The only problem is that an audio interfaces pres sound is too clean and transparent and lack character.Įxternal preamps are therefore favored as they are known for offering sonic warmth and tonal character which is important in the modern world of digital recording.
Not because their audio interfaces stock pres are bad in any way.
More advanced recording enthusiasts may use an outboard preamp device. The good news is most entry-level audio interfaces nowadays have excellent preamps that easily capture a clear and transparent signal for accurate recordings within a DAW. The goal with good a preamp is to amplify a signal without adding any unwanted ‘noise’ or artifacts. Keep in mind, there are many things influencing the capturing quality of a device but the main factor that determines the recording quality of an audio interface/external sound card is the quality of the preamps.įor all of you that are unaware, a preamp is a built-in component within the interface that receives your instrument’s signal, whether from a microphone or guitar pickup and (as the name suggests) amplifies it to line level for recording and manipulation within your DAW. What Determines an Audio Interfaces Capturing Quality? The only thing separating the cheap and expensive interfaces is additional inputs, higher sample rates and the connectivity type such as Firewire and Thunderbolt for recording with ultra-low latency. However, this isn’t the case, as most entry-level devices offer near enough the same recording quality as most higher spec devices. With so many different audio interfaces on the market today, for a beginner, it’s easy to think that the devices with a higher price tag mean better recording quality than the cheaper devices!
This helps to record instruments with the smallest amount of gain with a good signal to noise ratio, which provides adequate headroom for post mixing which assists in producing the best final product with your tracks.