What is a sound card?

An expansion card or IC, known as a sound card, is used by computers to generate sound that may be heard through speakers or headphones. Even though a sound card is not required, every computer has one either integrated into the motherboard or available in an expansion slot.  

What do sound cards do?

Sound cards help convert analogue audio signals to digital ones and digital ones to analogue ones. Technically speaking, a sound card is an optional step, but it’s essential if you wish to connect a microphone with an analogue output or hear sound from your PC using wired headphones or speakers. These parts are made to handle the complex task of turning signals into high-quality sound. 

Digital-to-Analog converters (DACs) used in sound cards transform created or recorded digital signal data into analogue form. Using common interconnects, such as a TRS phone connector, the output signal is then linked to an amplifier, a pair of headphones, or an external audio device.  

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The audio samples may be transferred to and from the main memory by the card via direct memory access, after which a recording and playback programme may read the samples from the main memory, and write them to the hard drive for storage, editing, or additional processing. 

The sound card has four primary uses: as a synthesiser (to create sounds), as a MIDI interface, as an analog-to-digital converter (used, for instance, to record sound from a microphone), and as a digital-to-analog converter (used to reproduce sound for a speaker).  

While most devices today have a sound card integrated into the motherboard, you can still find all kinds of sound cards sold separately, which are great for use with specific gadgets or equipment.