amplifying

[Ferchu]

hi!
I´ve just aquired a soundcard for home recording, but I plugged a synth to its input ports and the signal is somehow weak. I talked to the support people where I bought it and they say it´s an amplifying issue, that I should get, as a good solution, a mixer, at least with a few channels.

is this a good way to go?
are they expensive?
I´ve always wanted to get one anyway... I hope this is allright

Fer

 

[royharper3220]

make sure the volume in the mixer controls for the soundcard are turned up, and the same for the synth. there should be software that came with the sound card that will let adjust volume levels.
post what soundcard and synth you have. always post what gear you're using!

 

[Ferchu]

thanks roy! you´re absolutely right! I forgot about that!
the synth is a KORG X5D and the card a brand new JULI@ by EGO systems.
I have already checked all volume faders I´ve found.
could this be attributed to windows 2000? maybe XP being better?

Fer

 

[apl]

The line out of your Korg should be able to overload your soundcard, so I don't think a mixer is what you need. You probably have some kind of cabling error, or maybe even a bad cable.

 

[AlChuck]

Correct, the output of the synth is a line level signal and should work fine into your line input on the soundcard.

 

[Ferchu]

thanks to all, nevertheless, I tried the synth today with a mic preamp (just to check if it needed amplification) and it did raise the line a lot, it was great! (though I only tried mono, since the mixer has mono inputs).

anyway, I WILL follow your advice and get better cables first.
any ideas on that, any particular type worth getting??

Fer

 

[fakeplasticboy]

not radioshack.

 

[Ferchu]

the JULI@ card fortunately has the posibility of using either balnced or unbalanced inputs. I used the latter now and it did raise the level quite a lot.
nevertheless, I´m planning on getting better cables in order to improve the quality.

do you think I still need a mixer?

Fernando

 

[Ferchu]

people keep telling me it´s a software thing, though I have turned all console volume faders up, still, the volume is not that bad, I think I could probably make do with it. someone´s told me I should use RMS function in programs so as to raise the volume including dynamics.

what do you think?

Fernando