but works cassette?

[JoshHorn]

Ive tried both recording directly from my mixer to computer and it sounds terrible, but I record to my TCWE-305 tape deck and it sounds fine. Should I just record to tape or should I keep trying to record to the computer, maybe it's my sound levels? or maybe the computers soundcard sucks? Any suggestions would help.

 

[gvarko]

Sound card

Are you using the card that came with the computer? If so most are sub-standard for recording. You need something like an M-Audio Delta 66 soundcard for more serious recording.

 

[AlChuck]

No soundcard I've encountered sucks so bad that the results are worse than recording to a cassette deck.

There are a number of possibilities here:

You're in a mic input rather than a line-level one
Your levels are set too low or too high
You've got some source of noise...

 

[johnnymegabyte]

I bought a Soundblaster PCI 128 for $29 Cdn, a few years ago, and when I transfer cassette tapes to PC, via Line In, the quality is pretty good. You'd never know it was not from a CD.
I am using the Creative Recorder program ( source = line in and auto levels are on).

I am using a Yahama 4 track as the cassette deck, and have a RCA to mini-plug "shielded" cable into the soundcard.
I gauge the levels via the VU's on the 4 track.

The Line Out of the PC also comes back to the 4 track (channel 5&6) This allows me to do all the mixing on the 4 track (This model has 6 mix channels and a master volume). I do the backing tracks in Midi on the PC. (freeware www.jazzware.com)
I have guitar effects unit, Roland Synth and mic's into the 4 track.


I know it's not multi-track, but OK for a one-man operation, using a Dell Pentium I.

I just got a faster Dell PC, but have not had the time to get it all together. I am looking at getting a SB Audigy soundcard, which can handle effects, like reverb, chorus, distortion, flanger. The PCI 128, basically has reverb and chorus, each either on or off (bummer because the effects are too much)

 

[Jeyan]

People tried hard and hard to create a technology to eliminate that horrible cassette noise for ever and finally they managed to come up with digital audio and CDs became the standard.
Now you wanna go back to cassette cos you feel it sounds better? Come on man! Got to be some problem with your connections or line levels, tweak it in all possibilities and see which one works. Good Luck!