Лучшие внешние звуковые карты 2021 года (топ 10)

ASUS Xonar U7

Цена порядка 7500 руб.

Кому оказалось мало 5.1, сделали 7.1каналов. Но нас услышали. Линейные входы стали тюльпанами.

«Железо» стало существенно лучше.

ЦАП Cirrus Logic СS5361 с паспортным отношением сигнал/шум 114 дБ и уровнем гармонических искажений 105 дБ (0,0006%).

Сигнальный процессор C-Media CM6632A Впрочем, такое решение не обладает значительным запасом мощности, из-за чего производитель не рекомендует использовать стереонаушники с сопротивлением более 150 Ом.

ASUS-Xonar-U7-плата

Мы даем обзор моделей из которых имеет смысл выбирать. Все эти карточки с заведомо хорошим звуком. И все они хорошо сделаны.

В большинстве своем их производят бренды название которых ничего не говорит массовому покупателю компьютерного «железа». Производят их компании специализирующиеся на студийном оборудовании.

Расписывать их функционал в полном объеме нет особой необходимости. Все и так видно при взгляде на них со всех сторон.

У всех этих брендов есть аналогичные модели звуковых карточек, но с большим числом входов-выходов.

Hardware Specifications of the Behringer UMC204HD:

You can probably find all this on the manufacturer’s website, but I’ve included this here just for convenience sake. Plus, I added a bit of extra

Inputs:
- 2x XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers./1/4th inch with phantom powerPhantom power is a method used to power audio equipment over an XLR Cable. The standard used is 48 volts, which is required for condenser-style microphones for them to operate. support
- 1x Midi-In
- 2x Inset connectors for other professional hardware
- 1x USB 2.0 B Type Connector(Recommend attaching choke to the wire.)
Outputs:
- 1x Mix controlled 0 latency 1/4th inch studio headphone monitoring port
- 2 pairs of RCA L/R signals(With the ability to switch between signals in the above monitoring port)
- 1 pair of 1/4th Studio Monitors(They are speakers with no built-in EQ, very Flat response curve)
- 1x midi Out(in case you want to chain input or use a virtual midi instrument on your pc.)
Controls:
- XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers./1/4th inch X2
  - 1 Pad button(Reduces gain by a set -20dB on demand)
- Inst/Line toggle button(for plugging in instruments or microphones. Slightly different audio produced)
- 1 Gain control knob for Midas Pre-amps
Mix knob
1x Main Volume control knob
1x Stereo/Mono toggle switch for Dual microphone/single microphone setup.
1x Monitor output switch button

Phantom Power(48v) toggle switch for XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers. ports.
1x Kensington Security Lock

Locking key Sold Separately
Try the Kensington Combination Lock If you think you will need one *Optional

First impressions of the Behringer UMC204HD

At first glance, the Behringer UMC204HD looks fairly complicated, with several dials and buttons scattered on the front plate. However, if you pay close attention, it is actually much simpler than it appears. The IO is separated into four separate sections –

Two Hybrid XLR jacks on the left that accepts an XLR and 1/4″ jack commonly used by musical instruments
Controls for input 1
Controls for input 2
And the rest of the controls that handle the listening devices.

Once you break it up visually, it is substantially less daunting to work with. The same goes for audio mixers, which tend to have several input channels to contend with.

Pros:

Superb Build Quality.
Everything is very solid, and only a well-used knob has a tiny bit of wobble, which is well within acceptable limits.
Fantastic audio performance.
Above all, considering it is paired with a low-end Tonor BM-700 XLR condenser microphoneA condenser microphone is a type of microphone characterized by an electrolyzed ultra-thin fixed plate. This type of microphone excels at capturing very quiet or delicate audio and has the widest frequency response curve of any microphone type. They vary in cost from $30 to over $10,000. They can be either USB or XLR, and sometimes they can even be both. Due to their sensitivity, condenser microphones often need substantial room acoustics treatment to get the best sound from them..
Very reasonably priced.
More than enough inputs and outputs to support a number of configurations
2 Microphone inputs allow for true stereo recording if you have two microphones. Great for ASMR Streaming.
2 RCA pairs for A/B output channel control.

Cons:

Must NOT be located under a TV sitting off a desk.
- I experienced a very annoying ticking noise in my headphones, and I could not figure out where it was from for months. Turns out, it was electromagnetic interference created by the down-firing speaker in the tv located just a few inches over the interface.
- TLDR, keep it away from other electronics!
The Drivers sometimes crash due to changes made in Windows 10 Updates
A software patch by Behringer seems to have fixed this issue – haven’t had this issue in over a year now since.

The Rear of the interface – A Whole bunch of outputs

Taking a look at the back of the interface, you’ll see a bunch of quarter-inch jacks and RCA inputs. If I’m honest, I don’t really use any of them. The monitoring jack handles that with my headphones, but if you like having speakers, this is where you would put them in.

For the most part, the Inserts can be ignored unless you have some sort of effects processor like the DBX 286s.

The only required to use is the USB port. This device utilizes USB 2.0 tech, so it is best to put it in a USB 2.0 port if you have one. At least with my case, I have had experiences where it would lose connectivity with a 3.0 or above input type. Of course, it could be just some faulty ports on my now 7-year-old motherboard, but I’ve no way of really testing that.

Сравнительная таблица характеристик

На основе представленных выше технических характеристик различных устройств мы составили таблицу, с помощью которой вам будет проще соотнести все плюсы и минусы.

Модель	Частота запись/воспроизведение (кГц)	Разрядность запись/воспроизведение (бит)	Динамический диапазон запись/воспроизведение (дБ)	Цена (рубли)
ASUS Xonar U7	192	24	114/120	6500
Creative X-Fi HD	96	24	100/114	5000 – 7000
ESI UGM96	96	24	105/103	4700
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 2nd Gen USB	192	24	107/128	12 900
Steinberg UR22	192	24	95/101	11 000
Creative Sound Blaster X7	96/192	24	127/126	30 000
Native Instruments Traktor Audio 6	96	24	102/98	19 000 – 20 000

Пятое место: Native Instruments TRAKTOR AUDIO 6

Для звукорежиссирования и диджейских задач идеально подойдет профессиональная звуковая карта TRAKTOR AUDIO 6 от компании Native Instruments. Примечательна она своей простотой: никаких дополнительных настроек после подключения производить не потребуется. Кроме того, устройство заключено в прочный металлический корпус, который предохраняет ее от физических воздействий. Здешняя светодиодная подсветка не просто элемент дизайна. С практической точки зрения это очень грамотный ход, позволяющий работать со звуковой картой в условиях плохого освещения.

TRAKTOR AUDIO 6 обладает хорошим оснащением и позволяет подключать к себе до трех стереоисточников. В целом на карте три линейных выхода, разъем для наушников, USB интерфейс для подключения к ПК, порт для внешнего питания (карта может работать автономно). Установленные здесь преобразователи Cirrus Logic CS4270 обеспечивает поддержку разрешения звука вплоть до 24 бит/192 кГц, динамический диапазон 105 дБ, искажения+шум 87 дБ. А еще в комплекте с картой идет продвинутое диджейское ПО Traktor LE 2, предназначенное для микширования готовых треков.

Цена: около 20 000 рублей

Focusrite Scarlet 2i2

The Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 2nd Gen is one of the most popular USB Audio Interfaces currently on the market. This is mainly due to its great construction quality, performance, and really affordable price.

It has 2 XLR inputs and 2 outputs.

All Scarlett preamps are of great quality and feature an even gain structure, which allows for accurate gain level setting. The instrument inputs are designed to be able to handle really hot pickups for recording electric guitar.

The channel controls are fairly simple; Gain knobs and Line/Instruments switch for each channel, 48V Phantom Power, Direct monitoring On/Off Switch and Headphone Knob.

It’s small, compact and very durable, it looks like a little red brick! Ideal for recording at home or taking it on the road!

The aluminum casing is very well put together and when holding it doesn’t feel cheap at all.

The knobs on the device are pretty easy to rotate, they aren’t stiff at all and seem like they are built with to last.

One cool thing about this Interface is that it comes with Pro Tools, Ableton Live and a suite of software and samples so you can start recording straight away.

If you are like most home recording musicians, then this one will suit you well!

It’s easy to use, works well and also comes with those added downloads, which I think is just great!

The included Plugin suite sounds great and only adds to the good value this package offers.

If you are in need of a mobile recording solution, or are on a tight budget for home-based projects, this one I would consider a great investment.

One BIG issue is that it doesn’t have MIDI input/output! Take that into account.

At first I was amazed at the low price is, but when you actually think about it, you only get 2 inputs and the speakers Output, plus the headphone output of course… but no MIDI In/Out, which kinda sucks!

The Vast majority of reviews I found online while researching this AI were extremely positive; it was almost impossible to find a negative one. This goes to show it’s a great Interface to consider.

Important Note: Focusrite released the 3rd generation of these interface which are identical in every way except that they come with the “Air” circuit, which is designed to boost the higher frequencies slightly creating an open and airy sound.

Let’s take a look at its performance;

The latency while monitoring is surprisingly low, about 6ms. But should you have some issues with it, you can always switch the direct monitoring on, which will give you true direct monitoring with zero latency.

As for the sound performance, I can confirm that this box is money well spent. Sounds extremely clear and crisp with a slight added warmth to it, no clicks whatsoever.

Features

Two natural-sounding Scarlett microphone preamps
Up to 192kHz audio resolution with super-low latency
Compact, lightweight and sturdy enough to take with you anywhere
Includes Pro Tools | First, Ableton Live Lite and a suite of software and samples
Free XLN Addictive Keys license with purchase
Red 2 & 3 Plug-In Suite, Softube Time & Tone Bundle and 2GB of Loopmasters Samples are included as a free download.
Focusrite offers a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty

Specifications


Computer Connectivity	USB 2.0
Simultaneous I/O	2 x 2
Number of Preamps	2
A/D Resolution	24-bit/192kHz
Analog Inputs	2 x XLR/TRS Combo
Analog Outputs	2 x 1/4″, 1 x 1/4″ (Headphones)

The Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 3rd Gen is an good option for both beginners and experienced musicians who need a reliable and affordable Audio Interface for Home Recording.

Find out more about the Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen here:

Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen: Amazon, Sweetwater.

This one is definitely better than the Behringer Interface, but it does cost a bit more…

Even though it doesn’t have the MIDI I/O.

Durability – How has it held up from 3 years of abuse?

From day one, this interface has dramatically increased my listening experience. Fast forward 3 years into the future, and it is still performing very well. Some things have cropped up here and there; age does a number on electronics, but nothing unbearable or unexpected –

Функции

Вся линейка интерфейсов U-PHORIA впечатляет количеством предлагаемых функций. Существует несколько интерфейсов, но редко какой-либо из них обладает такой универсальностью, как эта серия. В случае с бюджетным U-PHORIA UMC204HD вы видите два входа и четыре выхода. Оба входа оснащены комбинированным портом XLR/TRS — для использования как микрофона, так и инструмента — в то время как каждый из них подключен к высококачественному микрофонному предусилителю MIDAS от Behringer.

Элементы управления каналами довольно просты, с регулятором усиления для каждого отдельного входа, аттенюатором и переключателем, который позволяет выбирать между линейным и инструментальным входами. Рядом с ними мы видим кнопку Stereo/Mono, ручку Mix, ручку Main Out, а также кнопку прямого мониторинга и индикатор фантомного питания. Сзади Behringer разместил пару MIDI-выходов, стереофонический RCA-кластер и стереофонический 1/4-дюймовый TRS-кластер.

В сочетании с включенной копией Tracktion DAW и множеством загружаемых плагинов это больше, чем мы могли бы ожидать по этой цене.

FOCUSRITE Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen

Цена порядка 10000 руб.

FOCUSRITE Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen

Корпус выполнен из крепкого цельного алюминиевого профиля.

Звуковая карта FOCUSRITE Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen — это очередное обновление популярной серии аудиоинтерфейсов.

Два входных разъема: XLR (с возможностью подачи фантомного питания +48В для конденсаторных микрофонов) и инструментальный TRS. Присутствует выход для подключения наушников и трехцветная индикация уровня сигнала и перегрузки. Также предусмотрена возможность мониторинга звука с нулевой задержкой. На тыльной стороне корпуса расположились балансные TRS выходы.

Режим AIR, — который эмулирует работу микрофонных предусилителей с трансформаторный входом. Режим AIR можно включить, а можно выключить.

Подключение к компьютеру реализовано с помощью высокоскоростной шины USB-C. Внешнего блока питания не требуется, что будет особенно удобно в поездках.

В комплекте поставляется софт: Avid Pro Tools First, Ableton Live Lite, XLN Audio Addictive Keys, Softube Time и Tone Bundle, Focusrite Red Plug-in Suite.

Поддержка режимов

44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 кГц

Динамический диапазон	111 дБА
Кг+шум	<0.0012%

Steinberg UR12

Цена порядка 8500 руб.

Металлический корпус. Интерфейс Steinberg UR12 был представлен в конце 2014 г. — пугать это не должно. Модели звуковых карт живут очень долго. Особенно когда модель хорошая сама по себе получилась.

STEINBERG UR12

USB 2.0 с максимальным режимом работы 24 бит/192 кГц Дискретный микрофонный предусилитель Yamaha D-PRE с поддержкой фантомного питания +48 В, работающий в классе A один микрофонный XLR-вход и один Hi-Z инструментальный TRS-вход, а также линейный стереофонический выход 2 x RCA и разъём джек для подключения наушников/

Аппаратный мониторинг сигнала с нулевой задержкой. Поддержка платформ Windows и Mac OS, также заявлена возможность работы с iPad через переходник Camera Connection Kit или Lightning to USB Camera Adapter питание по шине USB при подключении к ПК или ноутбуку. При работе с iPad требуется внешний адаптер питания, подключаемый к micro-USB порту. Функция Loopback для интернет-стриминга в реальном времени.

В качестве преобразователя используется 24 бит 192кГц кодек Cirrus Logic CS4270. Паспортные характеристики ЦАП следующие: динамический диапазон 105 дБ, Кг+шум -87 дБ. Данные АЦП чуть лучше: динамический диапазон 105 дБ, Кг+шум -95 дБ.

Микрофонный вход MIC D-PRE (балансный, XLR) Максимальный уровень входа +0 dBu Входной импеданс 4 кОм Диапазон усиления +10 дБ … +54 дБ Гитарный вход HI-Z (небалансный, TRS) Максимальный уровень входа +8.5dBV Входной импеданс 1 MΩ Диапазон усиления +/-0 dB … +40 dB Линейный выход MAIN OUTPUT(небалансный, RCA) Максимальный уровень входа +6 dBV Выходной импеданс 600 Ом Наушниковый выход PHONES 1/2 Максимальный уровень входа 6 мВт + 6 мВт при 40 Ом Энергопотребление 2,5 Вт Габариты 159 x 46 x 144 мм Вес 850 г

How good are the “Award-Winning” Midas Pre-amps?

Well, aside from longevity issues, which I’ll explain in a later section, for the time that I have used the Behringer UMC204HD, these things have been excellent. Crystal-clear audio coming from my Cheapo Tonor BM-700 sounds far better than any headset and lav mics that I’ve used in the past. In fact, the audio out of this setup is so good, I haven’t felt the need to really upgrade my microphone at all, which I find to be pretty funny, given that I’m an audio enthusiast.

But don’t just take my word for it – Do your own research from sourcesA source is a media element that is part of a scene. In OBS Studio, there are many different source types that capture many different things. • Application Audio Capture (Beta) • Audio Input Capture • Audio Output Capture • Browser • Color Source • Display Capture • Game Capture • Image • Image Slide Show • Media Source • Scene • Text (GDI+) • VLC Video Source • Video Capture Device • Window Capture like Julian Krause, BoothJunkie, and Podcastage. I always encourage getting multiple perspectives on a product before making any buying decisions.

Odd Quirks – It is susceptible to electro-magnetic interference

I know that these devices are fairly sensitive, but some of these quirks caught me off guard. One such quirk had to do with when I had it placed directly underneath my TV, near its speaker. For about a month, I suffered from a strange and very annoying light “ticking” noise. Like a metronome, tick tick tick tick tick tick… GAAAH!

It turns out that issue was electromagnetic interference caused by the magnetic coil of the TV’s speaker.

Another weird issue was when I placed my phone on top of the interface – I received a text and heard what I thought was morse code coming through my headphones. After further testing, I confirmed that this same repeating pattern would play just before the speaker’s tone went off whenever I received a text message.

Long story short – Keep these devices away from other devices for the best audio quality possible.

Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD

This Interface is great for home recording and it’s a pretty good place to start. It’s ideal for singer-songwriters and musicians who need to record at home and don’t really want to invest a lot on the gear.

It’s a surprisingly good piece of tech, specially for what it costs. If you are just starting out, this one is a good option.

It comes with the MIDAS designed mic-preamps, which give you the same sound quality as their popular mixers, but at an affordable price and in a much more portable form.

It has two Combo XLR and ¼” inputs on the front, capable of recording two Microphones or Line/Instrument level signals through USB directly into your DAW, while on the back it also features MIDI I/O.

The highest recording quality you can achieve with this Interface is a 24-bit/192kHz resolution.

It also has the Direct Monitoring function which provides latency-free monitoring, should you need it.

Not only is it a good option for recording at home, but since it’s small and light it will certainly work well for travelling musicians who need to record at different locations.

The UMC204HD can be powered through the USB bus, making it ideal for musicians who are on the road.

Each channel comes with the essential controls that you could need; there’s the gain control for each individual input, an attenuation pad, and a switch that lets you choose between line and instrument level.

Then there’s a Stereo/Mono button, a Mix Knob, Main Out Knob, the Phantom Power On/Off Switch and the Headphone Knob, for monitoring.

Also, to make everything easier to monitor, it comes equipped with multiple LED indicators.

Another great feature is the Mono/Stereo switch on the front, which will allow you to quickly switch to mono while mixing, since this is an essential part of the mixing process.

I wrote an entire article on the topic about checking the mix in mono which you should definitely check out!

Let’s take a look at its performance;

Considering its extremely affordable price, the Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD actually surprised me.

The MIDAS Mic preamps on this unit are clean and sound incredible at this price point.

While searching on forums I found quite a lot of people complaining about driver issues and some (but not really that many), complained about having to disconnect and re-connect it because of unwanted noise issues.

This luckily didn’t happen to me since everything worked like a charm. Other than that, the general reviews were extremely positive.

Features

Quality 24-bit/192kHz 2-channel USB 2.0 recording interface for your Mac or Windows PC
Combo inputs with MIDAS preamp lets you plug in any mic-, line-, or instrument-level gear
+48V phantom power lets you use studio condenser microphones
Switchable input pads accommodate even extremely hot line-level signal
Tip-send/Ring-return 1/4″ insert points let you incorporate outboard processors
MIDI In and Out ports let you connect keyboard controllers and other MIDI gear
Stereo 1/4″, RCA, and headphone outputs with latency-free monitoring make tracking easy
Includes Tracktion DAW and 150 downloadable instrument/effect plug-ins

Specifications

Computer Connectivity	USB 2.0
Simultaneous I/O	2 x 4
Number of Preamps	2
A/D Resolution	24-bit/192kHz
MIDI I/O	In/Out
Analog Inputs	2 x XLR/TRS Combo, 2 x 1/4″ (Insert)
Analog Outputs	2 x Stereo, 2 x 1/4″, 1 x 1/4″ (Headphones)

Find out more about the Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD here:

Behringer UMC204HD: Amazon, Sweetwater.

Next is one of the most famous two-channel Audio Interfaces, and for good reason.

My favorite feature on the Behringer UMC204HD – The Mix knob

One particularly useful knob is the one that is labeled “Mix,” which will allow you to monitor both your microphone input into the headphones that are plugged into the phone’s jack on the far right and the pc or device that it is attached to. This knob is one that I use the most – when I’m chatting with friends, I turn it to the middle, allowing me to hear both myself and my friends through discord on the pc.

When I’m not chatting with friends, I turn it all the way to the right, as shown in the picture above. This allows me to cut down on the background noise a few levels when watching YouTube, listening to music, or whatever, really. This becomes especially apparent with headphones that feature great noise cancellation, such as my Beyerdynamic DT770 Pros.