I agree and suggested even looking for a second hand sound card to save money.

I never said to ignore the benchmark charts just not to be too put off by them and discard the lower cards in the chart.

In that price range I've used a fair few cards and imo in terms of latency there really isn't much of a noticeable difference and non have been of any hindrance.
The saffire 6 is bottom of the list and I would recommend that to anyone on a budget, I've had a few and never had a problem with them. They will certainly be good enough for the op to hook up monitors to and use for gaming and production.
Mic pres will obviously differ from make and models but once processed and mixed are you really going to notice, especially on lower end gear?
The only internal card I've owned was a sound blaster but thats not even worth mentioning lol..

Choosing a sound card is a personal thing and your choice would be made depending on your needs. Just like any equipment though like monitors etc I would always recommend spending the most you can afford but don't be afraid to grab a second hand bargain.

As for the the topic title internal vs external.. Nothing wrong with either but my personal choice would be usb atm even though I'm using firewire but like I said thats because of conflicts with my virus. Firewire works just fine unless you knock the cable and it goes off and it could become a pain.

But then to contradict everything I've just wrote my next sound card is going to be a tb uad card

Check reviews online and make a choice for yourself, you can't go wrong with whats been suggested in this thread, but you could go on another forum and have people tell you the opposite. Everyone has an opinion.

Its up to you at the end of the day what you decide and I'm sure you will be happy with whatever you choose.

 

I wouldn't and I'm looking at her right now, especially considering she isn't much cheaper than Pro 24 or 14 *no*

 

I did say on a budget lol you can pick 1 up for under 70 euros if you look around. They are ideal imo if you're just looking to hook up some monitors and has a good headphone output. Again it's all about your needs and requirements.

I'm now using the pro 14 atm but looking to upgrade soon as I need the extra inputs for my synths.

I'm torn between an RME card or UAD. I've always wanted to use some UAD plugs but the standard and selection we have on offer to us to use now without the need for extra hardware is probably just as good. Cpu power isn't really an issue anymore these days so it's not like I need the card to run its plugs and free up resources. I probably will end up with an RME card tbh I know a few people who use and swear by them, just need to save up a little more and hope I don't gas for anything else in the meantime

 

Than guess Pro 14 is 90 and Pro 24 is 150, 6 is legacy now, drivers are hit&miss all the time and they are not there even now *no* especially usb 1.1 which don't gel with intel i processors, just skip Saffire 6, it's not worth it. *no*

Good call

 

The system, the OS, the driver, while monitoring what you are recording,.even the cables make audible differences, Call Sweetwater Sound, my guy there is Greg Savino, he knows his stuff, any sales Engineer should be able to help. There is much more than latency to consider. Sound quality should be #1, any decent ASIO driver is going to give good latency. Internal cards are prosumer. USB, thunderbolt, PCIe + outboard boxes, or ethernet-based interface, I would worry more about the DA/AD converters. what computer you use will also make a difference as will cables, I use Mogami Cables, Jumperz are a good less expensive cable. DIGI grid by WAVES are interesting, MOTU makes an amazing audio/video PCIe interface for less than $900. Ethernet/Dante probably has the lowest latency. USB 3 will carry more tracks than USB 2. RME and Lynx are good PCie based systems, It all depends on your budget and your needs. Talk to a pro, Sweetwater is the best place to buy gear.

 

Forget UAD, you can get WAVES Complete for a few key strokes. UAD just uses shark Chips for processing, Look into this: MOTU HDX-SDI Video Interface with PCIe Card $849 at Sweetwater Here is the description: The HDX-SDI video interface is one more reason why we turn to MOTU for professional video production. You can easily capture or monitor video in most popular video software using uncompressed HD and SD and Apple ProRes formats. Take full advantage of the HDX-SDI's HDMI, HD/SD-SDI, HD/SD component, and S-video I/O, freeing yourself from the limitations of your other video equipment. You also get 16 channels of pro-quality digital audio via analog, AES/EBU, and embedded formats, along with the HDX-SDI's ultra-high-speed PCIe connection. If you are considering ever doing any video, you can't beat this. the connectivity Pay audio is sweet. it has 12-out USB 2.0 Audio Interface, 24-bit/96kHz, with Dual Computer Connectivity and MIDI Host Port - Mac/PC $600 I would talk to a Sweetwater sales Engineer, they are the most knowledgeable of any store, call Greg Savino, he's been doing this for 20 years and was a pro keyboard player before. Still plays out, knows more than anyone I know when it comes to the latest audio gear. e toured with the Pop princess Debbie Gibson, lol. there is just so much out there. talk to a pro.