---
title: "Audio hardware and audio software"
subject: "Multimedia System"
chapter: 2
key: "semester_8/multimedia_system:audio-hardware-software"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/multimedia_system/audio-hardware-software
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Audio hardware and audio software

Multimedia System · Chapter 2: Sound / Audio System

- Asked in: 2074 Bhadra, 5 marks
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/multimedia_system/audio-hardware-software
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/multimedia_system/chapter-2

## Question

Explain about audio hardware and audio software.

## Short answer

Audio hardware captures, converts and plays sound: microphone, sound card with ADC/DAC/DSP, amplifier, speakers, MIDI devices and storage. Audio software includes drivers, recording/editing tools, MIDI sequencers, codecs, players and speech programs, controlling hardware through drivers.

## Answer

Audio on a computer needs **hardware** to capture, convert and play sound, and **software** to record, edit, compress and play it.

#### Audio hardware

- **Microphone:** converts sound pressure into an analogue electrical signal.
- **Sound card (audio interface):** the main component. It contains an **ADC** (analogue to digital converter) for recording, a **DAC** for playback, a **DSP** for processing, a MIDI synthesiser and a mixer. It has line-in, mic-in, line-out, speaker and MIDI/game ports.
- **Amplifier and speakers/headphones:** the DAC output is amplified and converted back to sound waves.
- **MIDI devices:** keyboard, synthesiser, sequencer connected through the MIDI interface.
- **Storage:** hard disk, CD/DVD and flash to keep the large audio files.

```text
 Mic -> ADC -> Computer (DSP/CPU) -> DAC -> Amp -> Speaker
```

#### Audio software

- **Device drivers and operating-system audio services** (Windows WDM/DirectSound, ALSA, Core Audio) that let programs use the sound card.
- **Recording and editing software** such as Audacity and Sound Forge: record, cut, copy, mix, add effects (echo, reverb), remove noise, change pitch and tempo.
- **MIDI sequencers** such as Cubase to compose and arrange music.
- **Codecs and converters:** compress and convert between WAV, MP3, AAC, OGG.
- **Players:** Windows Media Player, VLC to play audio.
- **Speech software:** speech recognition and text-to-speech programs.

The software controls the hardware through drivers, and the hardware does the real-time conversion between analogue and digital forms.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which components does the sound card contain for recording and playback?
   A. Only an amplifier
   B. ADC for recording and DAC for playback, plus DSP and synthesiser
   C. Only a microphone
   D. Only a codec
   Answer: B. The sound card has an ADC, DAC, DSP, MIDI synthesiser and mixer. (Key point: Sound card components)

2. In the audio chain, what is the order from microphone to speaker?
   A. Mic, DAC, computer, ADC, amp, speaker
   B. Mic, amp, ADC, DAC, speaker
   C. Mic, ADC, computer, DAC, amp, speaker
   D. Mic, computer, ADC, speaker
   Answer: C. Sound is digitised by the ADC, processed by the computer, converted back by the DAC and amplified for the speaker. (Key point: Playback chain)

3. What do device drivers and OS audio services do?
   A. Compose music note by note
   B. Remove noise from a recording
   C. Convert WAV to MP3
   D. Let programs use the sound card
   Answer: D. Drivers and OS audio services (DirectSound, ALSA, Core Audio) give programs access to the sound card. (Key point: Role of drivers)

4. How do audio software and audio hardware divide the work?
   A. Software does real-time analogue-digital conversion
   B. Software controls the hardware through drivers while hardware converts between analogue and digital in real time
   C. Hardware edits the waveform and adds effects
   D. Hardware compiles the drivers
   Answer: B. Software controls hardware through drivers, and the hardware does the real-time analogue/digital conversion. (Key point: Software versus hardware role)

## Related in Multimedia System

- [Audio hardware](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fmultimedia_system%3Aaudio-hardware) — Multimedia System, chapter 2
- [Audio software](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fmultimedia_system%3Aaudio-software) — Multimedia System, chapter 2

## Related in other subjects

- [Hardware vs software interrupts](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fmicroprocessor%3Ahardware-vs-software-interrupts) — Microprocessor, chapter 5