best sound cards for music production 2013

It’s also impossible to track a full drum kit (let alone a full band) with only two channels of input.

Electromagnetic and radio interference, jitter, and excessive latency all degrade or negatively affect audio both on the way in and on the way out. Many sound cards only have a consumer-grade stereo line level input, a headphone output, and possibly also a consumer-grade stereo line level output. Technically speaking, a sound card is an audio interface, but its limited sound quality and minimal I/O make it less than ideal for recording. There are several reasons to use a dedicated audio interface, rather than the sound card built into your computer. Most audio interfaces include line-level analog inputs and outputs, one or more microphone preamplifiers, and may even include digital inputs and outputs such as AES, S/PDIF, or ADAT (lightpipe). This same audio interface also performs the same process in reverse, receiving digital audio information from your computer and converting it into an analog signal that you can hear through your studio monitors or headphones.

It sends that digital audio to your computer via some kind of connection (e.g., Thunderbolt, USB, FireWire, or a special PCI/PCIe card). A typical audio interface converts analog signals into the digital audio information that your computer can process. For friendly, expert guidance, call a Sales Engineer now at (800) 222-4700!Īn audio interface is the hardware that connects your microphones and other audio gear to your computer. With an incredible selection of the best audio interface brands at any price point, FREE expert guidance from your personal Sales Engineer, and valuable extras like our 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty. Buying Audio Interfaces at Sweetwater is Better!

Best sound cards for music production 2013