Connecting Digital Guitar Amp to Mac/PC by jack-to-usb

huvudvark

New member
Hi,
I cannot find answer even by googling so I'm asking here.

I have Line6 spider 75w amp and i'm thinking how it could sound if i would connect it to computer by jack-usb cable using build in amp output.
Somebody tried this already? I can get get that cable for good price but i don't want to buy some crap.

Would it sound just good?
 
Hi,
I cannot find answer even by googling so I'm asking here.

I have Line6 spider 75w amp and i'm thinking how it could sound if i would connect it to computer by jack-usb cable using build in amp output.
Somebody tried this already? I can get get that cable for good price but i don't want to buy some crap.

Would it sound just good?

There is more than one Spider 75 model! The Spider 75mk lll does not have a USB port. It does have a headphone/line output* but the manual does not say if this is "speaker emulated" and if not it WILL sound fizzy crap.

The S 75 mk 1V has a USB port but for "future use"? Well I can tell thee Line 6 the future is HERE and a USB port should allow recording and playback!

However, putting aside the likely quality or otherwise of a cable converter you would still be very limited operationally. Playback, overdubbing and monitoring are likely to be difficult or impossible. These USB "jam jacks" are IMHO a cheap, partial solution to the budding home recordist who will quickly find and be frustrated by their limitations.

So, save for an Audio Interface. A cheap but good one is the Alesis i02 but there are many others and virtually all give good to excellent results. The very best way to record the amplifier is with an AI and a microphone. The Shure SM57 is THE default mic for this job but there are plenty of dynamic mics around now at a third the price that will give very acceptable results.

Dave.
 
Hi,
I cannot find answer even by googling so I'm asking here.

I have Line6 spider 75w amp and i'm thinking how it could sound if i would connect it to computer by jack-usb cable using build in amp output.
Somebody tried this already? I can get get that cable for good price but i don't want to buy some crap.

Would it sound just good?

If your amp does have a USB connection to the computer then I don't think you necessarily need an interface, but you might want to get one anyway. It gives you more control over the inputs and gives you the ability to add studio monitors. If you are planning to use the headphone out then you'll need an interface to get the signal from the guitar to the computer. If you're thinking of using a cable with a 1/4" instrument jack on one end and a USB connection on the other I can't say how the signal will translate, but I would imagine it would not be very good.

Your post got me thinking that you might be able to use the amps headphone out (with an interface) even if it's not emulated and add a speaker/cab emulator with impulse responses to the track. That's how it works for amp simulator plug-ins so theoretically it should work here too.

Look up "amp modeling" or "amp sims" and "cabinet sims" for more info.
 
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