Recording+Laptop = lotsof noise

Hiccup Master

New member
My friends dad gave us his old laptop to use for recording so we can record at anyone's house. Before we were limited to our drummer's house using his desktop which worked fine but his dad is an ass and kinda kicked us out for a while.

So we have this laptop, it's actully faster then the desktop, it's a Sony VAIO around 800mhz, 256 megs of ram, win xp home. We're using Adobe Audition 1.5 a.k.a Cool Edit Pro. How I set everything up is all mics lead into my recorder (TASCAM PORTASTUDIO MK 424 II) and then use the RCA outs to a 1/8'' jack to the computer. The desktop had a line in so we used that but the laptop only has a mic in. Would the mic in add this noise? We've actually used this setup on another laptop (very slow) and it did the same thing. So using the desktop it was fine, switch to the laptop which is faster then desktop and we get this noise.

My question is, if I get something like a USB Audio Interface will this give me a cleaner sound? This way we can keep the portability of the laptop so we can recorder other bands.

I was looking to some of these:
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--YAMUW10
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--MDOMOBILEPRE
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--MDOFASTTRACK
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--EDIUA3FX
 
first off...i have heard bad things about the sony VAIO as far as recording is concerned, but given the price...free right? I think the sound card in the laptop could no doubt be the problem. maybe not the only problem...but a good place to start. USB would be one solution. You should also consider firewire.

maybe something like this:

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--MDOFWAP2496

Also, using AA/CEP, I would suggest upgrading your RAM as well.
 
thajeremy said:
first off...i have heard bad things about the sony VAIO as far as recording is concerned, but given the price...free right? I think the sound card in the laptop could no doubt be the problem. maybe not the only problem...but a good place to start. USB would be one solution. You should also consider firewire.

maybe something like this:

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--MDOFWAP2496

Also, using AA/CEP, I would suggest upgrading your RAM as well.

I don't know how easy it would be to upgrade the ram in this thing, cause the sony VAIO's are so small, and I don't think it has a firewire port on it.
 
check again for firewire, the newer i would think a VAIO laptop shoudl have one. if it does, i would look into M-audio. they make good portable devices that are both firewire and usb. If you have firewire though, definately use that.
 
Hiccup Master said:
The desktop had a line in so we used that but the laptop only has a mic in. Would the mic in add this noise?
You bet.

If it has PCMCIA but no firewire you may also consider the Echo Indigo I/O.
 
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