actually works MUCH better than any of the "studio foams". Remove "foam" from your vocabulary. :)

as suggested, OC703 is "rigid fiberglass" (OC=Owens Corning brand- there are other manufacturers) and also "rockwool". Search, read, learn. :)
 
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