A source of audio hardware information?

Simplex1z

New member
Is there a source (like a website, a course or a book) of information about audio hardware you can recommend? Information about things like I/O types, hardware types (amps, audio interfaces etc.) and so on.

I've been producing for about 3 years now and have only used a DAW and studio headphones. I was thinking of buying an audio interface to get a clearer output, but after some googling I realized that audio hardware is far more complex than I thought. There are so many input/output types I never knew existed. If I were to get a set of monitors, I'd have no idea where to plug them in or even what type of connector is needed to plug them in (I assume you don't use a 3.5mm jack for monitors). So far I haven't found any place online that clearly explains how this stuff works, only small bits of information on certain products.
Thanks!
 
Digital signal processing guides.
Control Voltage [If you use that type of software] manuals.
Audio interface lists abundant in the search function.

On & off prod since 2010. Learned some theory and some instruments along the way.
 
In the description of the monitors it will likely say what cable they will use, the're almost all either XLR or 1/4 inch line or have options for both. Most interfaces will have 1 or both of those if they have both u can use either cable to hook them up.
 
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SoundonSound dot com. I can't think of a better magazine and they sell their own books! Not to mention web version can be read online.
Common connections are via jack (which can be easily unplugged) or XLR that has a lock, perhaps.
 
ya, studio monitors are connected through the outputs

For your speakers, follow this pattern:
Mixer bus (aka the master track) of you DAW mixer ---> Audio Interface, Audio Interface Outputs --> Studio Monitors

*Make sure you computer's audio settings and your DAWs audio settings are both selecting your audio interface.

For recording instruments, follow this pattern:
Instrument/Mic --> Audio interface Inputs, Audio interface --> Computer --> Empty track in your DAW mixer


Make sure your audio interface is installed on your computer and turned on. Your DAW will pick it up and display all of its channels in the mixer.
 
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SoundonSound dot com. I can't think of a better magazine and they sell their own books! Not to mention web version can be read online.
Common connections are via jack (which can be easily unplugged) or XLR that has a lock, perhaps.

Second that. Very informative.
There's some other good ones still around too. They kept relevant by staying on point with good info. As far as audio-interfaces go, there haven't been any real innovations for a long time.
Just go with one of the staples that fits your budget and you'll be fine. More expensive is usually moar better (lower latency is always better, higher sample-rates..meh, not so much) but by the tiniest of degrees,
not something to obsess too much about unless you're buying one for thousands of dollars, to drive thousands of dollars worth of speakers ;) USB interfaces are a decent option nowadays.
 
Also, while it looks very complex at first, most of the basic analog signal routing is actually about as involved as hooking up a home stereo - and in a "bedroom studio" type of environment, you rarely need to go any deeper than "basic"; there are but a handful of different cables and connections that are used for just about everything, most audio interfaces are more or less the same, amplifiers are fairly straightforward and so on. And if you run into a wall, you can always ask here - people already handed you some solutions on the basics of connecting monitors for example.
 
I'm graduated in Electrical Engineering and all I can say is that you need some courses in Basic Electrical Circuits, Communication Circuits and Magnetics to fully understand what is behind an Audio hardware.
 
I'm graduated in Electrical Engineering and all I can say is that you need some courses in Basic Electrical Circuits, Communication Circuits and Magnetics to fully understand what is behind an Audio hardware.

Of course, but you don't need engineering courses to hook up some speakers. Which was the point here :)
 
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