what equipment do I need to run Band in a box othet than my computer ?
Thanks in advance.

You will want speakers that connect to your computer. In the audio world they are called monitors. You did not say if your computer is a laptop or desktop, but good speakers are needed either way.

Most of us have an external audio interface that connects by USB. Look at something like a Focusrite Scarlett.

We would need to know more to help you further. For example, do you plan to record?

That depends entirely on what you want to accomplish with Band-in-a-Box (BiaB).

If you just want to make music entirely in BiaB for your own enjoyment then your computer and computer speakers is all you need.

However if you want a much better sound you will need to purchase an audio interface, commonly called a sound card, and some near field monitors. Although you can record with your computer a good audio interface with near field monitors will give you a much better sounding recording. An Audio interface will also allow you to record more than one instrument or vocal simultaneously.

If you want to record a number of instruments and vocals, have total control over them and effects you should also have a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). If you have a PC you have RealBand included with BiaB. Realband is a DAW. Most people start their songs in BiaB then move over to a DAW. Realband has many of BiaB's features so some only work in Realband.

I hope this helps and good luck.

{edit} it looks like Matt and I were typing the same thing at the same time.

By the way, welcome to the forum.

You only need a computer and some way of hearing the sound from BIAB (and preferably something better than built-in speakers). It gets more complex if you're wanting to record or play instruments along with BIAB though, are you wanting to do that as well?

As an alternative to studio monitors or better speakers, I'd suggest a good pair of headphones - preferably the larger "studio" kind that go over your ears. I personally use a pair of Audio Technica M50X's, but most studio headphones in the $50+ range will be good enough. Generally speaking, more expensive means better sound but also better comfort and less ear fatigue, and when you're working in audio professionally you don't want headphones that are uncomfortable or tiring to use. As well, some people will tell you that you'll need a better headphone amp to run your headphones, but in my experience that's not always the case. Some "professional" headphones require one, but usually they'll be a 600-ohm headphone. The Audio Technica's I mentioned don't require a headphone amp.

That said, I personally prefer monitors over headphones.

Ciao, non ho mai scritto nel forum, sono nuovo. L'argomento però mi interessa, ho appena acquistato BiaB 2021 e vorrei acquistare una scheda audio, probabilmente M-Audio, la mia domanda è BiaB è compatibile con M-Audio ?

GOOGLE TRANSLATE (ITALIAN):

Yes, M-Audio makes sound cards that would be fine. I used one for many years on my Windows PC with BIAB.

If you would like more specifics, tell us about your computer and what model(s) of M-Audio sound cards you are considering. Also tell us if you plan to do recording.

Not that it helps a lot, but I have an old Avid Mbox 2 here that I use with BB from time to time, and it works fine. Since Avid is M-Audio, they should be fine too.

We don't test BIAB with every interface under the sun, mostly because we don't get every interface under the sun given to us for free and we have to spend money on them! I've personally used interfaces from Avid, Focusrite, RME, MOTU, and Zoom, all without any major issues, and many of our users have others from Steinberg, SSL, Audient, Presonus, and many others. Like Matt said, tell us which M-Audio you're looking at and we can advise a bit better.

Hi Matt, thank you for your attention. The sound card I would like to buy is the M-AUDIO AIR 192/6, a condenser microphone and headphones (as a monitor).
I have a Dell Latitude E6330 Laptop with 16GB of RAM and O.S. Windows 10 and I would like to record what I play.
I play guitar, I have an Ovation Pinnacle, a Takamine C132S classical guitar, an Aria acoustic guitar and I plan to buy an Ibanez PM2 - AA Hollow Body Electric Guitar.
I recently started playing again, I've always been passionate about jazz.
I am happy to be in this group where I am sure I will find the answers to my questions.

See you soon

Thanks to you too Simon.

Giorgio, I looked up that MAudio unit on Sweetwater. It should work. Two inputs, if that’s enough.

I note it has a USB C connection. Unless your laptop is very new, you may not have a C port and would need an adapter.

What kind of mic? At this price point, the mic(s) you choose will make more of a difference than anything else. Where to put them also matters, but I’ll let those who record guitars comment on these last two ideas.

From what I could find, it looks like it includes both USB-A and USB-C cables with it. One link I saw said "Also compatible with USB 2.0" and another said "USB and USB-C connection cables included." So it should be fine, though I would double check with whoever you buy it from that it includes the right cables for you.

The Air 192 stuff is great. I use the Air 192|14: 8 x 8 over USB with 4 mic pres, 2 DIs, 2 Line Ins, MIDI, and 2 headphone amps for $329 or less. Fewer features cost less.
M-Audio Air

Most of the current interfaces are "Fast USB 2" including the M-Audio Air, Scarlett 3rd Gen, SSL, NI, Behringer but there a few are USB 3 interfaces and PreSonus makes TB3 interfaces.

USB-C is just a port, not a protocol. You can buy USB-C cables rated for USB 2, USB 3, USB 3.1/HDMI/DisplayPort, USB 3.2, Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 3/4. The higher ones are all backwards compatible; the reverse is most definitely not. Read the specs — fortunately, USB 2 are the least expensive. A faster cable will not change the performance but a slower cable than the unit requires can cause it not to work at all.

One thing to beware of is marketing BS that states a cable fits Thunderbolt 3 ports. Yea that… While technically true, since TB3 connects over USB-C, it's false advertising if the cable is not also rated for TB3. I wonder how many returns Amazon gets from I thought I was buying a TB3 cable… customers because of that.

Ciao a tutti,
ragazzi siete fantastici, la nebbia nella mia testa si sta diradando grazie ai vostri consigli. Io abito in Italia vicino Milano (Brescia) e come saprete siamo in pieno Lock Down a causa del COVID-19 quindi devo decidere se fare gli ordini di acquisto della scheda audio via Internet oppure aspettare che i negozi riaprano.
Comunque vi terrò informati e sicuramente vi chiederò altri consigli.
Matt, Simon e Mike mi piacerebbe sapere quali strumenti suonate e se è possibile vedere e sentire qualche vostra performance.

grazie infinite

Giorgio

ALL.
a reviewer of audio interfaces i like is julian krause who does very in depth tech analysis/testing of a product.
heres his review of the maudio air 192/4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-q41YOSl_Q
he has an interesting comparison chart for all the interfaces
which youll see flash up during a review.

he has many other reviews of various studio products.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0HrD4cTsQpAZ8KK9jPzzGg

in addition, this thread i started awhile back.
ie pg users itemise asio interfaces that work well with pg software.
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=635707#Post635707

if one cant afford the superb RME interfaces, and one is looking at 4 in /out usb mixers that are affordable with say 4 mic inputs i would test/rent either the allen n heath zed 10 series OR the soundcraft 12 fx from my research. (there are reviews on you tube etc.)

i bought a budget audient evo 4 (for short term use) , and so far been pleasantly surprised. its low 4ms latency and it hasnt given me any hassles yet. but its only 2 mic pres. and i like the sound. julian k also did a review of it.

best
oldmuso

Julian's reviews are pretty good. He covers the important things.

The Audent Evo 4 has as much going for it as against. I like that Julian's overview gets into those details. Stepping everything through one knob would drive me nuts but I'm not anyone else. Interestingly, it's the one recent interface not using the same chip family as all the others.

Mike.
a few months back i posted on these pg forums a detailed review/
first evo impressions. initially i TOO was sceptical bout the smartgain feature. but i have to say it IS rather clever.
(and hasnt driven me nuts yet lol).
i set it once , and havent had to worry bout my levels since.
i particularly have to be carefull as my voice can be very powerfull.
(we had no mics when i was a choirboy lol, one belted it out.lol.). i have to control it.

frankly at this budget level i think all the interfaces a user can do decent songs with. lets face it , cos of the net, if a product dont cut the mustard, word gets around fast.
anyway i cant really justify a 1k interface for the crazy silly songs i enjoy doing.
my dear wife urged me to get the RME for example, but i thought with all the obsolescence these days i would give audient a go.
and so far i'm not disappointed. evo is doing all that i ask of it.
fyi it comes in a box with a simple card. which made evo so easy to set up eg the smartgain feature.
and as i know your concern re support. i needed clarification on a couple of q's, and comsidering it was xmas , audient responded well.

overall i like the mic pre's and very low noise, and the drivers , and, as julian K pointed out its tops in dynamic range.
i also like the hphone output power.
my rateing "for what it is for the price" 9/10.

mike. ive recorded in high end studios, so i have a decent idea
what high end sounds like. thus i have to say evo acquits itself well. ive also learnt many lessons in that process of being in big studios. one being , "sometimes" a cheaper piece of gear can do a better job than a very expensive piece.
for example once i'm in a big studio , and the engineer throws up a well known several thousand dollar mic. my vocs just werent cutting it, i knew it and he knew it; we think cos i was very nervous around this very pricey piece of mic kit.
so i said to him "you got some mic you dont care bout that i can use and go crazy with ?"
and then a rare magic trak happened lol. probably because i was more relaxed.
he told me after the session over coffee, they have to use certain mics as certain high end clients expect it.

however even mics are undergoing tech change at the budget level.
sometime check out mike , the 35 buk isk pearl mic on vocs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTI1NKbMdIk
and on piano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4-Al3Xm_9I

best
oldmuso

Ciao a tutti,

Domenica scorsa è arrivata la scheda M-Audio AIR 192/14, il microfono Ammoon a condensatore senza alimentatore (per fortuna la scheda è dotata di alimentatori Phantom) e poi le cuffie Shure SRH 440.
Ho alcune domande da farvi se volete,
1) Dopo avere installato il driver della scheda, e dopo avere collegato la chitarra Ovation ho acceso la scheda, ho subito sentito un ronzio piuttosto fastidioso in cuffia e diminuendo il gain dell'ingresso 5 (chitarra elettrica) il ronzio diminuiva. Addirittura il ronzio scompariva se toccavo contemporaneamente la scheda e le corde della chitarra. Sapreste dirmi se il problema dipende dal cavo della chitarra o da altro ?
2)Nel pannello di controllo audio del PC non posso utilizzare più di un dispositivo sia per la Riproduzione che per la registrazione, quindi posso usare due chitarre elettriche ma non una chitarra e un microfono contemporaneamente. Nel pannello di controllo audio ho provato per la Registrazione la selezione del dispositivo Multichannel M-AUDIO AIR 192 14 ma il risultato è lo stesso. Avete dei suggerimenti ?

Google translate:

I have the same interface you do.

There are 8 channels — you can plug into any of them on the M-Audio AIR 192/14. Normally, 5/6 are for guitars and keyboards that do not have line level outs. Is it any different when you plug into 1–4?

The real problem is grounding or shielding — rather the lack of it. Unless you have a faulty cable, the issue is your guitar.

Before I write 10 long paragraphs about all the possibilities and solutions, what kind of guitar do you have and what kind of pickup(s)?