In simplest terms, an audio interface connects your microphones and other sound sources to your computer - it bridges the gap from analog to digital. Audio interfaces are commonly equipped with mic preamps, line inputs, and a variety of other input options. For a more in-depth look at audio interfaces, check out our Audio Interfaces Buying Guide.
There are three current protocols used for connecting digital audio interfaces to your computer: PCI, FireWire, and USB. Each has its advantages.
MOTU 2408mk3 |
 |
| Mark of the Unicorn's 2408mk3 features an expandable PCI card that installs into your Mac or PC, and a rack-mount I/O unit that houses eight channels of analog I/O and 24 channels of ADAT or TASCAM digital I/O. |
PCI Audio Interfaces
PCI is an expansion card format. The interface consists, either entirely or in part, of an expansion card that mounts into a slot inside your computer. In many cases, a card goes in your computer, then an external "breakout" box connects to the card, providing digital and analog inputs and outputs.
You need to have enough empty slots in your computer to hold however many cards you want to run. The inside of a computer is a hostile environment noise-wise, though this is really not much of an issue with modern "pro" cards. The big thing is that a lot of people just don't feel comfortable opening up their computer and fooling around inside getting a card installed. On the plus side, the PCI format tends to be fast, supporting a lot of I/O capability. And you can often expand by adding more cards, or by connecting more breakout boxes. It's also very convenient to have your interfaces right inside the computer. Pick up the machine and move it, and the audio connections go right with it.
Shop for PCI Audio Interfaces >>
Avid Mbox |
 |
| The Mbox from Avid is a USB audio interface with two mic preamps and MIDI I/O. |
USB Audio Interfaces
Universal Serial Bus is a format for connecting a wide range of external peripherals to your computer...printers, modems, CD drives, hard drives, scanners, on and on. So it's no surprise that manufacturers have also created a huge variety of USB audio interfaces. There are some real advantages: It's easy. Just connect a cable between the interface and the computer, and you're golden. In fact, some interfaces can even draw the power they need to operate from the USB bus, so you don't need a wall-wart or power cable. USB interfaces tend to be inexpensive. However, if you work at high resolutions, if you need a lot of inputs and outputs, or if you need to send a lot of audio channels back and forth between the computer and interface, USB may not be the format for you. Most USB interfaces are limited to a small number of hardware ins and outs, and streaming a limited number of channels to/from the computer. But for many applications, a USB interface is just fine...and it's tough to find a more cost-effective solution for getting sound into and out of your computer.
Shop for USB Audio Interfaces >>
PreSonus FireStudio Project |
 |
| The PreSonus FireStudio Project features eight high-quality mic preamps, 24-bit/96kHz support, and Studio One DAW software. |
FireWire Audio Interfaces
Developed by Apple, FireWire (a.k.a. IEEE 1394) has come on strong as a leading protocol for connecting audio interfaces to computers. The advantages of FireWire audio interfaces: Easy plug and play operation. Enough capacity to carry tons of audio tracks at any sample rate of resolution. Easy expansion - just plug in another interface and you have more inputs and outputs. You don't have to open up your computer to install interface(s). There aren't many negatives...in fact, I'm having trouble coming up with anything serious.
Shop for FireWire Audio Interfaces >>
PCM-CIA Laptop Interfaces
If you're running a laptop, you have one other option besides USB and FireWire: PCM-CIA or CardBus format interfaces. There aren't a lot of these out there, but a selection is available. If you're building a portable rig, a PCM-CIA format interface on a laptop may be perfect for you.
Shop for PCM-CIA Audio Interfaces >>
|
