This is a step up in volume from what the mic can produce on its own, and can be read by a computer. They also have built-in microphone preamps, which amplify your mic's signal to line level. Just because there is a little microphone icon next to the jack on your computer doesn't mean it's worth using for audio, and especially musical input. Think of it this way: If you're going to spend a couple hundred dollars on a microphone, why sacrifice that sound quality by connecting it to your computer with subpar hardware?Īudio interfaces come in all shapes and sizes and commonly connect to your computer via USB or FireWire. Most computers have a built-in audio interface in the form of a 3.5mm microphone jack, but the audio quality you get from that generally won't cut it when it comes to recording music. Simply put, an audio interface is a device that connects your computer to your microphone. While using a separate input method means shelling out money for hardware, the benefits of using a dedicated audio interface far outweigh the extra cost.
While it's safe to say that picking the right microphone is critical, it won't do you any good in your home studio without a solid audio interface to plug it into. Recording music digitally at home is easier than ever, but that doesn't mean you can use just any hardware.
