Originally Posted By: justanoldmuso
Cathie.
my reply.
1. feel free to ask any gear questions includeing IT questions. there are lots of pg users like myself well versed in both IT computer engineering as well as setting up a recording studio.

Hello! Sorry it took me so long to get back here--life got in my way. **rueful smile** Thank you, btw, for starting the thread on orchestra libraries. Some amazing info there!

My questions are pretty basic.

1.) Will an audio interface function like an external sound card? In my reading I saw one actually referred to as a sound card; if I buy an interface can I skip buying a second sound card? Or am I misunderstanding?

2.) Does the ASIO driver come with the interface, or are interfaces just ASIO-ready and I have to buy ASIO by itself? All I know about it is that my computer currently doesn't have it.

3.) Does the amount of RAM in my computer make much of a difference in the functionality of BIAB/RB or an audio interface? The computer guy has offered to remove the RAM from the broken computer and install it in this one, which would bump me from 8GB to 16. I'm inclined to do this on the general principle that more RAM is always better, but will there be other things which would have more of an impact on music? Would I, for instance, be better served to get the audio interface first and do the RAM later?

I'm slowly making my way through all the info you've recommended I read and watch. Thanks again so much for your help!

Love is always worth the risk.

HP laptop; Windows 10 Home 64 bit; core i5; 2.40 Ghz; 8 GB RAM; 256 GB hard drive; BIAB 2021 Build 835.