INTERFACE = SOUNDCARD???

[alus]

hi. I very well do know theres about a billion and a half topics regarding this but I feel like i've read half of them and somehow still didn't get my answer. so please, be kind enough to make it clear for me or redirect me to a topic on this (couldn't find one here).

So. What I do is producing electronic music, messing about with sound design, etc basically working with a digital daw. I've got a pair of powered active monitors - KRK's and I want to connect them with XLR's. enough of that RCA to TRS bullshit, thats missing the point. Basically i want to imporve my audio quality, connect those monitors and be able to record at least one thing.
SOO
I need either an audio interface or a mixer. I would use it for linking up the monitors, and recording at least 1 mic and a guitar, maybe some external hardware as well.

THE QUESTION: Since im looking for at least 4 in's and two xlr outs AS WELL AS great audio quality, should I look for an audio interface or a mixer type a thing like the alesis multimix? It's supposed to have a build-in interface but im not sure if it'll good enough (im working with low end freq's all the time, just bought 8" bass driver monitors, kinda want to make the best of them) and do i really need a mixer? (again just for connecting two monitors with xlrs, and using at least 1 XLR input and two TRS inputs)


I know this is annoying and my question was messy but i beg you guys, a quality unit for monitors and a little recording. alesis mixer or an audio interface? if the later, which one would provide decent audio quality (cause an interface IS a soundcard... read too many stupid things online, i don't even know anymore) and have all the in/outs?

correct me if im wrong in anything please.

cheers

[webstarr]

Check out the Mackie Onyx series mixers, they are analogue mixers as well as an audio interface.

[alus]

Yeah, but on the second thought i don't really need a mixer i guess.. Since i just need two xlr ins and outs. But what still bugs me is the audio quality an interface is supposed to provide. Any recommandations for quality audio interfaces?
So we're building those cosmic good custom pc's for music production and when it comes to basically the most important part - soundcard = interface people seem to talk more about how many inputs has it got rather than the actuall quality. Or should one use both, a proper internal soundcard AND an audio interface just for hooking up the hardware??? Anyone

[AxeD]

RME, UA and Apogee make good converters. Focusrite is decent as well.

The signal quality is always as good as the weakest link in the chain. So if you want top notch quality,
you need to buy all expensive gear.
But I highly doubt you can even hear the differences made, unless you have at least a few years of experience listening through different converters/summers/mics etc..

[Capture pt]

I wouldn't get hung up on cable types, they all work.

And, on KRKs, you're not going to hear any difference. Just go with what you need for the interface you want.

[fragments]

I wouldn't get hung up on cable types, they all work.

And, on KRKs, you're not going to hear any difference. Just go with what you need for the interface you want.

Not that I'm a huge fan of Rokits, but when I upgraded from my Mackie Onyx Blackjack to my MOTU 828 MKII interface I noticed a significant difference in quality. Mostly additional detail and clarity at lower volumes. I was on KRK Rokit 6 G2s at the time.

[Capture pt]

I wouldn't get hung up on cable types, they all work.

And, on KRKs, you're not going to hear any difference. Just go with what you need for the interface you want.

Not that I'm a huge fan of Rokits, but when I upgraded from my Mackie Onyx Blackjack to my MOTU 828 MKII interface I noticed a significant difference in quality. Mostly additional detail and clarity at lower volumes. I was on KRK Rokit 6 G2s at the time.

Yeah - I meant cable types. You wouldn't hear the difference between a 1/4 jack to XLR to a balanced XLR each end for example. Unless i'm not understanding what you're saying?

[fragments]

I wouldn't get hung up on cable types, they all work.

And, on KRKs, you're not going to hear any difference. Just go with what you need for the interface you want.

Not that I'm a huge fan of Rokits, but when I upgraded from my Mackie Onyx Blackjack to my MOTU 828 MKII interface I noticed a significant difference in quality. Mostly additional detail and clarity at lower volumes. I was on KRK Rokit 6 G2s at the time.

Yeah - I meant cable types. You wouldn't hear the difference between a 1/4 jack to XLR to a balanced XLR each end for example. Unless i'm not understanding what you're saying?

Ah, I see. Right on. Agreed, I see no reason to upgrade just to use XLR to XLR.

[Tom_Autobot]

Most interfaces are balanced outputs on stereo jacks, so if you had a stereo jack to xlr cable (or stereo jack to stereo jack) it would be exactly the same signal as xlr to xlr. The main reason to use balanced cable is to cancel out any noise that might occur on long cable runs.
The alesis units are a cheap way of getting audio in and out of a machine, but the drivers are poor and they can be quite noisy.

If you want a great sounding unit (as you dont need loads of ins and outs) then check out the focusrite forte, its top notch pro level converters for 340 quid. Then go and upgrade your krk's as they will be by far the weakest link in the chain!

[alus]

Guys, guys what I meant was simply the quality of all the sound thats coming out from my computer, not the recording quality as some of you understood.

People seem to treat audio interfaces as recording units while an interface IS your soundcard, right? In music production argueably the most important part of yout entire workstation.

Now I now I don't need a mixer yet nor could I afford a decent one so I focused on the interfaces. I think I finally understood the difference between those units. A mixer is a mixer, it's for recording and mixing whilist an audio interface is simply an external soundcard with some ins and outs so you can hook up your monitore and additionally record some stuff. The confusion was, that they make interfaces so big and mixers so small and with build in interfaces and people treat interfaces as strictly recording devices and people ask question like 'should i get a soundcard or an interface'...

-

Also I was suprised to see all of you being quite sceptic about the krk's. I've heard nothing but good about them, as they're the absolute best middle shelf choice price/money wise and how everybody uses them or how they're in so many studios.Well, fucking apple mac's became the industry standard because they look nice so I wouldn't really look at the studio popularity, whats more I may see a resemblance with the Rokits... But hey, do you really need the top notch quality gear you all spoke of for electronic music when youre NOT recording? Apparently skrillex uses a macbook and dre headphones which sounds like a joke/commercial but I don't think he uses much more. You can say whatever you want about this guy but he definately knows about audio quality unlike most of the scene from about 2005, 2006 all of whom, on the other hand, were working with low end frequencies. I mean with nowadays software abilities and some good ideas - that's more than enough. Save your top of the range converters and high end monitors for recording artists and professional studios.

I work with the low end freqs all the time so I bought a big monitor. Now help me make the best of it with a quality soundcard (interface...)

[SunkLo]

You can say whatever you want about this guy but he definately knows about audio quality unlike most of the scene from about 2005

lolwut


Buy a Focusrite 2i2. I think it'd suit your purposes and budget.

[Capture pt]

as they're the absolute best middle shelf choice price/money wise and how everybody uses them or how they're in so many studios.

Someone will be a long to correct you on this i'm sure.


That focusrite looks good, if I were buying a interface today, and based on the hardware I have here, i'd buy this:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/emu_0204_usb.htm for the simple approach

http://www.thomann.de/gb/akai_eie.htm if I wanted to be a bit more complicated/future proof. At only 35 quid difference I would strongly consider the Akai (For me) however they're quite large units so I'm not sure where I'd put it. But the two inputs on the rear would be priceless as I could run two synths at once, or my workhorse and turntables without having to bugger about round the back, etc.

These are not by far "the best" - but ones that would work for me and I'd happily work with. And more importantly my wallet would be happy.

People seem to treat audio interfaces as recording units while an interface IS your soundcard, right? In music production argueably the most important part of yout entire workstation.

I think you might be overestimating what an interface does in terms of output quality. Yes, over your motherboard built in soundcard it'll be an improvement but they don't colour the sound or have any properties AFAIK - they're not analogue devices which have error like a tube amp - they're digital things. Digital signal is digital signal.

You're better off buying a 100-200 quid soundcard and investing whatever you've left over on better monitors. Most would argue that's the most important piece in your signal chain.

Soundcards are mainly for recording. There's no point investing in a £350 quid card with a bunch of inputs to record guitars, mics, synths etc if all you need it for is to power your KRK's. Yes they're better than your motherboard for playback but that's mainly because a motherboard has a cheap 3.5mm input and not 1/4inch or XLR.

This is my understanding of it anyway, someone please correct me if i'm wrong and there is a difference in terms of output from £100 interfaces and £350 quid interfaces.

[alus]

Definately not going to improve them for now as I just got them and haven't even listened to em properly. But just outta curiosity, what would you recommend thats not 1000 quid more then the krks?


So an audio interface is not actually a soundcard... ???Confused again. So do you invest in soundcard apart of your interfaces?

One way another I do need an interface, even for the monitors. I thimk the focusrite scarlett 2i2 would suit me but Its only got two ins and i might need more later on, mic guitar external synths. Theres a bigger version of that interface, anyones tried it?

[Capture pt]

Yes an interface is a soundcard, and a soundcard handles both output and input. Even a on-board built in soundcards on a laptops motherboard can do output and recording.

The "interface" part comes from the fact they can handle midi, audio, line level, a bunch of connectors, etc - I guess. It's an interface between your hardware and your software.

Your KRKs are fine monitors, don't get me wrong. And they'll do you fine and were a good purchase. It just gets people a bit wound up when people blindly swear they are the best ever (especially when using the "everyone uses them" argument). At the end of the day you can mixdown on any speakers as long as you know them well and how they handle frequencies. What KRK's do you have? There are a few. I'm not sure what I would buy as I've not bought a monitor for a long time. But assuming you're at the budget end I'd probably buy these:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/yamaha_hs_7.htm

I'm actually a bit shocked they're only £160 quid. You get so much for your money, even compared to 4 years ago when I bought my current pair of monitors.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/adam_f7.htm

I'd probably also look into these, tho I'd like to listen to that ribbon before purchasing. But at £250 that's almost a no brainer.

[AxeD]

Just to clarify the difference once more. As most new people start off completely in the box.
The difference is really simple. An interface has d-a/a-d converters in it, because you want to go from
either analog > digital (recording into computer) or from digital > analog (playback from computer).
A mixer usually doesn't have any converters, or maybe one for the sum bus.
It's just a device that mixes line and/or mic signals. The exception being the Onyx i series for example,
which is a full interface and mixer in one. I like this idea, so my next purchase will most likely be the 1220i.

We had a 5.1 Yamaha hs set in for a while. To be fair, it didn't come close to the main pair set up,
but I was surprised by the sound anyway.

[Capture pt]

There we go, there's the technical explanation

[Capture pt]

Here is a good article that was posted today

http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/ ... d-587053/1

that's probably exactly what you need to read.

[SunkLo]

Technically the interface doesn't even have to handle conversion. You can have an external preamp and ADC running into the digital input of your interface and just use it as a USB pipe. Having a bunch of separate modular units isn't something you encounter in lower budget setups. Most casual home recording interfaces will have everything in one box, conversion, preamps, headphone amp.

Don't be fooled into thinking all convertors are the same. There's analogue stages before the convertors that affect quality. There's also upsampling and filtering that goes on during conversion which affect the end result. The cheap 45 cent DAC on your laptop's motherboard will be inferior to a MOTU convertor for instance. Preamps will also affect the quality of your recorded audio. So it is important to get a decent interface even if you're not planning on recording anything.

You could go with a Scarlett with more inputs if you foresee having to record more than 2 instruments at once. Don't forget you can just swap cables if you're recording things one after another. I'd go for more ins if I had a lot of analogue gear that I wanted to sequence and record. Again though, you could scrape by recording 2 at a time.

An important thing to look at when shopping for interface is the words "Analogue inputs." A lot of products will advertise X amount of inputs when that's actually including digital ins. Also look at the number of preamps. Sometimes you'll find 8 analogue ins but only 2 of them have preamps, the other 6 are line level inputs on the back. You don't really need pres for everything. A mic or guitar will benefit from it but you can do without if you're recording something that outputs at line level (Although there's always the possibility of running it hot through a pre for character)