Should I Upgrade My Soundcard

[Rick Shepherd]

I have the E-MU 1212m soundcard. My signal chain is as follows:

Peluso 22 47 and the AT4033 mics --> Avalon AD2022 preamp -->E-MU 1212m soundcard

Question: Will I see much difference in the results of my recordings (Just guitar and vocals for folk, country, and pop music) if I upgrade to say a Lynx soundcard?

 

[bigwillz24]

Very little IMO...

If you're getting a bad sound (which I doubt) It could be the room you are recording in or mic technique which I would try out first before I attacked buying another soundcard the 1212m is pretty good.

The lynx may provide a better sound over the 1212m but not nearly as much as treating the room and mic placement would.

But thats just my opinion...

 

[cawhite12]

I second bigwillz. The higher end soundcard with a little better converters is going to make the very least ammount of difference. In my time poking around here, it seems that the order of importance as far as getting a really good recording goes like this:

1. The performance you are recording has to be high quality
2. Mic placement in relation to the instrument, and the space that you are working in
3. Room treatment, or at least knowing your room well enough to be able to compensate for its weaknesses
4. Mics, Preamps, Cables
5. Interface

Just remember, if the performance is amazing, it will more than likely come across in the recording no matter what. Also remember this: A mediocre engineer will take $5,000 worth of equipment and make a mediocre recording, and a very seasoned engineer will take $1,000 worth of equipment, and make a recording ready to hit the shelves at your local CD shop.