# Does audio interface really matter if you don't record



## brianmusic (Nov 13, 2013)

Hi Folks,

I have a question in my mind for a while but haven't really figured it out. 

Do you think the audio interface really matters if one only uses it for producing music on Logic/Pro Tools with libraries and samples?

I mean, if recording is not a consideration but only producing music through midi attached samples, can the audio interface still influence the sound quality much? 

Let's say a comparison between Apogee Duet 2 and Mbox 3 Pro?

Any suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!


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## Nathanael Iversen (Nov 13, 2013)

I doubt you'll have any meaningful difference between the two. If you play out live with a lot of software instruments, the latency of drivers is a very big deal. not in the sense of latent playing, but in how many things you can layer and patch complexity. RME interfaces have the best drivers for that sort of thing. There is a DAW benchmark site, just Google it, they list the latency of all major interfaces.


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## jaeroe (Nov 13, 2013)

the D to A converters will affect how you're hearing the sound when you monitor, so possibly in judging your mixes, but it won't affect the audio when running off a mix, etc (assuming you're leaving everything in the DAW for mix down). a good driver for an audio interface, as well as the connection, can enable you to use lower buffer settings, though. this can be very helpful when playing midi tracks in.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Nov 13, 2013)

Sometimes you only hear the difference between A/D converters over time. While it can be obvious right away, it's for that reason that for me the answer to your question is yes. If you're working with something for hours on end, you want it to sound good.

I say that without having listened to those two interfaces but with having lived with a bunch of different ones for several weeks.


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## KingIdiot (Nov 13, 2013)

Digital to Audio converters make a difference. Depends on manufacturer, but I can tell the differences between all my interfaces, especially in the low end, monitoring the same output.


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## terra101 (Nov 17, 2013)

Yes. As has been said already, it makes a difference in what you hear when mixing and therefore the choices you make.

What makes an even bigger difference is the room in which you are listening. If the listening position is relatively free of wild frequency swings, you'll be able to deliver a mix that translates well.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Nov 17, 2013)

I meant D/A converters, of course.

And what I wrote wasn't quite clear. You can hear the differences interfaces if you A/B them right away, but it can be subtle; But what's subtle on casual listening becomes much less so when you live with equipment every day.

By the way I don't think the differences between two decent D/C converters are enough to throw off mixing decisions.


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## KingIdiot (Nov 17, 2013)

Nick Batzdorf @ Sun Nov 17 said:


> I meant D/A converters, of course.
> 
> And what I wrote wasn't quite clear. You can hear the differences interfaces if you A/B them right away, but it can be subtle; But what's subtle on casual listening becomes much less so when you live with equipment every day.
> 
> By the way I don't think the differences between two decent D/C converters are enough to throw off mixing decisions.



I'm with you man. IT jsut depends on what someone thinks as "decent" 

I remember when I first switched ages ago from my Egosys Wami Rack to something else. People considered the Wami decent, but I did some tests and even my POD sounded better in the lows. I'm good with my focusrite now


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## gsilbers (Nov 17, 2013)

+1 on yes. 

also, i didnt realized that you do also hear a notable difference when you have a dedicated heaphone amp instead of the onboard one. 

another random thing kinda related, 
the more you record the more "personal" and character it will be bring to yourproductions. it add that air or feel or whatever that make it your own. so getting good recording equipment, even if you dont use it much is important imo. 
maybe dont get those big mult channel rigs but good 2 channel converter with a good pre and mic is good.


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## JPQ (Nov 18, 2013)

I can only compare Emu 0404 PCI vs roland Octacapture. using memory i think later one sounds warmer and first one have little more maybe punch in bass.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Nov 18, 2013)

It would be very unusual for one interface to have more punch in the bass. The freq response isn't generally the difference; what you usually hear is that the better an interface is, the less brittle it sounds.

Similar subjective words: less constrained, more open. What you hear is almost all in the space.

It's on the subtle side.


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## KurtisDig (May 12, 2022)

Almost a decade later I find myself wondering the same question. If I only work within my DAW, don't record anything, and only work with headphones (DT770Pro 80 Ohm), will an interface make a difference quality wise and therefore give better mixing results, compared to on-board sound of the PC?


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## RogiervG (May 12, 2022)

yes and no..
i have for instance worked with on-board chipsets in the past (years ago), listening the mixes back on my dedicated audio interfaces now, it sounds perfectly fine (in my ears). either i have learned back then to compensate, or it's not that much of a difference when rendered out of the daw on a wav file e.g. For direct playback (vsti/sample) inside the daw, it does matter however.
However, i would never only mix on headphones, since that sound is very direct on the ears, it has barely time to evolve in the air before hitting your ears. With speakers it does have time to evolve, albeit a litttle depending on the distance to your ears. With this evolvement comes more information how others will hear it.


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## KurtisDig (May 12, 2022)

Thanks for the feedback. If it does matter with direct playback, I should think about setting something up then


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