Sound card, audio interface...

[stevenmelensen]

I'm gonna buy my first "music computer" this Friday (Mac pro quadcore), but I am kinda a newbie in that domain.

So here's what I want to do :
1. Emulate a symphonic orchestra. I will use the Eastwest library (already bought).
2. Use Superior Drummer 2.0 for the drums.
3. Record guitar and bass through Line 6 guitar pod or UX8
4. Eventually record vocals when I'll have enough cash to buy a good microphone.
5. Use Logic 8

Well, I want to know what is better : a sound card or an audio interface?

So my two questions are :
a. Do you recommand to buy the UX 8?
b. If I buy the guitar pod, what are your suggestions for the preamp and the sound card? Do I need anything else?

Keep in mind that I want result as professionnal as possible, so I don't mind spending few hundred bucks more to get better quality equipment.

BTW, my budget for that is around 1000$.

[brandondrury]

a sound card or an audio interface?

Assuming you are defining an audio interface as a low latency, real deal soundcard for audio recording, the audio interface is a must if you plan on entering any of your MIDI data in with a MIDI controller (keyboard). Otherwise, with a high latency card you will hear a huge delay between you playing and the sound you hear. (I'm not sure if the stock Mac card is high latency or not.)

a. Do you recommand to buy the UX 8?

Are you asking about reliability or sounds? I've heard some pretty decent stuff with the UX 8 and I've heard some not so good stuff. There are guys who do some excellent things with this gadget.

I would take a look at Revalver MK3 and Metal Guitar Room. Both of these have stood out.

b. If I buy the guitar pod, what are your suggestions for the preamp and the sound card? Do I need anything else?

Audio Interface Wizard

Keep in mind that I want result as professionnal as possible, so I don't mind spending few hundred bucks more to get better quality equipment.

Ha! I'm not laughing at you. It's just interesting seeing "few hundred bucks more" and "professional" in the same sentence. Usually it's "just a few more $10,000 bills", but I get your point. You can achieve your goals with your relatively budget gear and skill.

Brandon

[garageband]

I don't love the Line6 sound, myself. I haven't heard the UX8 but I'll bet it's similar to everything else they make. I'd really look at either the RME Fireface 400 or the Steinberg MX816 (?) - new Steinberg 8x8 interface, anyway.

On the string orch front, also look into the Dan Dean solo strings, adding a couple tracks of the solo strings with your orch samples will sound amazing. For excellent faster bowing parts, look at the Kirk Hunter strings.

I think Logic comes with a convolution reverb. Don't forget to use much and often.

[String7th]

It sounds like you don;t need all the preamps and inputs of the UX8. You can get better quality with a 2-channel interface with MIDI capabilities. Apogee Duet is a high end AD/DA converter, with only 2 channel in and out, which sounds like all you would need with programmed drums. I'm pretty sure it's got MIDI as well but it's a better name and higher-quality converters than Line6, preamps are probably average though, but you can expect that in any interface.

Or I saw that Line6 has a MIDI controler with built in interface and preamp for vocals or guitar. Look into that as an all-in-1 alternative.