Choice of usb sound card. How to choose an external sound card for home recording

Almost any novice musician faced the problem of choosing a sound card. Long gone are the years when everyone had the same sound card - Sound Blaster! To date, the range of equipment is simply huge, but choosing the right version of a sound card from this variety is not an easy task.

A bit of history.

Previously, most computers did not have a separate sound card, and many did not even think about outputting sound from a PC. Others could buy the only model on the market in those early years - the same SB from Creative. And the map looked really like a map.

Years have passed, and now sound cards look like boxes of various sizes with a bunch of different "twist-swivels" that look almost the same to an inexperienced user.

Today we will learn how to understand this variety, select equipment in relation to your tasks, and buy what you really need.

Types of sound cards

Let's divide sound cards into conditional categories (so it will be easier for us to understand them), we will analyze for whom each group is intended and what main functionality it has. This will help us determine what equipment is needed to perform exactly the tasks that you set yourself.

1. Let's start with the simplest category of sound cards. These are devices designed to replace the ZK built into the motherboard in laptops and personal computers. They usually have a fairly small case, often with a non-removable USB cable. The main task of these devices is to output sound from the computer. Optionally, there is the ability to connect a microphone / guitar, headphones. The quality of these devices is far from professional, but they are superior to the notorious AC97.

Such devices will help if a sound card suddenly fails in a laptop, or if you need to output sound to an external device with quality and delays superior to the same RealTek.

Examples of such sound cards are Behringer's UCA series, ESI's U24XL and UGM96 series.

External sound card for computer BEHRINGER UCA222

2. The next category is larger in size and wider in functionality. These sound cards already have a microphone preamplifier (often with phantom power), a high-impedance guitar input, and a headphone jack. They can provide Direct Monitoring, etc. However, these are still portable devices that you can take with you, for example, to the park to play music outdoors. They do not need external power, and the functionality is more than enough for most electronic musicians, aspiring rappers and independent composers. Also, this group of devices will be of interest to Youtube bloggers, because most of them hardly need to connect more than one microphone. The quality of the converters of these devices is a step higher, and the presence of a microphone preamplifier with phantom power will allow you to achieve a more transparent sound of vocals, more intelligible speech recording.

In the photo - a Steinberg UR12 sound card for connecting one microphone

3. The third broad category consists of two-channel devices, which have 2 inputs and 2 outputs as standard. This group includes both budget and much more expensive sound cards. In fact, they differ slightly from the previous group. The presence of two full-fledged inputs (often on combined connectors) allows you to record simultaneously 2 microphones, or 2 guitars, or a synthesizer / piano in stereo. Some devices of this group have not 2, but 4 outputs, which allows you to connect 2 pairs of monitors in a small studio or send sound to an external effect processor. Also of interest are devices that have additional digital S / P-DIF connectors that can be used to connect external devices, excluding conversion to analog.

M-audio M-Track, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2/2i4, Behringer UMC202/UMC204, Steinberg UR22/UR242, ROLAND RUBIX22/RUBIX24 are popular and loved by many devices that are perfect for a small home studio or musicians who need to record 2 channels on input at the same time.

Pictured is a small home recording studio.

4. We have come to the most functional, most powerful ZK category. These are multi-channel interfaces, most often made in a rack or semi-rack case, with a bunch of different buttons, lights, knobs and from a distance similar to an airplane control panel.

This category includes both budget devices, for example, M-audio M-Track Quad, Tascam US 4*4/US 16*08/US 20*20, Focusrite Scarlett 18i8, PRESONUS STUDIO 18|10, as well as professional audio interfaces from companies RME, Universal Audio, Avid, Prism sound, allowing you to record about 12-30 channels at the same time. The cost of such equipment can reach hundreds of thousands of rubles, so these devices are mainly chosen by professional studios. Devices in this class are equipped with high-quality microphone preamps that provide a transparent and neutral sound. Such devices are characterized by low latency when working with audio. If you are professionally engaged in music, if you need to write a live drum kit, choir, ensemble - these devices are just for you.

Professional sound card TASCAM US 16 x 08

Additional functions.

After we have dealt with device groups, let's look at what additional functions they may have, the presence or absence of which will help you decide on the choice of interface:

Not all devices are equipped with phantom powered mic preamps, so if you intend to use a condenser mic, one is a must;

Not all devices are equipped with an instrument input, if you only write vocals, if you are a vlogger or a rap music performer, this may not matter to you. For guitarists, this input is vital;

Some devices may have not one, but two headphone outputs, which will be very useful when recording vocals.

For some musicians, devices with a built-in DSP can be very useful. This processor will allow you to apply some effects without connecting an external processor. The list of possible effects is usually limited to a couple of reverbs, a compressor and an equalizer, but this is enough.

Separately, I would like to note the Universal Audio Apollo devices, which have up to four DSP processors on board, with the ability to use various plug-ins. In the UA store you can buy high-quality reverbs, equalizers, compressors, tape emulators and other effects processors. They work on these cards with almost no delay, allowing you to enrich the sound of your work.

Apollo 8 Thunderbolt 2 Audio Interface

Finally.

Summarizing the above, when choosing an interface, it is necessary to determine the following parameters:

Number of inputs/outputs. Do you need to write yourself a loved one or a chorus?
- Their configuration. Writing a condenser microphone, a guitar, or both?
- The presence of separate controls for the main mix and headphones.
- Multiple headphone outputs.
- Availability of digital inputs/outputs, MIDI-interface, S/PDIF, ADAT.
- Ability to work without a power supply.
- The presence of a DSP-processor.
- Convenient drivers, additional software.

By answering these questions, you can easily choose a sound card that best suits your requirements, has all the necessary functionality at the moment and maybe even has some reserve for the future.

Internal and external sound cards

Sound cards are divided into internal and external. External cards are stand-alone devices that connect to your computer via USB or FireWire. The internal cards will connect to the motherboard expansion slots inside the computer. Internal cards with comparable quality are usually cheaper due to the lack of an external case. The disadvantage of internal cards is usually a high risk of poor-quality power supply to the computer and numerous pickups. External sound cards are often more convenient to control due to separate external controls and inputs / outputs that are at hand. In addition, the external card can work with both desktop computers and laptops.

Internal ESI sound card [email protected] and external ASUS Xonar Essence One

Professional and household

Between themselves, sound cards are divided into home and professional. Professional cards use the types of connectors typical of musical equipment, such as 6.3 mm jack and balanced XLR, while consumer cards use RCA or 3.5 mm jack connectors.

NuForce Icon uDAC-2 consumer sound card and professional E-MU 0404 USB

Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5

Product in stock

10 290 .-

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Klipsch Heritage Headphone Amplifier

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50 000 .-

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What features are worth paying attention to?

For external sound cards - external power or USB bus power is used. When using an external power supply, the sound card may work better, because. does not depend on the noisy power supply of the computer. In contrast, USB-powered cards are more mobile because they do not require an additional outlet and can work connected to a laptop on the go.

This is a special protocol for transferring data from programs to the sound card driver. ASIO allows you to transfer sound from a program to a sound card without distortion. The second possibility, demanded only by musicians, is to set the minimum delay level for sending a signal from the program to the sound card, which is important when playing/recording instruments live.

This is a free driver that adds ASIO support to any sound card. From the point of view of sound quality and accuracy of data transfer, the driver unfortunately does not provide bit-by-bit transmission and is necessary in cases where the sound card does not have its own ASIO support, and the program with which you are working can only output an audio stream in ASIO.

For Windows 7 and 8, there is an alternative way to transmit distortion-free sound through WASAPI, but fewer sound programs support it. WASAPI is an alternative to ASIO for accurate music reproduction.

Microphone support and phantom power

There are various types of microphones, but most modern microphones are dynamic and condenser/electret. The first type does not require a separate power supply and will work with both home and professional sound cards. The second type of microphone requires phantom power, which for consumer microphones is around 5 V, and for professional microphones from 12 to 48 V. For this reason, consumer condenser / electret microphones cannot be connected to professional cards (phantom power will be too high and the microphone may be damaged) , and a professional microphone connected to a household card will not work due to insufficient phantom power.

Many musicians and other people who in one way or another often work with sound on a computer or simply listen to music are dissatisfied with the standard sound on a computer. This is where a sound card comes in handy. Let's talk about how to choose a sound card what are its types.

When buying a computer or laptop, you will in any case have a standard sound card installed in the motherboard. Often it is enough for ordinary ordinary users who do not care about sound quality and who just need sound.

Interesting fact: About 15 years ago, standard sound cards were not inserted into the motherboard, and one had to be bought separately. Because there was simply nowhere to connect speakers (headphones).

Musicians and audiophiles will not be able to use the built-in sound system, so sooner or later they will have to buy an additional sound card. Any, even the most budgetary external sound card will make the sound much richer and brighter.

Of course, first of all, you must decide what you need a sound card for. And already proceeding from this - you can choose a specific device.

What you usually need a sound card for:

• You just need more connectors (inputs and outputs).
• Want high-quality sound in games.
• For listening to music.
• For sound recording and sound processing (for musicians).
• To watch movies.
• Etc.

Types of sound cards

To know, how to choose a sound card, it is necessary to understand that all of them are conditional can be divided into 2 categories:

1. Musical. Such devices are intended mainly for musicians, sound engineers - for people who have to work with recording and sound processing. Such sound cards are more expensive than other cards.
2. multimedia. These models are suitable for ordinary users: for watching movies, for playing games, for recording video, for normal listening to music. Such devices are more common and cheaper than musical ones.

In addition, sound cards are also divided into the following types:

It is worth noting that if you choose a sound card for a laptop (or tablet), then you should stop at an external device. You simply cannot connect an internal card anywhere.

Sound outputs

The more sound outputs, the more devices can be connected to the sound card. Of course, each user needs their own number of connectors. Therefore, first decide what you need a sound card for in order to figure out how many sound outputs you need.

Ideally, at least the following connectors should be present in the sound card:

1. Microphone input.
2. Headphone output.
3. S/PDIF connector. S / PDIF - you can connect various devices. It is believed that it is when connecting through this connector that you can get better sound quality.
4. line out.
5. MIDI inputs and outputs (if you plan to connect midi devices such as synthesizers.

What connector is needed for what:

Headphone and microphone preamps

Before, how to choose a sound card, please note that there are devices that are equipped with built-in preamps for headphones and a microphone, and there are also without preamps.

What is a preamplifier? The fact is that, for example, the microphone itself is weak, and in order to record it, a preamplifier is needed.

If the sound quality is really important to you (both when recording and listening), it is better to take a sound recorder without preamplifiers, and buy them separately, because the built-in preamplifiers are not of very good quality. But keep in mind that individual preamplifiers will take up extra space. It's up to you to decide what's most important to you.

Built-in ASIO driver

When choosing a sound card, be sure to check or ask the seller if the device has a built-in ASIO driver. What it is?

This is a special protocol that is needed to minimize the delay in sound when it is transmitted from a sound card to a computer.

For example, when you play the guitar (through a sound system into a computer), you first strike the strings, and hear the sound in the speakers after a while (even a fraction of a second - and you can already hear how the sound lags behind). Or when you play on the same thing can happen: first you press the key - and you hear the sound in the speakers after a while.

So, the ASIO driver minimizes this delay to such an extent that you will not hear it. That is, it will, of course, be, but it will be so minimal that the human ear will not hear it.

So if this is relevant for you - make sure you have such a driver when choosing a sound card. Otherwise, you will have to additionally install an ASIO driver already on the program in which you will work, which is not always convenient.

Compatibility with your software

There are such problems when you bought a sound card, connected it - but it does not want to work with your operating system, or with the program in which you work as a musician.

Therefore, take an interest in advance and make sure that the sound card will not conflict with your software. As a last resort, do not hesitate to ask the seller about it.

How to choose a sound card: price

Of course, it's hard to talk about prices for a particular model, since the price depends on many factors: the type of device, the manufacturer, the number of inputs/outputs, and the quality of the sound card.

We can only say that music sound cards are more expensive than multimedia ones, because the former are more demanding on sound quality.

The cheapest and most primitive sound card can literally cost you 100 rubles. For example, this one from China ():

Of course, don't expect a significant improvement in sound quality from this interface. Unless you get a couple of additional connectors, and that's it. Moreover, for such money, especially from China 🙂 But for those who want to indulge, this option may be suitable.

Medium quality sound card, normal, can cost an order of magnitude 10-15K ruble th.

Professional sound cards, especially for professional musicians and sound engineers, can be very expensive, up to 300K rubles, and even higher.

Conclusion

Here we have a little understanding of this issue - how to choose a sound card. We can conclude that before you buy this device, you need to clearly understand why you need it. Based on these goals, you should choose a sound card.

Pay enough attention to the choice of sound card, do not be lazy. Do not immediately run to the store and buy the first model that comes across. Also, do not forget to study the technical characteristics of the device you like.

Do you know what other criteria you need to pay attention to when choosing a sound card? Write in the comments!

Updated: 16.07.2018 17:21:43

*Overview of the best in the opinion of the editors of the site. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

A sound card in a computer converts a digital signal to an analog signal. The first is files. Collections of songs in MP3, FLAC and other formats; audio stream from streaming services; system sound notifications and everything else. The analog signal is necessary for the operation of the connected speakers and is simply a current with a certain frequency and amplitude.

Usually sound cards are already integrated into the motherboard. But such devices are definitely not suitable for audiophiles, home studio owners, or simply those who want to connect more than one speaker to their computer.

Rating of the best sound cards

The best budget sound cards

Why it's number one: Suitable for a 7.1 audio system and has a good DAC.

For whom: Owners of media systems, home studios.

Description: This sound card is a good solution for both playing and recording music. It is equipped with 24-bit DACs and ADCs that support 192 kHz decoding. In addition, thanks to the elaborate placement of elements on the board, the sound card has a signal-to-noise ratio of 112 dB.

The board has four output connectors, two channels each. Peripheral equipment can also be connected via the optical interface. There is also a microphone input, which is also two-channel. Additionally, the sound card supports the ASIO v. 2.0.

Advantages

DAC and ADC of the same level;

Differs in a transparent sound;

The equalizer is configured through the bundled software;

Flaws

Windows 10 will require an unofficial driver;

The amplifier will not cope with high-impedance headphones;

For adequate operation, additional external power is required;

Why second place: Lower SNR than the leader of the ranking.

Who it's for: Gamers and home studio owners, as it comes with two analog inputs.

Description: This sound card is designed for both playback and recording. For high-quality audio output, it is equipped with a 24-bit DAC with a maximum clock frequency when converting two-channel audio to 192 kHz. For recording, it is equipped with two analog (two-channel) inputs and a separate ADC. In addition, the device has a discrete headphone amplifier that can drive even 600-ohm speakers. The design of the board provides a signal-to-noise ratio of 106 dB.

Separately, it is worth mentioning that it supports sound virtualization technology in the EAX v.4 gameplay.

Advantages

The ability to fine-tune the sound;

Discrete headphone amplifier;

Sound virtualization in computer games;

Flaws

Minor delays in the ASIO interface;

No color differentiation of connectors;

Complicated driver setup;

Why the third place: Only two analog connectors for connecting peripheral equipment.

For whom: Owners of Hi-End speakers or headphones, people with a TV connected to a computer.

Description: This is one of the cheapest Hi-End sound cards. The 1796's proprietary 24-bit DAC is capable of running at 192kHz even with multi-stream playback. The design of the sound card provides a signal-to-noise ratio of 120 dB.

The sound card is equipped with a special chip to enhance digital audio over HDMI, but this requires communication with a compatible HDMI receiver. The sound card driver emulates EAX v.5 for surround sound in games.

Advantages

Low price with high quality;

Well distributes surround sound across channels;

Stable software;

Flaws

No discrete headphone amplifier;

On some configurations, the driver does not change the sampling automatically;

Doesn't improve HDMI digital signal well enough;

The best internal sound cards in terms of price-quality ratio

Why it's number one: Supports Windows 10, full 7.1 sound.

For whom: For users of audio systems with amplifiers or Hi-End headphones.

Description: This sound card is designed for beginner music lovers with medium or top-middle class equipment. Its design includes 24-bit DACs and ADCs, proprietary Muses amplifiers and Cirrus Logic chips for high-quality sound. Sampled on-board wiring delivers a signal-to-noise ratio of 124dB.

The design of the board includes four two-channel analog outputs with a 6.3 mm jack, one input and one coaxial port for digital equipment. Recommended for use with external MOLEX power supply.

Advantages

Discrete amplifier for high-impedance headphones;

Convenient driver and configuration software;

Discretized wiring without crosstalk;

Flaws

A 6.5 mm jack is used to connect equipment;

Feels warm;

Needs additional nutrition;

Why second place: The focus is not on hardware, but on proprietary technologies, and a lower signal-to-noise ratio than the leader in the rating.

For whom: Users of medium and budget equipment, owners of home studios.

Description: In this sound card, the main bet is made on proprietary sound technologies. So, SBX Pro Studio is responsible for surround audio effects; CrystalVoice improves voice capture, including when communicating in audio chats; Dolby and DTS create surround and "juicy" sound. To process the digital stream, a proprietary 24-bit Sound Core3D chip with a maximum stereo frequency of 192 kHz is used. The location of the elements on the board provides a signal-to-noise ratio of 116 dB.

The design of the card includes three analog outputs and one input, each with two channels. Supports surround sound technology in EAX v.5 games.

Advantages

There is a separate headphone amplifier that drives high-impedance models;

Complete software adjusts all sound parameters;

The scope of delivery includes a directional microphone with noise reduction;

Flaws

Bright, eye-catching backlight;

The driver does not communicate with the rest of the software on the computer;

Outdated Recoon3D chip;

Why the third place: The card is designed for sound recording, not playback.

Who it's for: Owners of home and semi-professional studios.

Description: This sound card is equipped with a powerful 24-bit 96 kHz ADC, which ensures the purity and detail of sound recording. A separate 24-bit DAC at 192 kHz is used for playback. Both chips provide 108 dB signal-to-noise ratio and a similar dynamic range thanks to on-board sampled wiring.

The input audio processing chip is equipped with support for phantom power, which allows you to connect studio-class microphones to it. In addition, there is a balanced input channel.

Advantages

Does a great job recording instruments;

Simple and clear control through the complete software;

Built-in instrument preamp

Flaws

Inadequate work of drivers with some operating systems;

No separate MIDI port;

No full XLR support;

Why fourth place: No headphone amplifier - but cheaper than other models in the ranking.

Who it's for: Audio-CD owners and home users.

Description: This card is suitable for turning your home computer into a multimedia center. The device is equipped with a 24-bit DAC with a maximum multi-channel clock frequency of 192 kHz. Dolby and DTS technologies are supported, creating surround sound in movies and music.

Special sampled wiring creates a signal-to-noise ratio of 118 dB. Dolby effects for headphones and virtual speakers are supported. And ALT technology creates a legal copy of DRM-protected materials for digitizing CDs.

Advantages

Clean, unenhanced sound;

Powerful built-in chips;

Suitable for connecting 7.1 stereo systems;

Flaws

Limited software compatibility with modern operating systems;

There is no automatic determination of the number of channels of the reproduced sound;

Not well suited for sound recording;

The best inexpensive external sound cards

Why it's number one: 7.1 support, Dolby, and a discrete headphone amp.

For whom: For gamers and those who want to create a home media center.

Description: This card is suitable for creating a home media center based on a multimedia or gaming computer. It is equipped with a 24-bit Cirrus Logic DAC with a maximum clock frequency of 192 kHz and supports 7.1 stereo connection. It also includes a discrete headphone amplifier. The sound card supports Dolby technology (in the edition of Home Theater v4) and has a signal-to-noise ratio of 114 dB.

Separately, the sound card is equipped with a sensitivity level control for the connected microphone. There is also a special disk for adjusting the playback volume.

Advantages

Convenient design with controls;

Support for Dolby technologies;

Open, transparent sound;

Flaws

Not very durable

Does not work well with alternative operating systems;

Why second place: Outputs are unbalanced line and headphone only. But this is a map and not to be played.

Who it's for: Musicians and home studio owners.

Description: Unlike the previous model in the rating, this sound card is designed exclusively for recording music. Of course, you can connect a stereo system to it via a line-out, and headphones via a 3.5 mm jack, but using it for playback will be a waste of money.

The sound card is designed for recording. To do this, it is equipped with a balanced microphone input with support for phantom power up to +48 V and a preamplifier. There is also an unbalanced HI-Z input for connecting an electric guitar.

The chip is 24-bit with a maximum clock speed of 192 kHz.

Advantages

Ideal for recording instruments;

Good sound;

Russified Cubase AI included;

Flaws

The phantom power switch is inconveniently located;

Noisy at high gain;

Few indicators;

For whom: For those who want to create a home media center and owners of vinyl players.

Description: This sound card is designed specifically for quick and easy deployment of a home media center. It, like other models from Creative Sound, supports SBX Pro Studio spatial reproduction technology, which provides realistic and high-quality sound. In addition, this sound card is equipped with a headphone amplifier, thanks to which high-impedance models can be connected to it; and a phono stage for connection with a vinyl player.

The built-in 24-bit DACs/ADCs feature a maximum clock rate of 96 kHz, and the sound card design itself provides a signal-to-noise ratio of 114 dB.

Advantages

Convenient design;

Supports optical connection (input and output);

Simple connection;

Flaws

Unsuccessful software with a poorly designed equalizer;

No Hi-Res audio support;

Overprice;

The Best Premium External Sound Cards

Why it's number one: A studio-grade or even live-grade sound card.

For whom: For owners of semi-professional, professional studios, concert venues.

Description: This audio interface can connect up to 36 channels simultaneously - 18 input and output. All of them support ASIO Direct Monitoring mode. Input channels can be recorded individually.

The installed 24-bit DACs/ADCs run at 192kHz (Hi-Res audio) and feature a dynamic range of 114dBA. The delay is fractions of milliseconds, which allows you to work in real time.

Why second place: A compact and functional audio receiver, but with a lower DAC frequency than the leader in the rating.

For whom: For those who want to create a full-fledged media center at home.

Description: This is not exactly a sound card. It is rather a full-fledged audio receiver that can receive a signal not only from a computer, but also from mobile devices. A 24-bit DAC is responsible for converting the stream with a conversion frequency in stereo mode of 192 kHz (with multi-channel audio it drops) and a signal-to-noise ratio of 127 dB.

The audio receiver is equipped with two built-in 35-watt amplifiers and support for Dolby Digital technology. The unit has two independent microphone preamps, making it suitable for high-impedance models.

USB is used for communication with a computer and power supply. The input signal can be received both via analog and optical digital interfaces.

Advantages

Built-in amplifiers for speakers and headphones;

Hi-Fi level components;

Work in audio receiver mode;

Flaws

Unstable operation of Windows drivers;

High frequencies are not clear enough;

No full 7.1 and no DTS;

Why third place: Minimum connectors, but ultra-compact.

For whom: For home use.

Description: This is one of the smallest audio interfaces in the ranking. Unfortunately, due to its compact size, it has a small number of connectors. The input interface is USB only. But this sound card is equipped with a proprietary Hi-Res chip - 32-bit, with a maximum clock frequency of 352.8 kHz! The dynamic range is 115 dB.

It is also equipped with two output connectors. The first is for headphones, with a separate amplifier. The second is linear, to which you can connect another pair of headphones.

In addition, the audio interface supports ASIO, DSD (including playback without conversion) and Core Audio technologies.

Advantages

Works in DAW;

Ultra-compact dimensions;

Natural, natural sound;

Flaws

Relatively high price;

Weak amplifier for high-impedance studio-grade headphones;

Few connectors;

The home computer has long turned from a workstation into a full-fledged multimedia device. In addition to surfing the Internet and communicating in the social. networks, a modern PC allows its owner to watch videos, listen to music, process audio files, play, etc. To output an audio signal to speakers or headphones, you need a sound card (SC). Next, consider the existing varieties, purpose and design features of these devices.

How to choose a sound card

The main task of a sound card is to convert a digital signal into an analog one, output it to headphones, speakers, etc. Today, all modern motherboards are equipped with an integrated sound card that can provide quite tolerable sound quality. The disadvantages of this solution are:

• decrease in computer performance due to the consumption of CPU resources;
• lack of a high-quality signal converter, which is processed using a hardware codec.

These are the main factors forcing users to abandon integrated solutions and purchase discrete models for their computers. In order to choose the right device, you need to familiarize yourself with the types of sound cards, their purpose, technical characteristics, scope.

Types of sound cards

Today, all sound cards are usually classified according to the following criteria:

1. Location type. There are integrated, internal, external.
2. Connection method. Integrated cards - not removable, soldered directly to the motherboard. Internal models connect to the motherboard via PCI or PCI-Express connectors. External, connect to PC via USB port or high-speed interface

Tip: When choosing an inexpensive external model, the best connection option is to use a high-speed USB 3.0 port. If your PC does not have one, then you can purchase an expansion card that connects to the PCI slot.

1. Specifications. The most significant positions in the technical characteristics of the sound module are the signal-to-noise ratio, the harmonic coefficient. For good cards, the first indicator is in the range of 90 - 100 dB; the second is less than 0.00 1%.

Important! Pay attention to the bit depth of the digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converter. The norm is 24 bits. The higher this indicator, the better the quality (QC).

1. Appointment. Sound modules can be divided into multimedia, gaming, professional.

External Sound Card

External audio cards are a small device that connects to a laptop or PC via a high-speed FireWire interface. This design solved two main problems: it increased the noise immunity of the card, which had a positive effect on the sound quality, freed up the PCI slot, the number of which is limited in a PC.

Today, there are two FireWire standards: IEEE 1394, which has a bandwidth of 400 Mbps; IEEE 1394b which supports data rates up to 800 Mbps. IEEE 1394 audio cards support up to 52 channels by daisy-chaining devices onto a single bus. External sound cards with FireWire interface are semi-professional and professional equipment.

Important! To connect an external audio card to a laptop, you will need a PCMCI - FireWire adapter.

sound card with usb

These devices appeared on the domestic market about 6 years ago. The device is connected to a PC via the USB port. These models are equipped with a speaker or headphone output and inputs for one or more microphones.

The main advantages of this technology:

• Versatility. All modern computers are equipped with this interface.
• Improving the quality of playback, sound recording, compared with integrated models.
• Mobility, ease of connection, map settings. As a rule, most budget models do not require the installation of additional drivers. For more expensive models, drivers are supplied with the device.

The disadvantage of these audio converters is the relatively low data transfer rate. For the USB 2.0 interface, the data transfer rate does not exceed 480 Mbps.

Studio sound cards

The recording studio has its own specifics. Studio audio converters are equipped with a variety of input and output connectors for connecting instruments, microphones and other studio equipment. Input connectors:

• XLR - connector for connecting a condenser microphone.
• Jasc3. Non-balance jack for connecting instruments such as guitars and other acoustic instruments with pickups.
• Jasc3. Balanced connector for connecting keyboards, etc.
• S/PDIF - designed to record a digital stereo signal.

Weekend:

• Jasc3. Ballast. For signal transmission to other devices.
• Jasc 5/6.3 For connecting headphones.
• S/PDIF - designed to transmit a digital stereo signal.

For audio converters to work, manufacturers usually supply drivers. Most modern models don't even have these: studio sound cards use the ASIO protocol which allows the device with the connected instrument to communicate directly.

Sound cards for microphones and guitars

To record sound from a microphone or guitar pickup, almost any external audio card with the required number of input connectors will do. The only thing you need to know when choosing is the quality of the device, which, as a rule, is expressed in its cost. The main problem with picking up sound from a microphone or acoustic guitar pickup is sound distortion. Choose a premium audio converter that will keep your voice and instrument sounding in its original state.

Professional sound cards

A feature of professional audio converters is the lack of drivers in the delivery. In addition, as standard, this type of device does not have tools for adjusting the sound level. All operations are performed programmatically; All information is displayed on a special control panel. Sound quality is ensured by built-in expensive transducers. Lack of interference and distortion - high-quality power filters.

Professional audio cards use ballast inputs and signal outputs. Output connectors adapted for connecting musical instruments: RCA; Jasc6.3; XLR connectors. A feature of professional cards is the ability to support almost all standards, and even such rarely used ones as GSIF and ASIO2.

Features of lexicon sound cards

Lexicon audio converters are external devices that are a full-fledged recording studio.

• Built-in USB mixer.
• Specially designed software with reverb plugin.

Equipment: TRS line inputs and TRS and RCA line outputs. Depending on the model, Lexicon sound cards allow you to process multiple input signals simultaneously and record two independent tracks. PC connection via USB interface.

As a conclusion

As noted above, an external sound card can have a USB or FireWire interface. All of them have both positive and negative sides. The correct choice of interface depends solely on the task at hand.

FireWire is the choice if you are a musician and need real-time audio processing. A card with a high-speed interface will be required for those who record sound from 18 or more channels simultaneously. For all other cases, experts recommend using USB audio cards, which are easy to use and do not require additional investments to upgrade your PC.