What's the point?

[karambos]

Hi,

I have a problem trying to understand what audio interfaces are for. As far as I understand, an audio interface (like something by MOTU or the PROTOOLS 888) sits inbetween the mics you are using to record with and your audio card. Or does it sit between the mics and the desk?

If you are recording a drumkit with, let's say, eight mics, then you could just plug the mics directly into the mixing desk, surely? What's the advantage of having an audio interface to plug your mics into?

THere must be a technical reason but I can't see what it is. Maybe it's just for the convenience of being able to cable any mic to any input on the desk. Is that right?

Please can someone explain why people pay so much for these things?

Thanks

[E]

Well... This is a big topic, but in a nutshell...you need A/D (Analog to Digital) converters which will capture the analog sound and convert it to digital 1s and 0s.

These converters can be located on the PCI card, or in the case of the higher end systems, will be located in a seperate box which is away from the computer. The box will do the A/D conversion and send the digital signal to either an attached PCI card, or via a Firewire port to a Firewire interface in the computer. (Firewire is newer, portable method that hooks interfaces up to computers and laptops).

This external box also has your I/O on it, 1/4" balanced ins, Mic pres, Midi etc. Some audio cards have a bunch of cables and adapters which connect to it which handles that issue.

So, in the interests of time, and without gettting too specfic...you could certainly plug your drum mics into the desk, get your levels etc. However you would need some way to transfer that signal into the digital computer land. Either your desk will be digital and have A/D converters in it, and passes it out via ADAT or Firewire... or your desk will be analog, and you will send balanced 1/4" outs to a breakout box...or you will get a breakout box and sound card combination that has these connectors on it already.

[GZsound]

Actually there is a short answer to your question. You ask about audio interfaces. You mention why not just plug the mics into the mixing desk. Fine..that mixing desk is an interface.

Depending on what you want to interface with, you need to get the proper interface equipment. Talking into my ear is the only audio I know that doesn't require some sort of interface.

Audio to digital, audio to analogue, audio to tape, audio to CD, audio to whatever..all require an interface. That's why we need 'em.

[Robert D]

Originally posted by karambos:
Hi,

I have a problem trying to understand what audio interfaces are for. As far as I understand, an audio interface (like something by MOTU or the PROTOOLS 888) sits inbetween the mics you are using to record with and your audio card. Or does it sit between the mics and the desk?
Thanks

Karambos - This is one of those terms that may have different definitions, depending on who you ask. An Audio Interface, in my book, is a device that enables the interfacing of either one or multiple audio signals into and out of a computer. So, a soundcard is an audio interface, a soundcard/breakout box combo is an audio interface, as are USB or Firewire audio interfaces. Also, a digital I/O card (S/PDIF, AES/EBU, ADAT, TDIF, etc) combined with a standalone A/D - D/A converter would be an audio interface.
Now, it sounds like you may be asking about Preamps. Some audio interfaces are equipped with built in preamps, and some aren't. If not, then you need to have one between the mic and the interface. You can use a standalone mic preamp for this, or you can use a mixer's preamps. Generally, standalone mic preamps are higher quality than the ones in mixers.
Hope that clears it up a little, RD

[karambos]

Thankyou RD it does! I understand now that an object like the MOTU 2496 or whatever is basically a "front-end" to a PCI card that sits in your computer. It's a bit like the way a computer keyboard is not fixed to your computer but is instead attached by a wire, so is a thing like the 888 essentially "attached by wires", if you will, to your computer.

So if I bouhgt a MOTU whatever I could indeed dump my Audiowerk 2.

yours

karambos