# What's the benefit of using a sound card?



## Cdnalsi (Aug 16, 2017)

Maybe a noob question, but for my setup, what would be the benefit of using an external sound card?

I have my MBP that has my Nord Piano connected through USB, and I use Logic to MIDI track my projects with VIs.

Would there be any benefit to add a card like a Scarlett Solo or Duet to my setup? If so, what would that be?

Thanks in advance, appreciate all the input you guys could give me!


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## TheNorseman (Aug 17, 2017)

Unless you're recording audio it would not add anything. You would just need monitor control. I record guitars, so I have to plug straight into an external soundcard. Other than that, I just use midi.


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## synthpunk (Aug 17, 2017)

The output section on a quality audio interface is going to be much better than an average sound card.

Also take a look the Audient ID4.
https://audient.com/products-2/audio-interfaces/id4/overview/


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## MichaelM (Aug 17, 2017)

In addition to the above, at least for me its better low-level Asio driver support with almost no latency. Takes the stress of the main CPU. 
If using just my onboard soundcard, if I try to load say 15 instances of Kontakt, start recording some midi that gets a bit intensive, my system/audio will crap out and I'll have to restart my DAW. That is using the universal Asio4all driver. 
If however I turn that over to my external Steinberg USB audio device, usually for me the sky is the limit.


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## Cdnalsi (Aug 17, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> The output section on a quality audio interface is going to be much better than an average sound card.
> 
> Also take a look the Audient ID4.
> https://audient.com/products-2/audio-interfaces/id4/overview/



So there's a noticeable difference in audio quality between this and my Macbook Pro's output? Note I don't need any inputs, I don't record anything, I just track MIDI.



MichaelM said:


> In addition to the above, at least for me its better low-level Asio driver support with almost no latency. Takes the stress of the main CPU.
> If using just my onboard soundcard, if I try to load say 15 instances of Kontakt, start recording some midi that gets a bit intensive, my system/audio will crap out and I'll have to restart my DAW. That is using the universal Asio4all driver.
> If however I turn that over to my external Steinberg USB audio device, usually for me the sky is the limit.



I don't think Asio4All exists on Mac, and Logic gives me a 2.3ms latency with 512 buffer size... Is there an external soundcard that actually takes the stress of CPU when using MIDI VIs?

---

Thanks everyone for your replies!


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## TheNorseman (Aug 17, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> The output section on a quality audio interface is going to be much better than an average sound card.
> 
> Also take a look the Audient ID4.
> https://audient.com/products-2/audio-interfaces/id4/overview/



Would my Focusrite Saffire sound better than just using a standard monitor control?
That Audient might actually be handy for him to own just in case he ever wants to line in and record something. You never know.


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## TheNorseman (Aug 17, 2017)

You need one of these for your tracks to sound good.


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## synthpunk (Aug 17, 2017)

I would think at some point there will be a need for Mic pre or line in for somthing and the Audient ones are quite well respected actually.

Yes in my opinion the Audient output is going to be better quality than the direct output of the MacBook Pro and on top of it you also have quality headphone output.

This post sums up the advantage of the Audient box..
http://vi-control.net/community/thr...o-interface-as-well.60225/page-2#post-4060580





TheNorseman said:


> Would my Focusrite Saffire sound better than just using a standard monitor control?
> That Audient might actually be handy for him to own just in case he ever wants to line in and record something. You never know.


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## Cdnalsi (Aug 17, 2017)

TheNorseman said:


> You need one of these for your tracks to sound good.



Yeah I wish I could just throw something like that in my backpack and be 100% mobile with it


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## synthpunk (Aug 18, 2017)

Oooh they make it...
https://www.softube.com/console1.php



Cdnalsi said:


> Yeah I wish I could just throw something like that in my backpack and be 100% mobile with it


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## passsacaglia (Aug 19, 2017)

Can add some new fresh experience, I just upped my game from an old but very good Mackie AI. Preamps were good, could be a little noise gainy at the highest db's, sound was fat punchy and tight! Absolutely loved it but still not 100% revealing.

Bought the Audient id14 from a user here, believe me, night and day.
Almost like having 2 planks removed or a filter on each monitor (Alpha 50's) removed and all the sound that had been stuck in there totally came out.
I felt that I was in the room, at the concert and it was absolutely stereo and surround. The bass was more light and airy but still punchy. My 2 monitors became 2 thunderstorms.
They were really really good before, tight and punchy, but now even more sounds comes through and all the sounds on the mid and highs are so much more revealing (vocals, synths and hihats etc). Love it.

The id14 and also id22 might be overkill for someone, so I'd go for id4 if I was u. I was used to the warm and punchy, now they're more light and airy but still punchy. My Alphas' sound has absolutely stepped up in sound quality and sounds more like they should. But all the air and boom now they sound almost like a Yamaha HS8 or Focal Alpha 80's in comparison to the old sound I was used to. Haha!

Go Audient and id4 (or 14 if u need) and you'll never look back. Good sound doesn't always have to cost much. Only by replacing your audio interface your sound can improve by 80% at least. I'm very happy I did the change, and totally wished I'd done it sooner!
Thank u @synthpunk btw for all the inspiration and knowledge, cred to u!
TS, buy the id4 and try it out!?!


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## Guffy (Aug 19, 2017)

I bought one of those cheap usb-stick audio interface some years ago. The difference between that and the built-in soundcard in the laptop i was using at the time was night and day. You could easily hear the difference in audio quality across the board.


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## TheNorseman (Aug 19, 2017)

passsacaglia said:


> Can add some new fresh experience, I just upped my game from an old but very good Mackie AI. Preamps were good, could be a little noise gainy at the highest db's, sound was fat punchy and tight! Absolutely loved it but still not 100% revealing.
> 
> Bought the Audient id14 from a user here, believe me, night and day.
> Almost like having 2 planks removed or a filter on each monitor (Alpha 50's) removed and all the sound that had been stuck in there totally came out.
> ...



Dude, you sound like an Audient salesman lol

I guess my main question is this.... I always assumed that the real value of my interface was the preamp. But now I'm learning for the first time that it improves the sound of my monitors (or in my case, headphones)?


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## passsacaglia (Aug 19, 2017)

TheNorseman said:


> Dude, you sound like an Audient salesman lol
> 
> I guess my main question is this.... I always assumed that the real value of my interface was the preamp. But now I'm learning for the first time that it improves the sound of my monitors (or in my case, headphones)?


Haha. I always sound like a salesman, no but I am that person when I find something that's top and I really like it, I really need to tell everybody. Is it a new track, a new hair wax, a new workout routine I tried, a new type of pasta , you name it 

There are so many good sound cards out there which makes music sound good. Just like this replacement, I really liked my step up in sound quality and monitor quality. If you do music, listen to music and want good sound, the price of an Audient id4 which is the beginner one would be My first purchase (and perhaps the one and only) for a long run, only because you know that you get much more than you pay for, to me the price is ridiculously cheap compared to if you'd buy let's say a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for example.


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## JeffvR (Aug 20, 2017)

TheNorseman said:


> Dude, you sound like an Audient salesman lol
> 
> I guess my main question is this.... I always assumed that the real value of my interface was the preamp. But now I'm learning for the first time that it improves the sound of my monitors (or in my case, headphones)?



Well... I'm not sure if your headphone output will improve, but your main jack outputs probably will. Also a €1000 interface will likely sound better than a €200 one. + the better the monitors, the better you'll hear the difference.


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