What Are Analog IOs for On Soundcards?

[Phreesoal]

So I'm looking at soundcards and one that was recommended to me by a musician was the RME DIGI 96/8 PCI card(discontinued)http://www.rme-audio.com/english/digi96/digi968.htm.

He said he recommends this card because it has stereo analog IOs and it can be expanded with the optional expansion cards (AEB) which offers 4 or 8 inputs and 4 or 8 analog I/Os.

I'm totally clueless as to what analog IOs offer - can anyone tell me?

Not only that, I really don't understand most of the specs of soundcards and how to know what I want/need and what I don't want/need.

I've also read a bit about the RME Hammerfall DIGI9652 card and it looks like it's got everything - but everything of what and how would it benefit me???

My goal is simply to get a decent pro or pro-sumer level soundcard to use under Mac OS X w/Ableton Live or Apple Soundtrack, and for that card to have room for growth.

Phree

 

[AlChuck]

You want to be able to record things into the soundcard, yes? And listen to what got recorded afterwards, yes?

 

[Phreesoal]

That would be an affirmative Al on both questions! ;-)

So, are you saying that with the higher priced RME card (9652), this is not standard on it where I'd have the ability to record AND listen to those recordings all from the same soundcard?

*scratching head*

Phree

 

[guttadaj]

I think Al's giving you an explanation of what IO is...

IO = Input/Output

You wanna record stuff going in? (Input)
You wanna listen to the stuff? (Output)
Simple as that.

Stereo IO means you can record/listen to a stereo signal. (Also means that if you're recording mono sources, you can record 2 tracks at once, by putting 1 on the left and 1 on the right)

Analog IO means that the signal is analog, not digital like a Firewire or S/PDIF input.

HTH,
-Jeff

 

[apl]

That would be an affirmative Al on both questions! ;-)

So, are you saying that with the higher priced RME card (9652), this is not standard on it where I'd have the ability to record AND listen to those recordings all from the same soundcard?

*scratching head*

Phree

Yes, that card is the mediator between the computer and their very nice analog to digital and digital to analog boxes (A/D and D/A) such as the multiface and ADIs.