Sound card.

Many musicians and other people who somehow often work with sound on a computer or just listen to music, unhappy with the standard sound on the computer. The sound card comes to the rescue. Let's talk about how to choose sound card What kind of kinds are.

When buying a computer or laptop, you in any case will be installed a standard sound card in the motherboard. Often it is enough for ordinary ordinary users who do not matter sound quality and which you need just to be sound.

Interesting fact: About 15 years ago, standard sound cards were not inserted into the motherboard, and had to buy it separately. Because it simply has nowhere to connect speakers (headphones).

Musicians and audiophiles will not fit the built-in sound, so sooner or later they face the question of buying an additional sound card. Any, even the most budget external sound card will make the sound much rich and brighter.

Of course, first of all, you must decide why you need a sound card. And on the basis of this - you can choose a particular device.

For which a sound card may usually be required:

It is simply more connectors (inputs and outputs).
Want high-quality sound in games.
For listening to music.
For sound recording and sound processing (for musicians).
To view movies.
Etc.

Types of sound cards

To know, how to choose a sound card, it is necessary to understand that they are all conditional can be divided into 2 categories:

Musical. Such devices are mainly designed for musicians, sound engineers - for people who have to work with recording and sound processing. Such sounds are more expensive than other cards.
Multimedia. These models are suitable for ordinary users: To view movies, for games, to record a video, for the usual listening to music. Such devices are more common and cheaper musical.

In addition, sound cards are also divided into the following types:

It is worth noting that if you choose a sound card for a laptop (or tablet), then it is worth staying on the external apparatus. Internal map You just can not connect anywhere.

Sound outputs

The more sound outputs, the more devices can be connected to the sound card. Of course, each user needs its number of connectors. Therefore, decide first for which you need a sound card to estimate how much sound outputs you need.

Ideally, at least the following connectors must be present in the sound card:

Input for microphone.
Exit for headphones.
S / PDIF connector. S / PDIF - You can connect various devices. It is believed that it is when connecting through this connector you can get a better sound.
Linear outlet.
The midi inputs and outputs (if you plan to connect midi devices, such as or synthesizers.

What connector for what is needed:

Availability of forensic headphones and microphone

Before, how to choose a sound card, Note that there are apparatus that are equipped with built-in supplies for headphones and microphone, and there are without the foreseeners.

What is the foreseen? The fact is that, for example, the microphone itself is weak, and in order to write it - the foregoing is necessary.

If you are really important to sound quality (both when recording and when listening), it is better to take the sound without the foreseerators, and you will buy it separately, because the built-in stipulation is not very good quality. But note that individual applicants will occupy an additional place. Here you already decide what is the main thing for you.

Availability Built-in ASIO Driver

If you choose a sound card, be sure to check or ask the seller, is there a built-in ASIO driver in the device. What it is?

This is a special protocol that is needed to minimize the audio delay when transferring it from a sound card to a computer.

For example, when you play the guitar (through the sound to the computer) you first hit the strings, and hear the sound in the speakers after a while (even the fraction of a second - and you can already hear how the sound is lagging behind). Or when you play on can happen the same thing: first click on the key - and the sound hear in the columns after time.

So, ASIO driver minimizes this delay to such an extent that you will not hear it. That is, she, of course, will, but so minimal that the human ear will not hear her.

So if it is relevant to you - make sure that the driver is presence when you select a sound card. Otherwise, you will have to additionally install ASIO driver already on the program in which you will work, which is not always convenient.

Compatibility with your software

There are such problems when you bought a sound card, connected - but she does not want to work with your operating systemOr with the program in which you work as a musician.

Therefore, ask in advance and make sure that the sound card will not conflict with your software. In extreme cases, do not hesitate to ask about this from the seller.

How to choose a sound card: Price

Of course, it is difficult to talk about prices for one or another model, since the price depends on the set of factors: on the type of machine, from the manufacturer, the number of input outputs, from the quality of the sound card.

You can only say that musical sound cards are more expensive than multimedia, because the first is more demanding about sound quality.

The cheapest and primitive sound card can do you literally in 100 rubles. For example, such from China ():

Of course, no significant improvement in the quality of the sound from this interface is not waiting. Is that you get a couple of additional connectors, and that's it. Moreover, for such money, especially since China, but for those who want to panic, this option may come.

Middle quality sound card, normal, can cost about 10-15K rubleth.

Professional sound cards, especially for professional musicians and sound engineers, can cost very expensive, up to 300K rubles, and even higher.

Conclusion

So we have a little dealt with this issue - how to choose a sound card. You can make this conclusion that before buying this unit, it is necessary to clearly understand why it is needed for you. Based on these purposes, it is worth choosing a sound card.

Use sufficient attention to the sound card, do not be lazy. You should not immediately run to the store and buy the first model. Also do not forget to explore specifications Having liked the device.

Do you know what criteria still need to pay attention when choosing a sound card? Write in the comments!

Sound card (or board) - a device responsible for playing sound. This is a mandatory component of any modern computer, because without it, even such simplest actions, like listening to music, watching a movie or video, play sound row of any computer game.

Getting Started with a sound card for a computer, you should know that they are produced in three forms:

internal integrated;
internal discrete;
external.

Integrated audio cards are the most budget option. This is a separate microcircuit, sold out in the motherboard. Usually, better sound chips are solder on more solid system boards, and motherboards easier contain an inexpensive chip (for example, "Realtek").

However, the savings on the purchase of a sound card is justified only when any high demands are not presented to the quality of the sound. It should be noted that the sound chips themselves may produce a sufficiently high-quality sound, however, after putting on the result of their work begin to influence external factors. First of all, these are electrical noises that inevitably arise on system board and affect the characteristics of the analog part of the beep.

In addition, the built-in audio adapter has no own processor. Accordingly increases the load on cPUIn some cases, it can lead to a beep delay or "hanging" sound. Do not forget that integrated cards are not designed to connect powerful high-class external devices. They can only work with inexpensive headphones and microphones, as well as with multimedia acoustics systems.

Discrete sound cards

Discrete sound card It is an independent fee that is installed in a free PCI slot. This is the most ancient type of boards - it is their use in one time turned out to be silent computers in multimedia computers. Discrete maps have a sound processor that performs sound processing functions, mixing sound streams, and so on. This makes it possible to reduce the load on the central processor, which is definitely improving the performance of the computer and improves the quality of the sound signal.

Such boards give more decent sound in comparison with integrated. As a rule, when they are used, no interference is observed and the audio delay. You can use more powerful external devices - high-quality columns or headphones, it is possible to connect the system "Home Cinema". Usually complete with a discrete sound card comes with a software disk, which, among other things, allows the processing of sound in automatic mode. Manual settingUsually running through an audio player installed on the computer.

External sound cards

To obtain high-quality professional sound. Installation is required external sound card. Of course, it should be a good expensive device. Cheap USB cards do not differ with high-quality sound. External soundboards appeared quite recently. They look like small plastic or metal boxes, equipped with certain amount Inputs and outputs for connecting external devices. Some boards are additionally equipped with various tuning regulators. To the computer, such sound cards are connected when uSB help or WiFi interfaces.

Their explicit advantage is immunity to external interference and noise. This effect is achieved using special isolation. And the use of high-quality elements in the device allows you to achieve excellent sound stream. In addition, the external board can be easily and quickly connected to any computer. Of course, to obtain good sound it is necessary to use powerful speakers, otherwise it is absolutely no sense to spend money on an expensive sound card.

External fees are much more functional than internal. They allow you to use the entire broadest range of high-quality audio equipment. In addition to the sound output function, they implement the function of recording audio signals - there are inputs for connecting different types Microphones.

Each external sound card comes complete with software. As a rule, this is a package of applications that allow you to configure output devices to the most comfortable sound. In addition, they provide automatic update Drivers, which is quite comfortable.

RESULTS

Summing up, it should be noted that when the type of sound card is selected, first of all, you need to focus on the desired sound quality and the level of acoustic equipment that is planned to be used.

Installed external sound card for notebook USB It makes it possible to significantly improve sound quality - especially since manufacturers of portable computers usually do not provide them with high-quality audio systems.

Integrated card is usually not enough to obtain impeccable sound, and in simple models Computers Sometimes there is nothing to even count on the normal sound of audio recordings and leaning sound track Film.

Why do I need an external sound card?

Deciding on the purchase of an external sound card follows in such cases:

if you need to get a good sound on a figurative computer. The problem can be solved by connecting audio colors, but it will increase the sound volume, but not quality;
at the failure of the main, built-in card.

Features of external models

As a rule, an external card for sound playback is small device size with a flash drive or card reader. Enhances the similarity and method of connecting to a laptop - via USB input.

More expensive models achieve the size of the external hard diskAnd the most productive have dimensions comparable to the laptop itself.

The possibilities of any external card include:

strengthening sound compared to the built-in laptop system;
connecting one or several microphones, headphones or audio colors.

The functionality of more expensive models includes volume buttons and indicators. For top models, the presence of various connectors and interfaces, such as output analog channels and coaxial output, although their size is much larger than the compact sound cards.

The advantages of external sound cards are as follows:

sharp improvement in playback quality and, when choosing a suitable model, audio records;
mobility that allows you to connect an external card to any other computer - both stationary and portable. Also, the device is often connected to a tablet or telephone;
a fairly large range of models in order to choose both functional and affordable device;
easy sound setting, including volume, timbre and bass using buttons on the card housing. On a laptop without an external audio device, this can be done only by the programmatically.

For low-power and old laptops, the card allows you to remove the load from the processor. After all, due to the fact that sound processing occurs with the help of an external device, the computing power of the computer itself is released. As a result, the technique heats up less, and its performance increases.

Select card

When choosing a sound card, it is worth considering several characteristics depending on the tasks that devices must perform:

for home use There are enough audio input and audio output. For a compact home cinema - at least two. And when used as a professional device for recording sound, you should choose a model with 3-4 pairs of connectors, although it will cost more;
the discharge of a sound card must be at least 24 bits;
the ratio of signal and noise parameters - at the level of 100-114 dB;
to work with musical instruments, an interface is required to connect these devices.

It is desirable that the external card supported the sound standard of the Digital Theater System or Dolby Digital, allowing you to read multi-channel audio and video tracks - it may be important when watching movies.

Support for the audio ASIO transmission protocol is optional, but allow you to increase the convenience of professional work with sound.

EAX technology can provide sound environmental effects, which will become a good advantage for a player using gaming applications with multi-channel sound.

The most favorable option

Dynamode C-MEDIA 108 (7.1) sound card can be an excellent choice for quality sound.

Pluses of the model - compactness, ease of use, durable case and minimum cost (about 300 rubles), and among minuses - relatively small functionality. Such a sound card should be bought for a laptop, which broke the built-in card to play sound. With it, it is quite possible to connect an audio system 7.1 - the sound will be better than when turned on in a regular connector, but not as high quality as using more functional models.

Map for portable home cinema

Benefits of an external audio adapter ASUS Xonar. U7 consist in the following characteristics:

availability, except for conventional mini jack type connections for headphones and microphone, also an eight-channel analog output that improves the sound for the audio system of home theaters;
full compliance with all parameters for a good sound card - sound 24 bits / 192 kHz and signal-to-noise ratio at 114 dB, resistance range up to 150 ohms;
easy connection and settings.

The cost of this card, which can be called a good option for watching movies with good quality, does not exceed 3000 rubles.

Game card

Fans play games where sound quality is as important as the video parameters will appreciate the capabilities of the Bahamut model.

This external card from the company Thermaltake works with Windows, and with MacOS, is attractive external species and the presence of buttons on the case to turn on and off connected devices (headphones, microphone, speakers).

When the map is connected, be sure to install the drivers (come in the kit), and during the use process - to update them in a timely manner. The cost of the model is on average range - from 2500 to 3000 rubles.

Universal option

A good option of an external sound card with an average cost is the Creative Sound Blaster Play 2 model.

Despite small sizesThis device provides a bulk sound and allows you to record audio without interference. SBX Pro Studio technology gives a noticeable volume gain compared to the built-in card and creates a 3D-sound effect when using audio systems of any type - from headphones up to 7.1.

Among other advantages, the card is convenient control through the appropriate application. At the same time, there are no buttons to control the device itself. True, absence external control provides compactness, allowing you to easily carry Sound Blaster Play 2 from place to place. The cost of the gadget in online stores does not exceed 2500 rubles, but you can find options and for 1600 rubles.

Map for musician

Model Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio 2nd Gen can be an excellent choice for people associated with music and sound recordings. Especially since its small sizes provide a high degree of mobility, allowing you to move the device along with a laptop or transport it in transport.

The device is different:

high quality playback and recording;
compact and durable metal housing;
stylish appearance;
compatibility with laptops running from different OS;
the possibility of simultaneous recording from the guitar and microphone;
common volume control for all outputs (headphones and columns);
completing all necessary devices with devices - condenser microphone, studio headphones and connecting cables.

In addition to this model, there are many other interesting options for recording and playing sound. However, at the ratio of value and capabilities, this one can be called one of the best and affordable. You can buy it in about 20-22 thousand rubles in approximately 20-22 thousand rubles.

Running and disable card

To connect an external card, you will not need much time. It is enough to simply connect the device with a laptop (using a cable or simply insert into USB input). Next you need to wait for the definition of an external card laptop and automatic installation Drivers, and only then connect headphones, microphone or column to it. If the system does not find the right software In its database or device requires only its programs, they are installed from the disk or from the manufacturer's official website.

Tip: To play high-quality sound, it is desirable that the connector supports USB 3.0 technology. And if your device has two variants of USB inputs (2.0 and 3.0), you should select the second card to connect the map.

Possible problems

When installing an external sound card on a laptop, the following problems may occur:

The laptop "does not see" the device;
The card is installed, but the sound is not reproduced.

To solve the first problem will help reinstalling the next USB connector (if the card will work, it means that the cause of a malfunction is a non-working input) or connecting to another computer. If it did not help return the performance of the card, it is necessary to reinstall its drivers (downloading from a network or a disk coming in a set with the equipment). Last method Allows you to cope with the second problem. The impossibility of starting an external sound card may indicate its malfunction or factory marriage.

This article would like to devote to our readers who love and appreciate high-quality sound on a computer and a laptop for which the sound card is responsible. Main function A sound card is the processing of the incoming audio signal, you can add audio transmission to its functions (for subwoofer, satellites, etc.) and input (linear input, microphone, etc.).

Currently, almost all commercially available motherboards have an integrated audio card. In most cases, they are able to support system 5.1 or 7.1. The built-in sound card goes absolutely free, as it is included in the motherboard, and for a separate device you will have to give a lot of money. Why do you need a separate sound card?

In most cases, there is no point in the usual user to buy an external sound card if the main thing for you is that the sound from the computer is simply reproduced. For real connoisseurs of high quality sound, we strongly recommend this, since no integrated sound card will show such possibilities as separate.

In general, if you like to listen to high-quality music reproduction or watch movies with sound effect Presence, when you buy a sound card, you need to pay your attention to some points. Know that it is possible to get the highest quality sound only when communicating with an acoustic system with a digital or optical interface (S / PDIF). It will be nice, of course, if there is support for sound flow of the noise reduction system Dolby Digital and to her like. But it is necessary to remember that it will be possible to get a clean sound only when using a good source, that is, it makes no sense to buy a separate sound card if you have simple stereo cowrs. It is not logical. You can achieve high-quality sound on a new sound card only if you have a good audio system 5.1 or 7.1, both in the form of a finished kit and collected yourself from columns, subwoofer and amplifier. Get high-quality sound to help music files with a high bit rate in FLAC format, and licensed DVD and Blue-ray discs.

Almost in all integrated (embedded) sound cards, most of the functions are assigned to the head processor that performs most of the work for processing the signal and conversion. In external sound cards there is a separate sound processor, and some models even own their own memory. Thus, these sound cards can be called hardware, they are absolutely independent and not using the computer resources at all.

What should pay attention to

DTS Digital Surround and Dolby Digital are the canons of surround sound that are used for DVD format. The presence of a sound card with these features can give you a sound with a minimum level of noise and distortion, creating the effect of presence when viewed by licensed video.

Diverse effects B. computer Games, as well as the function of surround sound. EAX is a bit outdated standard, but Eax ADVANCED ND is a more advanced system that allows you to provide top quality sound, as well as playing electronic games using the most modern sound effects.

When connected to analog output, it is impossible to avoid all types of interference and noise, it will simply fail, and the use of digital output absolutely accurately eliminates their appearance. It should be noted that some built-in sound boards also have access to S / PDIF, this is an optical output that is able to produce high-quality sound without the slightest distortion and interference. It is through this connector that we recommend connecting the audio system to the sound card.

Tips when choosing a sound card

As a rule, the main criterion for the choice of sound card is the ultimate goal of using it. Most owners personal computer Enjoy the capabilities of the sound card in order to listen to music, play games, as well as to record and process your own musical compositions.

Fans of games need to advise sound fees with support for EAX AdvAnsed HD, EAX, since these functions will experience completely all those present audio effects in a modern game. But it is necessary to draw your attention to the fact that in this case the emulation of EAX will significantly load the central processor and reduce its speed. For this reason, the games are recommended to apply an outer sound card.

Another problem with which you have to face when choosing a sound card is its type. To date, there are 2 types of sound cards: external and internal. The inner sound card is inserted into the PCI of the motherboard slot, without occupying an excess place and without unnecessary wires. An external sound card, as it is clear from the title, is a separate device, but it has small sizes. Site experts Site recommend to stop their choice on an external sound card for a number of reasons. First, electromagnetic interference can be affected on the inner sound card, which in turn can negatively affect the playback of sound, there will be no such problems with such problems. Secondly, the external sound card is not limited in size, so it may include a larger number of connectors, which will affect the quality of the sound and makes it possible to expand its functions. In addition, an external sound card is the only option to improve the quality of the playback sound on the laptop and connect the audio system 5.1 to it.

The more connectors at the sound card, the better. Your sound card must have at least the following connectors:

Connector for connecting to a computer or laptop;
Output to the front speakers;
Access to the rear speakers;
Access to the subwoofer and the central channel;
Access to the microphone;
Linear output;
Access to headphones;
Optical input S / PDIF.

The cost of sound boards for musicians engaged in music professionally, very high. The beginners can quite approach something from budget models, fortunately, the choice is quite wide today. Except pretty high Quality reproduction MIDI. Of course, before purchased, it is necessary to study the features of the audio device, pay close attention to the type of socket and the number of channels so that you can connect all the necessary musical instruments, for most of which special Jack 6.3 mm connectors are needed.

Replacing the sound card - a real opportunity to upgrade a personal computer. New, more improved sound feewhich supports modern standards, can show completely new opportunities and give to hear everything in a new way.

For home use, we recommend purchasing a Creative SB X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro sound card, which is the most optimal option to achieve high-quality sound. Consider the sound card model for musicians is difficult, as it all depends on the tasks that you put before the card, as well as from the devices and tools that you want to connect to it.