Lost in analog, or digital, land?

[eaf]

Okay, this is going to sound really dumb but I've read just about everything I could find on this site and I have to resort to posting it on this board so could someone please help...

The "line out" on an amp is a 1/4" connection and is analog, right? Or am I completely off base?

The best way to change the analog to digital is through a converter. Is this the same thing as a direct box? Can you run a 1/8" line off a direct box, and a 1/4" line into it? This is where I get confused. My soundcard only has digital jacks, so how else can I go from the 1/4" to 1/8" without hopelessly mangling the sound?

Help!

-eaf

[drstawl]

The "line out" on an amp is a 1/4" connection and is analog, right?

Well you're half right. The line out on an amp is analog, but it can be whatever sort of connector type your amp actually has. I've mostly seen RCA outs and 1/4" outs in various amps.

The best way to change the analog to digital is through a converter.

How <else> do you expect to accomplish this task?

My soundcard only has digital jacks,

If your soundcard has only digital jacks, then how can you hear it without an analog out somewhere down the line?

how else can I go from the 1/4" to 1/8" without hopelessly mangling the sound?

Why would you want to go from 0.250" to 0.125" in the first place?

Reference my post on defining a schematic for your studio in Excel and do some homework. The assignment is a really easy one and will help you understand how to use what you've got.

[Dragon]

Now, now, Doc, this is the newbies forum. You gotta be a little gentler on these folks...

OK, eaf, I believe you read the site. But you missed the important page somehow:
http://homerecording.com/record_direct.html

And somehow also I doubt that you have a true digital only sound card, because those are very special, cost several hundred $$, and are usually bought by people who know exactly what to do with them (generally hook them up to ADATs or Minidiscs or something). Which means you have a regular old sound card, which converts analog to digital right on the card.

And it doesn't matter what size cable or plug you use as long as it fits...the sound will be exactly the same. The sound won't be mangled by getting squeezed into that tiny little 1/8" cable because it's not sound anyway, it's electricity. Just make sure you find a cable that fits each end properly, and that you have a mono or stereo plug as needed. Some sound cards have 1/8" plugs that are almost always stereo (and it's the line input that you want, not the mic input), and some have RCA jacks that are marked L and R (and no, that's not Swahili for hot and cold, either) and those take normal mono RCA plugs.

[eaf]

Thanks for the info and for being cool about it. I hate to ask dumb questions, but that's the only way I'm going to figure it out.

Baby steps, baby steps...

-eaf

[drstawl]

eaf: I hope you didn't think I was picking on you with my multiple question post. I wasn't.

And Dragon hit on an important point while sticking up for those putrid 1/8" stereo mini-plugs. They've gotta fit right or it won't work. Poor fit problems are much rarer occurrences in RCA or 1/4" plugs. I've heard some amazing results that (reportedly) were recorded with a line in through a stereo 1/8" plug, but never actually witnessed same in my studio.
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