A tutorial talked @ ports for the sound card.
http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Tuto ... necting_Up
It said:
"USB devices
For better audio quality, many people use an USB audio device."
This is better than using the blue line input port? (The light blue port is normally the line input port and is usually stereo.) Isn't this method connected directly to my sound card?
I've been using what they call a Boombox to record my cassette tapes to make audio cds.
Would the following device really give better quality sound? I don't have usb sound card so I'd have to attach the line from recorder to any open usb port.
Grace Digital Tape 2 USB II GDI-T2USB200 Cassette deck
http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... CGcQ8wIwBA
appreciate opinions
recording with USB device better?
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waxcylinder
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Re: recording with USB device better?
Have a look at this tutorial: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Tuto ... iscs_to_CD
Yes indeed you should be able to connect the line-level output from a cassette deck to the line in on your PC - and yes in that case it will use you PCs soundcard.
The Grace device is a cassette deck with an onboard soundcard of its own which will deliver digitzed siganl to you PC via USB. It is unlikely to deliver anything like as high quality as a good well-maintained cassette deck - its on;y $80 so some compromises will have had to have been made.
The reason that some folk use an external USB soundcard is if their onboard soundcard is of poor quality or is noisy.
When I transferred my tapes, I used my existing Nakamichi deck (had it serviced) plugged through my external USB soundcard (Edirol UA-1EX) - it produced excellent results.
WC
Yes indeed you should be able to connect the line-level output from a cassette deck to the line in on your PC - and yes in that case it will use you PCs soundcard.
The Grace device is a cassette deck with an onboard soundcard of its own which will deliver digitzed siganl to you PC via USB. It is unlikely to deliver anything like as high quality as a good well-maintained cassette deck - its on;y $80 so some compromises will have had to have been made.
The reason that some folk use an external USB soundcard is if their onboard soundcard is of poor quality or is noisy.
When I transferred my tapes, I used my existing Nakamichi deck (had it serviced) plugged through my external USB soundcard (Edirol UA-1EX) - it produced excellent results.
WC
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Re: recording with USB device better?
Appreciate your answer WC. Understood most of what you said but a little lost too. Sorry.
"The Grace device is a cassette deck with an onboard soundcard of its own which will deliver digitzed siganl to you PC via USB. It is unlikely to deliver anything like as high quality as a good well-maintained cassette deck -"
Think your last sentenace answered my question. Still think a direct connection to my sound card would be better. Using the Blue input port.
I have this Grace unit already. For some reason I've been using my Sony CFD-S05 (boombox type unit) to record from thinking it directly connected to my sound card. Now you'll want specs on my sound card. LOL
Sound card is Realtek but is on-board (embedded in motherboard). Not sure of other specs for it. It sounds good but I'm a common user of audio and not a pro.
I've recorded audio Cds already with the Sony and they sound good on stereo players. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything because I wasn't using the Grace unit.
Thank you.
"The Grace device is a cassette deck with an onboard soundcard of its own which will deliver digitzed siganl to you PC via USB. It is unlikely to deliver anything like as high quality as a good well-maintained cassette deck -"
Think your last sentenace answered my question. Still think a direct connection to my sound card would be better. Using the Blue input port.
I have this Grace unit already. For some reason I've been using my Sony CFD-S05 (boombox type unit) to record from thinking it directly connected to my sound card. Now you'll want specs on my sound card. LOL
Sound card is Realtek but is on-board (embedded in motherboard). Not sure of other specs for it. It sounds good but I'm a common user of audio and not a pro.I've recorded audio Cds already with the Sony and they sound good on stereo players. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything because I wasn't using the Grace unit.
Thank you.
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waxcylinder
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Re: recording with USB device better?
Your best tool for working out whether you get a better recording with the Sony&Realtek onboard card versus the Gracewith it's wn soundcard is your ears. Do some listening tests on good quality speakers or good headphones.
If the recordings were originally made on the Sony then you may well find that produces better playback.
Do try to clean the transport mechanism of the Sony, the capstan and the pinch roller, as dust shed from the yapes accumulates over the years.
WC
If the recordings were originally made on the Sony then you may well find that produces better playback.
Do try to clean the transport mechanism of the Sony, the capstan and the pinch roller, as dust shed from the yapes accumulates over the years.
WC
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waxcylinder
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Re: recording with USB device better?
Rather than recording CDs you should be ripping them directly (the only CDs you may have to record are the odd ones they produced with DRM copy protection on them).sandy431 wrote:I've recorded audio Cds already with the Sony and they sound good on stereo players. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything because I wasn't using the Grace unit.
See: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/How_to_import_CDs
WC
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Re: recording with USB device better?
Apologize for not saying things correctly. Appreciate any opinion you have.
The Sony player is only @ 2+ months old. How often should I clean it?
Years ago I heard @ de-magnatisers that should be used to help maintain cassette players. Is this necessary? How often? Hard to find but may get off ebay.
I have what I think is a Head cleaner. A liquid solution is put into a Special cassette where a hole is, then you push "play" on the player. How often should I do this? Is it necessary?
Maybe I'm wrong but still think a direct connection to my sound card with Sony may be better? Or does the quality of sound have something to with the source (where the sounds come from)?
TY very much for any info.
I meant I Made (recorded) audio cds from the cassette tapes with the Sony player. The cassette tapes were Not created on the Sony. The tapes are ones I bought many years ago, some from 1980's. Music rock groups such as The Who, Moody Blues etc.I've recorded audio Cds already with the Sony and they sound good on stereo players. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything because I wasn't using the Grace unit.
With What? How?Do try to clean the transport mechanism of the Sony, the capstan and the pinch roller, as dust shed from the yapes accumulates over the years.
The Sony player is only @ 2+ months old. How often should I clean it?
Years ago I heard @ de-magnatisers that should be used to help maintain cassette players. Is this necessary? How often? Hard to find but may get off ebay.
I have what I think is a Head cleaner. A liquid solution is put into a Special cassette where a hole is, then you push "play" on the player. How often should I do this? Is it necessary?
Maybe I'm wrong but still think a direct connection to my sound card with Sony may be better? Or does the quality of sound have something to with the source (where the sounds come from)?
TY very much for any info.