Which Sound Card Line-In

[john_t]

Can someone recommend a way to get a quality Line-In? be it part fo a sound card or special usb device or whatever...

My current Realtek onboard sound has a very poor Line-In, which is frustrating because I seem to be using it more and more.

Many Thanks,

John

[steve]

I use a Behringer UCA202 - it does not have many features other than Line in and line out, but the sound quality is good and it is very inexpensive. I use it for transfering cassette tapes from a hi-fi cassette deck and I would say that it is ideal for this type of thing. It also works well for recoding from my mixing desk .

Waxcylinder uses a similar device made by Edirol - if he drops by I'm sure he will supply the model number.

[waxcylinder]

Yes it's the Edirol UA-1EX - it has more features/functionalty than the Behringer, but it's a bit more expensive. I considered both of these but figured that I could use the extra functionality (gain controls in particular - and the digital input).

I use it for LP, tape and minidisc transcription, off-air FM capture and for occasional spoken word mic work wiyh the Sony mic that I originally bought for my minidisc. It produces excellent results in all these roles.

WC

[john_t]

THanks for the replies

[kozikowski]

I use Macs. They both have terrific Line-In connections, analog or optical, and the connections came with the computers.

They will not manage a microphone connection, however, so that's where I get to break out the credit card and y'all get to laugh at me.

I do have two Win2000 deskside machines and they both have SoundBlaster sound cards. Both work well.

Koz

[steve]

They will not manage a microphone connection, however, so that's where I get to break out the credit card and y'all get to laugh at me.

Not at all, most PC's have rubbish microphone pre-amps. However the line-in on many PC sound cards (full size PC's rather than lap-tops) are quite respectable.

I do have two Win2000 deskside machines

That's when I start laughing. It's no wonder that you have a low opinion of Windows PC's,

OK, so I'm taking the mickey a bit, but Windows 2000 is not a good OS. It lacks the desktop user functionality of XP, and the stability and security of NT. It does not rank quite as badly as Windows ME in my eyes, but I am definitely not a fan.

... they both have SoundBlaster sound cards. Both work well.
Koz

I will agree with you on that. I have a few SB cards, and they are not bad at all. I don't particularly like the company behind them, and I'm not particularly impressed with many if their drivers, but several of their sound-cards perform extremely well.

[kozikowski]

<<<That's when I start laughing. It's no wonder that you have a low opinion of Windows PC's,>>>

Oh, it was a long time coming. My addressbook runs very comfortably under MS-DOS 6.2. My CompuServe subscription, still running, was opened July 17th, 1985. I have a license for Windows 1.0.

OS-X was the first time I could devote all of my time to accomplishing tasks and enjoying myself without reserving half my head to worry about when and where the next bloody, expensive explosion was going to come from.

It's quite liberating, really.

Koz

[john_t]

Dear Stevethefiddle and Waxcylinder.

I want to thank you again for your advice. I went for the Edirol UA-1EX and am speechless. It is perfect. I have recorded old vinyl and cassettes perfectly, even found a lead that would accomidate my guitar amp - which records beautifully. Also, I have been using my Nintendo DS synth app Korg DS-10 and recording that through the DS' headphone port to the phono input on the UA-1EX. All this and I am yet to experiment with anything above 44.1khz.

So thanks again for reccomending the Edirol UA-1EX. And if anyone else had a similar problem to me, this product and any advice from Stevethefiddle and Waxcylinder is HIGHLY RECCOMENDED.


John

[waxcylinder]

John,

glad you're pleased with the Edirol - and don't forget that it is a two-way device i.e. you can set it to be sound output device for your PC in preference to the onboard soundcard. You will probably get much better sound quality doing this. Options are to use headphones or active loudspeakers plugged into the headphone socket of the soundcard, using the Edirols gain control to manage the output level(I have a great pair of Wharfdale Active Diamonds that work a treat configured like this). Or you can take the RCA outs on the Edirol and connect them to say an AUX input on a pre-amp or mini hi-fi system.

WC