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Do I Need An Expensive Audio Interface?

One of the myths that exist in music production is the “expensive gear myth”.

People always associate expensive gear to quality work but that is far from the truth.

What matters more is the person behind the equipment, but in certain

situations expensive gear is much better suited than average priced gear.

So do you need an expensive audio interface?

Expensive audio interfaces will certainly offer additional features like multiple inputs and outputs, direct monitoring etc. However, they’re designed to perform the same core function as any other lower priced interface. You only need an expensive interface if your work requires the extra features that may not be found on cheaper audio interfaces.

To understand the base of this article and its resolution we will go about describing an audio interface to understand what it exactly does.

What is an Audio Interface?

An audio interface is a device that converts analog signals to digital signals and digital signals to analog signals.

It is responsible for acting as an external sound-card with more precise

converters that are able to produce more clear and accurate representations of audio.

Does a good audio interface make a difference?

A good audio interface will greatly make a notable difference in that it will give you better sound quality with a clear representation of the music;

this gives you the opportunity to catch the subtle mistakes in your mixes.

This will be very useful in producing high quality music that is free of errors.

The misconception that audio interfaces don’t do anything is wrong because you’ll notice the difference in the quality of the audio if you pay attention.

P.S. read more about whether an audio interface is necessary for a basic studio.

Is it worth upgrading an audio interface?

It is definitely worth upgrading an audio interface.

This cannot be emphasized enough especially if you’re using a particularly

older model or an entry-level cheap interface.

In the long run a high quality audio interface will serve you better than an

average quality one because it will help you mix your records better, it will

help you capture vocals clearly and it will help you come up with a good mix that can

be mastered to be able to sound great on any audio playback device.

If you’re thinking of upgrading then you should go ahead and do it.

Are expensive audio interfaces worth it?

Yes they are.

With audio interfaces, the pricier the interface the better the converters,

which means you would be paying for quality which is what any audio

interface you wish to purchase should give you.

That is why it is very important to have a look at the specifications of any equipment you wish to purchase,

that will help you figure out whether you need something really expensive or are willing to settle for something average.

It all comes down to what you intend to use the interface for because ultimately it matters more than the price of the interface,

therefore take precaution and figure out the use then go ahead and find an interface that can complement that use.

Do audio interfaces reduce noise?

Audio interfaces primarily improve the sonic capabilities of your audio which

means that the tiny details of any audio will be prominent and in better

representation,

therefore static and other audio artifacts will also be made prominent.

Any background noise that is captured will be brought to the forefront

because that is the job of the interface.

Therefore you have to ensure that you eliminate noise as much as possible in

the environment you wish to record in.

Good soundproofing will help you out in this situation.

Also be sure to take care of all the electric components and make sure you’re

not getting any feedback because of bad electrical connections and the like.

This will give you room to record signals with lesser interference.

Does it matter what audio interface I use?

It definitely matters what audio interface you use, and this goes back to what I mentioned earlier about specifications.

Figure out what you wish to accomplish and what you wish to use the interface for,

then go out and shop for one that can embody your desired expectations.

Picking out a random audio interface will not help you at all,

in some instances it may work but you’re better off doing self-analysis and

figuring out what it is you really want.

Audio interfaces differ, one that would work perfectly in a podcasting environment may not work that great in a recording studio environment.

Do your homework.

Will an audio interface make my music sound better?

An audio interface will definitely improve the representational quality of the music;

therefore a song that has been mixed and mastered properly will sound even better with an audio interface.

A bad song will sound bad.

Therefore what matters is the quality of the work that is put into making the

actual music that will determine what the output will sound like.

An audio interface will only improve the sonic qualities of your computer,

which means that it will make a great song sound greater, and a bad song will sound bad if not worse.

It is smart to rely on you own technical production skills and let the interface do the best it can. 

Do different audio interfaces sound different?

Yes different audio interfaces do sound different that is why their applications actually differ.

It all comes down to the quality of the converters present in the interface, and converters will differ from interface to interface.

Carry out research and read some reviews and product specifications but also understand what to look for when buying an audio interface.

This is not a “one fits all” situation.

Do I Need An Expensive Audio Interface?

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