Audio engineering, like all other career paths/hobbies has tools that are necessary to achieve a certain outcome. A lot of the time, those tools can be boring and just hum quietly in the background doing their job. The same applies to audio except, when you're hip to the lingo and what the industry is doing, a lot of the tools that come out are downright awesome and fun to play with too. There are many many options out there that can confuse and overwhelm the casual or new audio person- this is who that article series is aimed at. We at Outbox Sound want to provide you with some tips on how to navigate these murky waters and come away with tools that are necessary, as well as identifying the "fun" pieces that may not be vital to operation but make things a whole lot more fun. First up? Audio Interfaces
If the computer is the brain, the interface is definitely the nervous system. These devices are the link between analog (electricity) and digital (1's and 0's). Understanding the two are vital but that is an in depth article for another day! For now, recognize that anything going into or coming out of a computer will be digital while any piece of outboard gear (compressor, microphone, etc) will Usually be analog. Why is an audio interface important then? Because an audio interface is a combination of things: Analog to Digital (A/D) and Digital to Analog (D/A) conversion, Microphone preamps, and various types of input and output connections. Effectively, you can get a single audio interface which can handle anywhere from 2-64 simultaneous connections (Or more if you're using Dante or daisy chaining- again, another topic)! Suffice it to say, getting your interface RIGHT is very important.
Tips For Choosing An Interface
- Consider your current situation.
One thing you'll see if you deep dive into forums is opinions- wildly varying opinions. This can be confusing. Identify exactly what you intend to do in your current space but also take the time to consider where you'll be in a few years. It really sucks to not think ahead and buy something that you realize won't enhance your workflow long term! Consider I/O. How many mic preamps do you need? How important is conversion to you? Do you need multiple analog I/O to connect outboard gear? How do you connect it to the computer- USB, Firewire, Thunderbolt? How's the software that comes with the interface to run it? These are some of the questions to consider!
- Narrow down research to a few devices and then demo them IN your studio!
Gearslutz is fun. It's cool to see people talking about the craft you love and providing resources and tips. But none of it matters if you buy a piece of gear and hate what it does or how it sounds in your studio. Don't be that guy!
Here are some interfaces we like and recommend
1) Universal Audio Apollo Twin. $899. Check it out!
2) Focusrite Scarlett 18i20. $499. Check it out!
3) Audient iD14. $299. Check it out!
4) Universal Audio Apollo. $2499. There are other versions of this as well. Check it out!
5) Big step up! We use this at Outbox Sound. Antelope Orion 32+. $2995. Check it out!
Wrap-Up
As you can see, audio interfaces vary in size, shape, capability, and also price! We put a few examples of quality pieces that can satisfy the majority of target demographics out there. The idea here is, ALWAYS look at what you intend to do and how you intend to do it when making a decision. Don't just look at the price tag and go for the cheapest option as it's likely you'll end up scrapping it soon after as you grow! Consider the future....until next time!