sound quality question

[braden_]

first off - i'm new to this, i've said before, so i don't know much.

my main question is this: i have a cheap behringer ub502 mixer that i connect to my computer with a usb to 1/4" cable (http://www.amazon.com/Lyon-Washburn...8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1233761390&sr=8-1) which i plug into the headphone out on the mixer. i've tried switching from the phone out to the main out L channel but they sound the same.

now the sound is decent, but i'm wondering if i got an adapter so i could use the red and white tape out's on the mixer would it sound better?

probably a dumb question, but hey if i don't ask i won't know.

 

[TeyshaBlue]

first off - i'm new to this, i've said before, so i don't know much.

my main question is this: i have a cheap behringer ub502 mixer that i connect to my computer with a usb to 1/4" cable (http://www.amazon.com/Lyon-Washburn...8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1233761390&sr=8-1) which i plug into the headphone out on the mixer. i've tried switching from the phone out to the main out L channel but they sound the same.

now the sound is decent, but i'm wondering if i got an adapter so i could use the red and white tape out's on the mixer would it sound better?

probably a dumb question, but hey if i don't ask i won't know.

You are limited by your A/D converters both in that adapting cable and the soundcard in your comp. Both are probably not the greatest converters. I'd start thinking about buying a decent interface. Yamaha makes a pretty cool little USB mixer and it's pretty cheap to boot.

 

[braden_]

i do plan on getting a usb mixer in the future, but for now i'm making do.

 

[KineticSound]

If you need a temporary fix, Behringer also makes a little job called the U-Control. It converts the RCA (Tape) outputs from your mixer to USB and vice-versa; would likely be much better quality than one of those USB->1/4" inline converters.