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Laptops and Audacity
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:32 pm
by djrichf
Can anyone help me ?
I've just bought a brand new Samsung 300E4C laptop, specifically to store and record music on. I'm trying to record onto Audacity from my CDJ's and Pioneer mixer but it's not liking it ! ! The levels are huge and quality recording just aint happening.
Can I buy anything to remedy this or am I going back to PC World to murder the salesman who sold it me. Specifically to do music on ! !
Re: Laptops and Audacity
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:50 pm
by waxcylinder
Most modern laptops only have a mic-in and not a line-in. Mic level signal are much lower than line levels.
If this is the case then you are a candidate for one of the external USB souncards which we know work well with Audacity:
http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9477
The UCA-202 gets many honourable mentions on this forum.
WC
Re: Laptops and Audacity
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:32 pm
by djrichf
Wow, that was quick ! ! Thanks for that dude. I will have a browse online and see what I can find. I have a mic and a headphone point on my lappy, neither one is any use. Is that usb soundcard something I can just use when recording mixes and then remove ?
Sorry to sound so dumbass but I'm pretty technophobic. I preferred it when all uis DJ's used Technics ! !
Re: Laptops and Audacity
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:49 am
by waxcylinder
Yup, just plug it in for the recording and then remove it.
But you can also use it as an output soundcard too, using its output RCA jacks to feed your amp/DJ kit. This is likely to give you better sound than using the onboard soundcard on the Samsung.
WC
Re: Laptops and Audacity
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 11:35 am
by Shaky
waxcylinder wrote:But you can also use it as an output soundcard too, using its output RCA jacks to feed your amp/DJ kit. This is likely to give you better sound than using the onboard soundcard on the Samsung.
As I read it that is not his setup; instead he is going from an analog mixer straight into some sort of PA system, and merely using the computer to record mixes.
However, if at some stage he wants to use DJ software, it may be that a soundcard with additional input/outputs is a better choice.
For example with a 2 in/2 out soundcard you could use your CDJs or even Technics along with timecode CDs or vinyl to control say a Traktor system, for which the output could then be routed back out into an analog mixer with full effects, etc. Basically you get a little for flexibility.
Here's an article that might be useful:
http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2010/08/so ... gital-djs/