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More expensive when combined with XLR microphone.They generally also have inserts on the back for effects, MIDI I/O for your MIDI keyboards or other MIDI devices, sends, ADAT ports for connecting external preamps, and some even have a reamping feature (these are audio interfaces strictly made for recording guitar). More Inputs and Output options (Generally)Īudio Interfaces allow you to connect XLR/TRS cables to it, basically as many as the number of inputs available on the Interface, which means that you could connect 8, 16 inputs, or even more depending on the interface, and these are not just for microphones but also guitars and Line level instruments. This simply isn’t possible with USB microphones, since you would have to ditch the USB mic entirely and purchase an Audio Interface and XLR mics anyway to be able to record more than one track.
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#MIC INTERFACE FOR COMPUTER UPGRADE#
If you have a 4-input audio interface, for example, but only one mic, you can upgrade your setup by just getting more microphones. Phantom power is required to power condenser microphones, usually 48v, and audio interfaces supply it in 99% of the cases. MIDI I/O is also featured on some audio interfaces, and it also has more output- and routing option than a USB mic. Not only can you connect and record one microphone per input on the interface, but every Mic/XLR input has a Gain knob to control the level of the signal for each input. USB cables, on the other hand, are much more prone to picking up unwanted interference. XLR Cables are designed to filter out any interference that the cable itself might pick up, and this is why you see 100-meter long XLR cables at live shows, since the sound quality will always come out perfect. Of course, this depends on the quality of the preamps and the analog to digital conversion of the interface.īut in general, they do a better job at it than USB microphones. In general, I would advise most people to go for an Audio Interface + XLR microphone setup, and here are the reasons for that Better Sound QualityĪudio Interfaces are designed to produce the highest audio quality possible. Read more about why this is in my article about the differences between the build-in sound card and an Audio Interface here. It takes the audio signal coming from the mic and translates it into something your computer can understand, and therefore, record.īasically it converts the analog signal into a digital one.Īnd yes, your computer’s sound card is also an Audio Interface, but if I were you, I wouldn’t use it, especially if you want to get high-quality audio. The easiest explanation I can give is that an audio interface works as the translator between the microphone and the PC. In order to better understand which one to get, you should know what an Audio Interface is and how it works. The question that you need to ask yourself is if you want a plug and play microphone (USB) or if you want a setup that is capable of doing more than just a simple one-track recording, and that will allow for better future expandability?
#MIC INTERFACE FOR COMPUTER PLUS#
What all of this means is that USB microphones, while easier to use, are less versatile because -at least in most cases- they can only be used one at a time, but the whole setup is generally more affordable than getting an Audio Interface plus XLR cables and XLR microphones.īut on the other hand, Audio Interfaces generally allow for multi-tracking, meaning that you can record multiple simultaneous tracks, and they also make it easier to use different microphones since you only need to connect a new one using an XLR cable, and that’s it. USB microphones are simpler and easier to use because they don’t require any additional equipment to work since, but this comes at the cost of a lack in versatility, whereas with an Audio Interface, you can connect multiple XLR microphones to it and record as many inputs separately as the interface allows.
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Pros & Cons about Audio Interfaces, XLR Microphones, and USB Microphones.Recommendation Audio Interface with XLR microphones, or USB Microphone?.More Inputs and Output options (Generally).