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Sound cards

Your sound card creates a bridge from the live performance of an instrument to your [tag]digital recording[/tag] system. As such it’s a very important component of your overall recording environment.

If you have a [tag]sound card[/tag] included with your PC then you should seriously consider replacing that with one designed specifically for use in recording applications - since the bundled PC sound cards fail to come close to even CD standards of signal to noise ratio.

This article covers 7 key factors you must know about selecting an [tag]audio interface[/tag] card if you want to avoid throwing your money down the drain!

Computer Sound Cards

If you do need to use your Computer sound card, at least to start, here’s what to look out for.

Many computer sound cards come with line level miniature jack connectors for use to connect to computer speakers or to an external amplifier.

There may be a separate headphone socket, or you may be expected to use the same output for either speakers or headphones.

Typically, you’ll find 3 types of input:

• “Microphone” input
  This is designed for use with computer microphones. Don’t use it with a recording microphone. This may be a surprise to you. The reason is that your precious sound may become rather distorted - because most recording mics are not matched to the input specification of a computer sound card.
• Joystick or MIDI port
  With an adapter you can hook up a keyboard or other MIDI device to it
• Line input
  • this input can be used for recording, at least with some suitable sources.
  • it will generally not be compatible with recording microphones of any kind, or low level outputs from instruments (Guitar and Bass), or any instrument amplifier speaker outputs.
  • it can however be used with anything that has a line level output (Keyboard line output, instrument amp line outputs (Guitar, Bass) CD player outputs etc. To use this, you’ll probably need an adapter to convert your ¼” connectors to fit the 1/8” sockets.

As soon as you can afford it, buy a [tag]professional sound card[/tag]. You’ll get much better quality recordings as a result.

Professional Sound Cards

So when you are researching which sound card is suitable for your needs, ask yourself about the kind of use you’ll put it to:

What will you use it for?

1. The overall number of inputs you will need for recording?
2. Will you record with any microphones? If yes, consider whether you also need a pre-amp?
3. What is the maximum budget you are willing to spend for that ultimate sound?

What Technical Specifications Matter most to you?

Sound card specs are typically summarized in terms of:

• bits
• sample rate
• interface or connection type

1. Sample Rate

To explain:

• if your sound card is rate locked at 48 kHz, and you want to record at 44.1 kHz (standard sampling rate for music CD’s) the soundcard has to perform 2 conversions - on both input and on output before the sound reaches your ears.
• On each conversion, there is a loss of quality of the sound. Also, these additional steps can cause recording problems with tracks sounding out of time.

Avoid rate-locked sound cards

2. Life Cycle

• Professional sound cards don’t become out-dated as fast as their consumer equivalents.
• So you must consider your likely future plans for recording, and take account of this in you buying decisions.

Think in terms of a five year equipment life time.

3. Quality balance with other critical components

• No point in spending a large amount on a top-end sound card, yet skimping in other areas such as monitors, mics or recording software. You won’t get professional sound quality that way, and you won’t be able to tell the difference!
• Marrying a high end sound card with low end recording gear will prevent you from realizing its potential by producing an inferior quality signal.

Aim for consistency of quality through out the components you select for your recording studio.

4. Would an “Audio Interface” suite your needs better?
Software developers like Digidesign and Steinberg offer audio interfaces that are becoming the preferred option among musicians instead of a standard soundcard. So what’s the difference?

• Audio Interfaces have what’s called a breakout box, hardware separate from the computer but attached to it via a PCI slot or firewire connection.
  • Major benefit - you don’t have to crawl around under the desk to reach the connectors!
• An audio interface contains a variety of connectors to handle multiple connections from microphones, instruments, and mixers of monitor system.
• Some audio Interfaces also feature balanced inputs, meaning you don’t have to get that XLR to 1/8” Jack adapter to plug into your sound card, which will never produce as clean of a recording. You can just plug it in normally into the audio interface.
• Audio Interfaces will usually also include a microphone preamp and phantom power (required for Condenser Microphones)

So - to create the cleanest recording environment, go for an audio interface, with balanced connectors.

5. Should I buy a Microphone Pre-amp?

• Pre-amps can be very expensive. (e.g. Focusright ISA 220 price is $1500)
• Yes, the right pre-amp will deliver a higher signal/noise ratio
• tight input signal control, and
• Support a wider range of microphones

Rule of thumb:

Don’t buy a pre-amp to use with a sound card which cost under $500. You probably wouldn’t notice the difference.

6. Which Digital Audio Converters should you use?
The 2 main factors affecting the sonic performance of your home recording are:

• Digital Audio Converters (DAC) - built into the card, or “outboard”
  • The DAC “reads” the incoming analog signal or sound source and samples it, transforming it into data, or numbers.
  • Then the computer (software driver) can manipulate in various ways, use and merge it with other data and store it to disks.

• Software drivers supplied with your sound card
  • Whether the sound card is attached to a PCI slot, Firewire or USB which merely shuttle the data created by the DAC, having a good converter will determine the sound quality.
  • Software Drivers manage the traffic of data that goes from the CPU (Central Processing unit) of your computer and from the DAC. It basically organizes the data so the CPU can grab and use it when an audio application needs it. When buying a soundcard it’s important to know about the drivers that are included and:
    • Driver is compatible with your operating system (Windows XP, MAC OSX etc)
    • There are download updates available online
    • The driver is compatible with your recording software
    • It has an updated driver within the past six months and is updated to the latest service packs and OS updates

Three points to note:

• It’s the combination of DAC and software drivers which delivers the resulting sonic quality.
  • Make sure the drivers support your computer’s operating system!
• The quality of DAC in most sound cards today will be more than adequate for all but the most discerning, who also can afford the amplifier and monitor quality to be able to tell the difference!
• If/when you do want to improve the quality of you DACs, you can probably add on an outboard option.

7. Does it Matter What Type of Connection I use?

Sound cards use one of these methods to connect to your computer:

• PCI card (speed of internal PCI bus)
  • This is the older choice of the three, yet with newer versions is still the fastest audio device out there.
  • The only downside to a PCI card is that since there are different brands of PC’s on the market and many have certain PCI slots that share resources with other slots, sometimes the video PCI card will cause conflict among other things. You generally have to find the good slot. You can be lucky and find it the first time. If you don’t mind the potential threat of sleepless nights and headaches, a PCI card is reliable, solid and fast.
• Firewire link (400 or 800Mbps versions)
  • These are easier to install. Your computer will require a firewire port, commonly built in these days. But on older models you can install a PCI firewire card.
  • A good firewire interface will provide plenty of tracks to record and work with, and can lead to fewer hassles than a PCI.
  • Using a Firewire card with good DACs and Drivers is also a great option.
• USB link - with USB 2.0 (480 Mbps)
  • These are considered the easy way to go. With the “plug and play mentality” USB can be a simple and useable solution for right now or it could give you some headaches.
  • The downside to using USB 1.0 for your soundcard is a lower track count for recording, higher latency and glitches or crashes when you’re running your recording software to it’s maximum limit. Use USB 2.0 instead.
  • Apple Mac computers seem to handle USB better than PC’s.
• S/PDIF link (Sony /Philips Digital Interface Format)
  • High speed optical link - good for connecting outboard DACs (the pro’s way to ensure the highest spec DACs are incorporated into the system.)

Connections make little noticeable difference to the sound quality. However, connectors can be a right royal pain, unless they are:

• reliable - you don’t want any slight movement to produce crackles, and…
• accessible - i.e. you don’t need to crawl under the desk to reach them!

Also, if you need maximum simultaneous tracks, choose a PCI audio card.

Selection Advice:

As with selecting most recording gear, it is all relative and personal. Depending on what you have and what you want there are many factors to consider.

Tip: Thanks to Tweak (of tweakheadz.com) for this one.

“…to hear the difference you need superb monitors and a squeaky clean signal path. That being said,

• record a full mix and then record just its cymbal track.
• Listen to the quality of the cymbals alone, and then again in the mix.

The DAC that best preserves the hi frequency shimmer and definition without smearing or artifacts can be considered better, given the rest is equal. This is one of the 1st places a bad DAC will mess up. You might also want to evaluate on the basis of warmth, fluidity and whether your ears “like” the sound.”

Make a list of your requirements and eliminate the sound cards that don’t qualify. That’ll give you a “short list” of potential cards. Then make the best fit choice within your budget.

Not sure where to start looking?

Here’s a couple of audio interfaces to consider, depending on your needs:

PreSonus FIREBOX 24-bit/96kHz FireWire Recording System (for PC)

MOTU 828mkII Audio Interface (for MAC)