External soundcard/interface reuired to record DJ mixes (£70 to spend)

[talktofrank]

After a lot of searching i discovered that recording on my laptop (with no mains power) instead of my pc meant i could record mixes with no annoying noise.

Because i now have to use my laptop i require a interface to record my mixes.

I recently bought a Behringer UCA222 but was unimpressed with the quality

I have done a little bit more recording tonight and ive been listening to the raw recordings in audacity next to the actual tracks, i have to say the quality is worse in the raw recordings, i know there is going to be some loss of quality when recording on such a budget, but i really don't like these results

The music i record is quite bass heavy (techno) and the bass just sounds like a computery muffle (best way to describe it) instead of the deep rich organic sound i hear when i listen to the tracks.

Example of the music i play -

I have about £50-70 to sped. I don't mind getting something second hand on ebay either

I see a lot of M-audio Fast tracks on ebay going for around £40-50 and that would be a perfect amount to spend but i just want to know your opinions of whats the best to get

 

[Bobbsy]

What exactly are you recording? The output of a DJ mixer? Just a single CD player? Do you use a microphone to add your patter?

All these things make a difference to what might be best for you/

 

[talktofrank]

My setup is as follows

2 x Technic 1200
1 x Pioneer DJM600

The output of the 'rec out' on the mixer is phono.

I won't be using a mic

 

[Bobbsy]

The M Audio Fast Track is a nice little unit but it only has one mic input and one instrument input; you need one with two unbalanced Line inputs. If you could find an M Audio Mobile Pre second hand (new they're just a little more) that would do the job for you but would need a pair of RCA/Phono to TS cables.

That said, although not great, the Behringer unit you have shouldn't be THAT bad--I know of several DJs who use them for computer recording and playback. What format are you saving your recordings to?

 

[talktofrank]

The M Audio Fast Track is a nice little unit but it only has one mic input and one instrument input; you need one with two unbalanced Line inputs. If you could find an M Audio Mobile Pre second hand (new they're just a little more) that would do the job for you but would need a pair of RCA/Phono to TS cables.

That said, although not great, the Behringer unit you have shouldn't be THAT bad--I know of several DJs who use them for computer recording and playback. What format are you saving your recordings to?

i was listening to the raw recordings in audacity and comparing them to the original tracks

So the fast track would work for recording from a mixer?

isn't a mixer classified as one instrument input ?

 

[Bobbsy]

No, in this context "instrument" means an electric guitar, a high impedance source with a level about half way between a mic and a line level source like a mixer or CD player.

Worse for you, it's mono and you need stereo to get both channels.

The Fast Track only has one mic and one instrument input so neither is suitable for your DJ mixer to go into.

I don't know of anything available new in your budget...and, when looking at eBay, you want to find an interface that has two LINE level inputs. It doesn't matter if they're on phono or jack because it's easy to adapt between the two. I mention that because most interfaces with any degree of quality will likely have quarter inch jacks rather than phono/RCA inputs.