Originally Posted by Matt Finley
The built-in chips are designed to do one thing very well: play back audio. That would include mixing if mixing just means adjust track volumes.
I'm fairly happy listening to built-in audio through headphones.

I've had no end of troubles with built-in audio trying to drive anything else, mostly with ground loops and CPU etc. 'twitter', but also because so often the connectors are just plain poor. Mini-jacks, RCAs and the like.

Most or all external interfaces offer proper connectors, seem to have the grounding sorted, seem to keep out the noises that so often happens and usually also offer pretty good pre-amps and phantom power. For me, external interfaces seem like money well spent.


Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
.