Line output

[Zarathustra]

I'm not particularly experienced with electronics, but I know what to do with the received sound once it's actually on my computer. However, my audio set up was apparently really wrong, because a friend told me it was probably damaging the electronics I was working with.

The way I was recording is by hooking up a mic or guitar to an amp (currently an Ibanez bass amp), then plugging in a conversion piece from the 1/4 inch jack to the 1/8 inch jack, which I plugged into my microphone port. I heard some odd popping noises, when plugging this in, from my speakers, which I suppose is really bad. It still got a cleaner sound than my lousy computer microphone, which I had been using for awhile.

I read on the main home recording site that plugging the line output on the amp to the line input on my computer would work, but I don't see anything like line output on my amp (Ibanez Bass Amplifer IBZ10B). It went on to specifically state the headphone output as a different plug, and requiring some kind of volume controller... thing.

I don't have any kind of middleman equipment like a recording interface, though I'm going to pool money with my friends to get one. Should I just wait until I can buy a recording interface, or is there any safe way to record? And have I permanently damaged anything?

Does everything still work like it should?

I wouldn't plug the output of an amp into a sound card! Especially the mic jack where it is amplified again. You surely can damage stuff this way.

You can sometimes use the 'headphone out' of an amp but even that I'm not so sure about (I'm not an electrician either ).

I would say use the Line Out of the amp if you have one or wait until you can get a decent microphone, preamp, and interface.

Edit: Also, I've heard some decent electric guitar recordings using a normal PC microphone. Mess around with mic placement and keep your levels averaging around -18db on your software's volume meters with peaks no higher than -6db.

[Zarathustra]

I tried micing it once with my computer microphone and all I got was a thin, tinny sound. I'm pretty sure I bought the microphone for about 15$ so I'm not surprised.

I also don't know where the "line out" is, I'm not sure if there is one. Is it a standard feature on Amps or do some manufactors leave them out? This is just a portable amp.

I'm not aware of any line output plugs on the amp, and I'm pretty sure I stated I was using the headphone output and that was apparently wrong. Also, do I actually need a microphone preamp? I've really only got a vague grasping of studio equipment, and I REALLY do not have alot of money. I don't know how much a good mic preamp goes for, but it already looks like a good 200$ for a microphone and a recording interface.

[Tifstorey]

Unfortunately if you are wanting to get a decent sound, your going to have to invest a little.. I had this conversation with a mate who had no money for anything, he ended up getting a job at McDonalds and working solidly for 3 weeks until his last payslip and then quit. As there's alot of digital stuff out there nowadays, you can get hooked up quite cheap.

The ways you can hook your guitar up are either directly in to your sound card, micing up your amp, and DIing it. If your planning on doing this quite a bit in the future, i really would recommend investing a little into a soundcard, microphone (even if it's just a cheap professional one). If you look for a soundcard with built in pre amps on the channels then your going to save in the long run as you wont have to buy a seperate pre. You could probably find one in the region of £100, and a microphone for around £60. (Perhaps cheaper in the US as you guys generally get things cheaper than us poor Brits )

Is this totally out of your price range? Is getting a job at McDonalds for 2-3 weeks out of the question?

[Dani Pace]

Look on your amp for a jack labled line out or pre out, these are the normal lines used for direct recording. If your amp has an efx loop you can also use the efx send. Plug into the line in or aux in on your soundcard (either one should be stereo) instead of the mic input. If your amp does not have any type of line out you should mic the amp. Do not use the speaker out or headphone jack (especialy to the mic in on your soundcard) unless you are trying to fry your soundcard.

[Polska_77]

headphone jack (especialy to the mic in on your soundcard) unless you are trying to fry your soundcard.

Hmmmm I've done this multiple times, and nothing happened. Then I found this bbs and found a bunch of people saying you cannot do this as it will hurt stuff. I even did it with 2 different amps and nothing blew up. Could some one explain?

[Dani Pace]

Originally Posted by Polska_77

Hmmmm I've done this multiple times, and nothing happened. Then I found this bbs and found a bunch of people saying you cannot do this as it will hurt stuff. I even did it with 2 different amps and nothing blew up. Could some one explain?

Soundcards are not made to accept voltage, there is voltage on both the speaker and headphone. That's as simple as I know how to put it.
You have been very fortunate if you have hooked your amp(s) to your computer this way and not overloaded something. I don't know what soundcard you have but I have seen Sound Blaster and Realtek cards totally fried by hooking them to the external speaker jack of amps. Some amps have some sort of "load bypass" circuit (I can't explain how it works) on the headphone jack which allows you to use the headphone jack as a line out, I have a Marshall MG 30 which is supposed to work this way, I can't say if it works or not, I've never tried it to see. I still wouldn't recommend using the mic input of a soundcard, the line in (or aux in) will give you a much better and clearer sound from any preamp source.

[Polska_77]

Originally Posted by Dani Pace

Soundcards are not made to accept voltage, there is voltage on both the speaker and headphone. That's as simple as I know how to put it.
You have been very fortunate if you have hooked your amp(s) to your computer this way and not overloaded something. I don't know what soundcard you have but I have seen Sound Blaster and Realtek cards totally fried by hooking them to the external speaker jack of amps. Some amps have some sort of "load bypass" circuit (I can't explain how it works) on the headphone jack which allows you to use the headphone jack as a line out, I have a Marshall MG 30 which is supposed to work this way, I can't say if it works or not, I've never tried it to see. I still wouldn't recommend using the mic input of a soundcard, the line in (or aux in) will give you a much better and clearer sound from any preamp source.

I honestlydont know what card I have but it's probably realtek ac97 thingermaginger. I tried both the speaker and the headphone out of my amp, and I see I have been very fortunate. I promise I'll never try that again!