USB sound card: Which one to choose?
Your hearing is extremely fine and you want to bring a certain quality to the sounds of your computer? The USB sound card, also called digital audio interface, is perfectly suited to your projects. It can significantly improve the sound quality of your computer. There is a wide variety of USB sound cards that can be useful to you on a daily basis. If you don’t know which one to prefer, discover a top 10 below as well as a very useful buying guide.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Scarlett 2i2 is arguably Focusrite’s most popular sound card, it has two instrument, mic/line inputs. They allow simultaneous recording and playback of two channels with separately controllable headphone and monitor outputs. This card has, among other things, two improved microphone preamps , two analog outputs and a USB Type-C connection.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd
The external Scarlett Solo 3rd generation sound card is the simplest version of this third generation. The card connects to the computer via the USB-C socket, it has an XLR socket for the microphone. It also has a jack and another for connecting headphones. You can change the volume and change the gain separately on the mic and the instrument.
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6
The Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 offers you a whole range of possibilities. Apart from all the advantages of the Focusrite 2i2, it has noise level overshoot warning diodes. It is also compatible with Mac OS/Windows/iOS devices. The Native also offers an included MIDI interface, and two balanced line inputs and outputs.
Hyper x HX-USCCAMSS-BK
With the HyperX Amp card you can enhance your stereo headphones and benefit from the virtual 7.1 surround effect. It is possible to instantly mute the microphone, activate surround sound, adjust the volume of the microphone and even headphones. The sound card’s digital signal processing provides advanced noise suppression.
Creative Sound Blaster PLAY! 3
With the Creative Sound Blaster PLAY! 3 Enjoy instant enhancement in Hi-Res Audio. Reading is done by a high resolution 24-bit 96 kHz USB digital-to-analog converter. This card gives you studio quality listening and a headphone amp for enhanced listening. You also get convenient headphone connectivity.
ProSonus Audiobox iTwO
The ProSonus is a great alternative to the Focusrite 2i2 if you have quite a bit of older gear with 5-pin MIDI sockets . It offers the same concordance with an iPad, but also the same portability as the 2i2. However, the buzzers announcing the exceeding of the maximum audio level sound smaller!
UGREEN USB sound card 30521
The USB30521 sound card turns one USB port into two 3.5mm and 2RCA audio ports. It’s what you need to add an external sound card or replace damaged audio ports. You can connect a microphone and headphones at the same time to carry out several actions at the same time.
TechRise USB sound card 617536
This TechRise sound card allows USB connectivity with your 3.5 mm headphones, headsets, speakers or audio microphone. It has Microphone & Sound/off, volume control, audio functions, ideal for gaming, watching videos and listening to music.
DuKabel sound card DUSB351FB
It has an external USB audio converter that converts a USB interface to a 4-pin 3.5mm TRRS female jack. This sound card allows, among other things, to connect a 4-pole 3.5 mm TRRS headset in CTIA standard. It has a DuKabel USB 3.5 mm TRRS AUX audio adapter with a width of 1.8 cm.
Behringer UMC404HD
This sound card is a MIDI audio interface very rich in inputs and outputs. It is equipped with MIDAS mic preamps and has 48V phantom power that works on all 4 channels. It can work with a maximum sound resolution of 192,000 Hz in 24 bits.
How to Choose a USB Sound Card
Choosing a sound card requires taking into account several criteria. It is for example the use that you will make of it, and the answer to this question is precisely very important. Depending on the use therefore, you can opt for a sound card with a single Jack input or with several inputs .
You should also pay attention to the connections your computer has. These are the different types of ports built into the machine. Also, you should know if you want to move with the sound card. If so, then opt for a self-powered sound card with a USB interface. Also, pay special attention to the size and weight , in order to facilitate transportation.
Of the many criteria to consider, price is one of the most important. You must define beforehand how much you are ready to invest in a sound card. The more you can spend, the more likely you are to get a great card. Your budget will therefore determine the power, the features and even the lifespan.
There are several sound cards you can test out, so choosing the top 10 above will no doubt help you. Also, to make the best choice, it is always useful to know what criteria to base yourself on.
