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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 64
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 64 |
Working through my first set up:
1. Will BIAB songs sound better through a Focusrite 2i2 than without? I’ve just hooked up a 2i2 via MacBook Air to a Roland KC 350 amp and really cannot tell much difference.
2. Will rendering to a wave then playing through the 2i2 sound better than playing directly from BIAB?
3. Coincidently do I really have to convert to wav and use 2i2 to play my piano and keyboard to have the best bottom line sound quality?
PS: the only way I use BIAB for is playing along with my piano and keyboard songs using songs made with real tracks by Mr. Notes Norton
Any recommendations for a better set up would be greatly appreciated!!!!
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 64
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OP
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Posts: 64 |
Note: I do not record anything! No voice and no instruments. I suspect I don’t need the 2i2.
So the remaining question is...does converting BIAB audio file to a wav file make the end sound productive sound better?
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,705
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For what you're doing.... just do it how it sounds good.
1 All interfaces are digital... and theoretically sound the same. The only difference is in the audio player. Digital is digital
2 see #1
3 See #1
Personally yes, I would ALWAYS use a good interface no matter what you are using it for. Ease of use and low latency come to mind.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,114
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Expert
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,114 |
Hi
Well I guess it depends on what you want .
Audio interfaces make it easier to get sound in and out of the pc, I big advantage is low latency, but that will only effect you if you are trying to record live while playing BIAB,
As you say you only use it for play back the answer will depend on how satisfied you are with your current sound, and how you are getting it.
If it is coming from the PC or laptop it will be as good as the computers audio, and speaker system. You may well pass it on to some powered pc type speaker system at this point, from the computers sound output but may be limited to a headphone jack to do so, from a laptop. As they don’t have audio line outs like most sound cards in a PC
With the Audio interface you would still have to pass that hopefully better quality line out audio on to some powered active speakers or amplifier maybe even home hi fi system.
As said above the source sound will be the same , if the original source was midi the quality of the sounds will also depend on the quality of the midi synth that converts midi to wave and audio. (But that’s a different question)
At the end of the day you are dealing with Audio sound, and it will sound as good as the Audio system you use. But needs to be good enough to listen to full band or symphony orchestra playing, or even head banging rock if that’s your bag, without distortion.
Mike
BIAB2021 UltraPlus,AsusN55S1Tbssd, W10/64,Akai EIEpro Yamaha CVP405,SquireStrat, CoolsoftVMidSynth Novatation Impulse61 Ctr kbd, Cwalk blab Kontakt http://mikesmusic.byethost16.com/
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,436
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,436 |
Working through my first set up:
1. Will BIAB songs sound better through a Focusrite 2i2 than without? I’ve just hooked up a 2i2 via MacBook Air to a Roland KC 350 amp and really cannot tell much difference.
2. Will rendering to a wave then playing through the 2i2 sound better than playing directly from BIAB?
3. Coincidently do I really have to convert to wav and use 2i2 to play my piano and keyboard to have the best bottom line sound quality?
1. It depends on what driver 'without the 2i2' means. What driver do you end up using if you don't use it? Plus, with the KC-350 amp you may not hear any difference due to the amp. Not knocking the amp (I like Roland stuff a lot) but it may be contributing to the equation also. 2. Rendering to wave generally gives you the same thing you hear from BiaB (if BiaB is using the 2i2 also), so I'd say no. If you aren't using the 2i2 for BiaB playback, why not? 3. Assuming 1 & 2 above are correct, I'd have to say no. Converting really shouldn't make the sound better. /See #2; use the 2i2 in BiaB to get the same sound. It should be available in the Options section of BiaB as the audio driver. Then you can do direct A/B comparisons.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 64
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 64 |
This is all great information. I’m upgrading my speaker probably to to a Bose L1. I’m keeping my 2i2. I plugged into my home speakers and the music sounds great....
Thanks to all of you for the help!!!
Bud
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