Why use a USB audio interface?
Over the last decade or so we have witnessed significant progress in the area of digital audio. However, the standard audio interface built into personal computers (including workstations and laptops) has changed very little since the original Sound Blaster 16. A typical Macintosh or Windows computer has a simple 1/8-inch audio interface consisting of (1) stereo line-out, for powered speakers or headphones, (2) mono microphone-in, for electret desktop or headset microphones and headsets, and (3) stereo line-in. Laptops these days are typically limited to (1) and (2), while some more sophisticated desktop motherboards come with a surround output system – see Figure 3 below. Such an interface may be sufficient for gaming and/or home theater purposes, but it is not suitable for professional audio applications. Figure 3. Audio inputs and outputs of an Intel DP55KG motherboards (photo courtesy Intel) The USB (and FireWire) bus provides a fast and efficient protocol for transferring digital
