Beagle Sound Recording Help Soundcards Text 1

NOTE: Audio Card = Sound Card = Audio Interface = Sound Interface

All equipment advice really depends on a lot of things. Let's look at some of the questions you need to
consider when thinking about buying a sound card:

• Budget
   Most "prosumer sound cards" start at $100US
   More expensive is not necessarily always better but sometimes they are!

• I/O
   How many inputs do you plan to record simultaneously
   Will that number change in your future?
   What type of inputs do you need?

   Do you need analog only?
   Do you need line input?
   Do you need Mic inputs?
   Do you need phantom power?
   Digital (i.e. SPDIF)?
   MIDI?

• Interface
   PCI, PCIe, Cardbus (PCMCIA), Expresscard, Firewire, USB?
   Which one is best?
   Are there some that I cannot use?
   Are there some that I shouldn't use?
   Internal or External?

• Latency
   Which soundcards have the lowest latency?
   Do I care?
   Am I monitoring with real time effects or softsynths?
   Am I monitoring from the soundcard or from an external mixer?
   Am I monitoring from the external soundcard?

Whew! That's a lot to figure out! Well, if you've read this far, then you're better than the average teenager who wants it NOW!

Let's take it a little at a time

Budget:
I can't help you with this one much except be prepared to spend between $100 and $500 for your first "recording" soundcard. Anything less than $100 is not likely going to be a good soundcard to buy.
Anything over $500 is likely more than you need unless you're not really a beginner.

I/O:
How many inputs do you plan to record simultaneously?
This is a pretty straight forward question. Do you plan to record yourself playing guitar, voice, keyboard, acoustic drums, something else? Do you plan to record your band? How many and what type of instruments are in your band? How many vocalists do you have? All of these questions have to be answered before you can figure this out.
Will this number change in the future?

Basically do you think it's possible your needs will need to expand in the future? Will you want to buy new equipment when you expand or do you want to plan for it?