Choosing a Third-Party Audio Interface
Before you purchase a separate audio interface, consider that most third-party video
interfaces may have enough audio connectors to meet your requirements. You should
consider a separate audio interface when:
 You are trying to capture or output more audio channels than your built-in audio
interface or third-party video interface supports
 You need to capture or output in a format not supported by your existing interfaces
(for example, if you need to capture audio at a sample rate of 96 kHz but your video
interface only supports a sample rate of 48 kHz)
Benefits of a Third-Party Audio Interface
Third-party audio interfaces can provide many more features than your computer’s
built-in interfaces, such as:
 More than two audio channels—eight channels is common, but some interfaces
have 24 or more input and output channels
 Professional connectors such as XLR or 1/4" TRS
 High-quality analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters supporting sample
rates as high as 192 kHz and 24 bits per sample
 Support for analog and digital audio formats
 Stable, “jitter-free” digital audio clocks
Tips for Selecting a Third-Party Audio Interface
When you select an audio interface, make sure it has the following:
 Connectors that match your audio equipment, such as XLR, 1/4" TRS, RCA, or TOSLINK
 Support for audio signal formats that your audio equipment uses, such as AES/EBU,
S/PDIF, or ADAT Lightpipe
 Enough audio inputs and outputs to connect your equipment
 Sample rate and bit depth at least as high as your audio equipment. For example, if
you have an audio device with a sample rate of 96 kHz and 24 bits, your audio
interface should at least match this.
Important:
If you are considering purchasing an interface, make sure it supports
Mac OS X Core Audio. Final Cut Pro supports any audio interface that is compatible
with Mac OS X Core Audio.
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Part III
Setting Up Your Editing System