so i would still classify myself in the beginner category when it comes to buying hardware, so i need some help haha
im working on my first track, and know that i need a sound card pretty bad. I went to a music store and was recommended the Protools Mbox Mini which is $269.99. I am a first year college student too, so you can say im on quite the budget 
I was hoping to get some recommendations on a solid sound card that isn’t too pricey but also pretty portable. I would like it to be something i can use for the long run as well, as i would like to avoid having to upgrade frequently
any help would be great!
http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/focusrite-saffire-6-usb--67804
this is the soundcard i was recommended too instead of the mbox mini too
Saffire 6 FTW
If you want more info take a look through these:
focusrite Saffire 6 USB Audio Interface.
same as what you posted correct?
Yes, the one you linked to on Digital Village.
Ok, first of all, why do you need the soundcard?
If you really do need one, The Saffire 6 is a nice card, and I think you’ll be happy with it both on pc and mac. The only downside is that it’s usb powered, so the heaphone output isn’t very loud compared to others. If that’s an issue, you should look at the Focusrite Scarlett 8i6, which runs on external power, and is also usb 2.0.
i have a couple buddies who say its necessary to have one for recording and basically producing your tracks, but i will be in a dorm room this year for school so im not going to get monitors. i have senheisser 650hd’s though for producing.
if anyone thinks a sound card isn’t that necessary for my situation, please TELL me. would love to save cash
There are a couple of situations where a soundcard is a must:
If you plan on recording audio (vocals, guitars, sax etc), then you need one.
Also, if you are using a pc and record your midi notes by playing a keyboard, then a soundcard can be handy because of latency issues, but the Asio4All driver will also fix the latency.
On mac, latency is not an issue, so the only reason for a soundcard there is for recording audio.
k i run on a brandew mac, and use a midi device, but do you mean recording audio such as a voice, or recording any audio clip in general?
By recording audio, I mean recording from an external source, such as vocals etc using a microphone.
ok cool yeah im not looking to do that now, so i should be fine without a sound card?
Yeah - save the money
You don’t need a sound card to produce with a mac. And if ur strapped for cash, I’d just look for vocal samples online and put off getting a sound card.