Value of Souncards

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Value of Soundcards

I need to understand the value of a soundcard more when it comes to recording. What role does it actually play? Does it have anything to do with the quality of recording vocals? Also, I have a Lexicon Core 2. Is this a good enough soundcard to keep while I upgrade the rest of the studio(computer, mic etc..)? Thanx
 
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Very Important!

Your sound card IS a very critical link in your recoding chain. It is the device that takes the incoming sounds and converts them to digital information that will upon playback sound (hopefully) like real instruments and voice.

Most soundcards have to handle the digital info swap both into the computer and then back out again. If your souncard uses cheap components it will add all sorts of noise and artifacts to the sounds, and will not capture a very realistic copy of what you send it.
What you use as a "front end" to your recordings will make the biggest single most difference in what your recording will sound like later. That front end includes your mic and mic preamp (or mixer).

That having been said, the Lex core card, although a little older in technology, should be an excellent starter card-much better than most stock computer cards. I can't remember what resolution or bit depth it can work at, so eventually you will probably want to upgrade. But spend your money on other things right now.
 
tmix is right..the soundcard plays a big part in the quality of your recording..but the biggest difference is whats in front of it. You will see people having nice recordings on a SBlive but they have excellent mics and the skills to use them, this helps. I used an Audigy for a while and while i wasnt happy with the quality i put up with it. Bought a mixer..new mic and was more pleased..bought a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 and now i'm extremely pleased. One step at a time and it'll come together :)
 
ABout the M-Audio Brett

I've been reading about the M-Audio. Is this card specifically designed for digital recording? I didn't know there were 'specialized' sound cards as such. What's the difference in the results?

Also, I'm very confused about all the mic types. What do you use for vocals. I read the definitions of the different types but they usually focus on the technology, but don't say if it's good for instruments, vocals, etc. I also noticed some are better for women's voices and others for men's.
 
On the Road to Discovery!

KevinTran,
Sound cards come in so many different configurations it is a study in itself. But it is safe to assume most soundcards, if they have analogue ins and outs, are made for recording audio. They may not be made with very high quality components is all. Some cheap cards assume you will only be recording spoken word in lieu of a beautiful guitar or complex flute sound.

As to microphone type,whew! you may search the sticky thread in the microphone section for some involved answers, but an oversimplification is this: Dynamic mics (like Shure sm 57/58 ) are made for loud ballistic sounds that don't require really delicate capture of nuances and really high frequencies (think drums / guitar cabinets) and condensors are made for just the opposite. ( think- Acoustic sources like voice flute high frequency things like cymbal sheen etc)
Again ths is such a gross oversimplification it is laughable, but it will start you in the right direction.
Condensor mics are made where as they need to be powered generally from an external souce via 48 volts of phantom power usually furnished by your mixer or mic preamp. They also come with the diaphram in 3 basic denominations, small, medium(or mid),and large.

The small diaphram capsule is close in size to our eardrum and has approximately the same characteristics. It will make things sound very natural across the whole spectrum. These are ideal for capturing very realistic acoustic sounds true to their original sound.

The large diaphram models are made to paint a bigger than life picture of what you put in front of it and every mic has its own sonic signature. Like different spices or paint colors, some may be flattering while some may not.(think salt and sugar)
These are harder to recommend because they tend to hype / magnify and embellish different aspects so it is more important to audition these for a good fit.

The mid diaphrams are... well.. kinda in between. The Audio Technica 4033 is a good example. Sounds very good on a variety of sources from vocals to instruments. It may not be KILLER on any one particular sound source but good over a huge range of sources.

Anyway take what I say with a grain of salt. It is grossly oversimplified, and there are a HUGE number of exceptions to the rules. There are many dynamic mics the surpass Condensors in sound quality, etc.

Hope my rambling clears up a few points.
 
soundcard

thanx. I will search the forums for best sound card. I know many people ask for low budget items, but I have a "lowbudget" studio and have worked in them for years underground. I also know that in the whole "hiphop" genre we do not reach anywhere near the technicalities as others. I am trying to be patient with what i have now and stack for what i need to produce quality music i can distribute.
 
Kevin..Tmix answered well. I did notice a much my sound has a much clearer and enhanced sound when i went to the Audiophile over the Soundblaster..well worth the money.

As far as mics go..i used to use a SHure bg 2.1 which is a dynamic mic and got ok results. I now use a Studio Projects B1 condensor mic and i'll never go back. The condensor brings up so much detail in my voice and for micing up acoustics it sounds great. It really depends what your putting in front of the mic that will determain what type to use.
 
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