About Audio Card/interface and Monitors.

Z

zion1alpha

New Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Hello to everyone! Im new to the forum.

Im a dnb producer and im going deep and deep everyday inside the world of music production.
But now i'm facing some problems on hardware/software, and i want to ask here some tips.

1. About Audio card or interface.

1.1Do i need an external audiocard for my macbook pro?
Im producing with the built in audiocard of the mac, but someone told me that with a
external audiocard i will have a cleaner and better sound, and i will hear some frequences
on the monitors that i cant hear with the built in. It is true?

If yes, which kind of audiocard do i need? Dj audiocard are not for producing, exactly?
Is the Macbook pro and good monitors enough?

1.2 If i'm using a pc tower, can i use a pci audiocard? it is enough the audiocard built in
on my motherboard Asus?

1.3 I'm facing some overload with multiple Massive on Ableton. 8.1
An external audiocard on my macbook pro will help the processor in anyway?

If yes, which kind of audiocard or interface do i need?


Sorry for all the questions but there are a lot of products on the net called "audiocards" and dont dont which i need for produce music with a DAW, and if i need one at all.


2. About Monitors.

Someone suggested me to buy monitor with at least 5" sub, because i need all the frequences possible for produce good drum and bass.

It is true?
If yes which are the cheapest monitor i can buy (but good enough for produce good music)?
He suggested me krk rookit 5 has the entry level, saying to me that everything else behind is crap. What about Alesis M1 Active 520?


thanks for all the advice.
 
I would get atleast the rokit 6... the 5 is not bad WITH SUBWOOFER but without it its useless for acurate production,mainly your sub bass/kick would suffer
 
1. Yes, get an Audio Interface of some sort - the cards shipped in they ship in MacBooks are shit, plus you'd have a hell of a time hooking it up to monitors imo. DJ Interfaces aren't intended for production, but if you have one I don't see the problem with you saving cash and using it, your input selections just may not be ideal (not a problem if you weren't going to record external sources).

1.2 I don't understand the question, but overall I'd avoid using whatever card was built-in to your computer and opt for the external.

1.3 No, it won't save your processor just make things sound nicer.

a lot of people I know use M-Audio interfaces, I myself use one by Native Instruments. There are some other companies out there too, I suggest that you use this forums search function and do a search for "Audio Interface" as this question has been asked on here a lot.
 
ARTFX said:
That's not totally true mate, my external interface uses it's own processing power before it starts using all my CPU..
Click to expand...

Oh ok, I stand corrected then. Not a feature that comes with every interface though is it? I don't think mine does, though I could be wrong about that too. I think i'm gonna check the docs it came with when I get home. Thanks for catchin that for me bro
 
AFAIK if you're utilising on-board effects with your interface it will save your cpu from processing those same effects but as for how much it helps i dont know to be honest. prob best to save a little extra for some more ram if its really suffering that bad
 
Yeahhh If you are using a lot of samples and preprocessed stuff than more RAM will be a good thing. If you intend to use more synthesis and process in the box than it's also good to have a little more CPU.
That's why I upgraded to a AMD Phenom II x6 1090T (3200Mhz) and 6GB of high performance RAM. :D
 
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