will using a 24bit soundcard with your laptop/serato make your tracks sound better?

[Radic]

i just brought a macbook with serato and was wondering could i improve the audio signal buy using a soundcard such as the motu ultralite?

Am i sending out a shitty signal by just using the onboard soundcard?

Am i even using the onboard sound card?

[Pro Tool]

No is the short answer.

Reasons are:
-Serato is a closed propritary system. The only soundcard you can use with it is theirs.
-You can't polish a turd. ie, playing back a 16bit file through a 24bit capable unit is still just playing back a 16bit file.

However, better DA converters will make material come out more in the way that god intended it. That is, converters are more responsible for degrading a signal than they are for improving it. This is why it's good practise to use the best available at a given time.

And no, if you're using the Serato box you're not using the onboard soundcard, you're using the Serato one. It's a totally separate set of AD/DA converters to what you'll find on the laptop. Onboard sound is so bad it needn't rate a mention.

As far as the Serato box goes, it's a usable unit but certainly not in the league of a MOTU or the current crop of interfaces on the market. It's been around a long while now and shows its age when compared to the latest and greatest.

[Spectrum]

Do you run any externally-powered, external hard drives?

I get pretty noisy sound via my Mac Book Pro's internal soundcard, and that is since discovering the extension lead to the power adaptor may add an earth (loop) connection, but the problem persists with it removed from the electrical path.

If it's currently noise-free, enjoy Serato for now, especially because it's not likely you're mixing 24 bit files to begin with.

As far as I'm concerned, 16 bit is ideal for DJing, while 24 bit is ideal for multitrack production.

[Spectrum]

No is the short answer.

Reasons are:
-Serato is a closed propritary systed. The only soundcard you can use with it is theirs.



Well that kinda enforces a pretty short answer in my books! :lol:

[Radic]

No is the short answer.

Reasons are:
-Serato is a closed propritary systed. The only soundcard you can use with it is theirs.
-You can't polish a turd. ie, playing back a 16bit file through a 24bit capable unit is still just playing back a 16bit file.

However, better DA converters will make material come out more in the way that god intended it. That is, converters are more responsible for degrading a signal than they are for improving it. This is why it's good practise to use the best available at a given time.

And no, if you're using the Serato box you're not using the onboard soundcard, you're using the Serato one. It's a totally separate set of AD/DA converters to what you'll find on the laptop. Onboard sound is so bad it needn't rate a mention.

As far as the Serato box goes, it's a usable unit but certainly not in the league of a MOTU or the current crop of interfaces on the market. It's been around a long while now and shows its age when compared to the latest and greatest.

my god that's the best answer ive ever heard to that question. Thanks heaps. XD :thumb: XD

[Radic]

Do you run any externally-powered, external hard drives?

I get pretty noisy sound via my Mac Book Pro's internal soundcard, and that is since discovering the extension lead to the power adaptor may add an earth (loop) connection, but the problem persists with it removed from the electrical path.

If it's currently noise-free, enjoy Serato for now, especially because it's not likely you're mixing 24 bit files to begin with.

As far as I'm concerned, 16 bit is ideal for DJing, while 24 bit is ideal for multitrack production.

I use a western digital 250gig external hdd (usb powered).
Everything is fkn awesome at the moment i got no complaints. Always had this question on my mind and never really had a clear answer for it till now (confirmation really. I'll sleep better tonight :) )