Usb recording without an interface?
 

I recently purchased an apex 440 usb condenser mic. I plan to do some simple recording soon but have some questions. What does an audio interface do (preamp?) and how much sound quality will I lose if I directly connect it into my Sony Vaio?

The audio interface will generally have multiple inputs for mics/instruments and will give you the ability to manually set seperate gain/loss levels for each. They usually require a Breakout Box that connects to either an open PCI/USB/FireWire slot.

It is not necessary for recording, but it definitely will give you more control.

Thanks so much. So just to clarify I am only losing control not quality?

Well that all depends on your setup. Without an audio interface, you're relying solely on your computer's soundcard. As long as you have a decent one, if you're just looking to use a microphone for vocals, I don't think you'll lose too much quality. If you are looking to record instruments through the mic, then you'll definitely lose quality versus a Breakout Box.

Put simply: I've yet to run into the first laptop with a decent onboard audio card.
It's not going to sound as good as it gets, but most people don't hear or don't care :)

hmm well I will get back to you next week when I get a chance to actually record something because Ive been busy. Ill let you know if im satisfied with the sound or not and you guys can help me find a solution if I don't.