Can I plug a cassette deck into the mic/instrument inputs on my Presonus Firebox?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cadillacvernon
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cadillacvernon

New member
Hi,

I am converting cassettes to my hard drive so I can burn them to CDs.

I have a L&R RCA cable going out of the cassette deck and the other end of the cables have RCA to 1/4 inch converter jacks going into the Line Inputs in the back of my Firebox (i.e. Inputs 3 & 4), but it records really quiet and the "Level" knob on the cassette deck doesn't increase the volume.

Is there any reason why I can't plug it right into the front Mic/Instrument inputs (i.e. Inputs 1 & 2)?

Will I damage my Firebox or computer?

Thanks!
 
Yo Cadillac! You sound like a man in need of a line level shifter. First of all, your cassette deck probably has a preset limiter on the line output, because it is designed to plug into a home stereo receiver. It's providing a nominal signal that won't clip your stereo. There are 2 versions of so-called "line level". There is "consumer" line level, which is -10dBV (your cassette) and "professional" line level, which is +4dBu (your firebox). If you plug a -10 output into a +4 input, you get exactly the results you are getting- a very weak signal. It's not that hard to fix. Get one of these- any studio should have one lying around, anyway:

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=22049&Category=Accessories

Here's the one I use:

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=3104&Category=Recording_Accessories

You would use different cables with the 2 different units, but either one should fix your problem. Not all line levels were created equal. Best of luck-Richie
 
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