Please help me, trouble recording

[tekenten]

I just got a 12 channel mixer, I would like to record onto my laptop is there a way I can do this? The laptop is good, p4 1.8, and has sonor on it, but the soundcard came with the laptop so i know its pretty crappy. Im looking for a way to connect the mixer to the computer so i can record onto sonor, the reason for this is that i want to record my drums, and for drums i want to use like 2-3 mics. Also if someone can also explain to me what a couple things do on my mixer,

-Stereo AUX returns--???
-AUX send ???
-What is Bal/Unbal output?
-Channel inserts?
-What is mono, always wanted to know
-Phantom power?
-Direct out with no signal interuption to master

Im sorry for all the questions, its just that im new to this recording thing and really would appreciate some help. Thanks.

 

[reshp1]

Stereo AUX returns--where you plug the output of outboard effects units back in.
-AUX send - where you send signals out to the inputs of outboard effects units.
-What is Bal/Unbal output? - Balanced uses two wires to carry the signal instead of just one with unbalanced. The extra wire carries the inverse of the other wire. As RF or other noise is coupled on both the wires equally, when the inverse signal gets flipped right side up again, the noise cancels on the two wires, while the signal doubles.
Say your signal is 2V at any given moment, wire one would carry 1V and the other would carry -1V. Along the cable run you pick up +.1V noise. So now you have 1.1V and -.9V at the receiving end. The receiver flips the inverted wire and adds the two 1.1V+.9V = 2V. Where as with unbalanced you would get 2.1V.
-Channel inserts - These allow you to insert an compressor or other effect into the signal chain directly following the preamp section. You use a stereo to dual mono Y-cable, the stereo end goes into the mixer, one of the mono plugs carries the signal out of the preamp, the other returns the signal back into the chain from your effect.
-What is mono, always wanted to know - essentially, it means single channel. As opposed to stereo where you have a separate signals for each Left and Right, mono has only one signal that's split to both left and right
-Phantom power - Condensor Mics need to be powered by Phantom Power (usually 48V), it's called "phantom" because it's sent down the Mic cable and no additional power cable is needed.
-Direct out with no signal interuption to master- Err, don't know, you'll have to read the manual.

 

[firby]

bah ha ha ha ha ha ha!

 

[reshp1]

What's so funny?

 

[tekenten]

thanks

I really appreciate the info, but i would still like to know one thing... I would like to record onto my laptop, is there a way I can do this? The laptop is good, p4 1.8, and has sonor on it, but the soundcard came with the laptop so i know its pretty crappy. Im looking for a way to connect the mixer to the computer so i can record onto sonor, the reason for this is that i want to record my drums, and for drums i want to use like 2-3 mics.

Does anyone know a good soundcard within 300 bucks?
Is Firewire recording interfaces better then USB?

 

[scrubs]

I really appreciate the info, but i would still like to know one thing... I would like to record onto my laptop, is there a way I can do this? The laptop is good, p4 1.8, and has sonor on it, but the soundcard came with the laptop so i know its pretty crappy. Im looking for a way to connect the mixer to the computer so i can record onto sonor, the reason for this is that i want to record my drums, and for drums i want to use like 2-3 mics.

Does anyone know a good soundcard within 300 bucks?
Is Firewire recording interfaces better then USB?

You have a few options. You can get a cable that will connect from the line outs of your mixer to the line-in on your soundcard (1/4" x2 or RCAx 2 --> 1/8" stereo). You can definitely record this way, but are limited by the quality of the converters in your soundcard. There are PCMCIA soundcards for laptops that will probably be better than your current card, but I haven't used any personally. FireWire or USB are your other options. In general, most USB interfaces only support about 2 tracks of simultaneous audio recording. FireWire can do more if that is important to you, but they are also more expensive. For a 2-channel USB, check out the M-Audio Mobile Pre or one of the Tascams (122, 224, 428). They are inexpensive and work just fine for home recording. For 2-channel FireWire, I would check out the M-Audio FireWire 2496 or 410, or the Presonus Firebox. If you need more than 2 channels, look into the Presonus Firepod. It has 8 inputs with preamps, so you could run directly into it, or use line outs from your mixer inserts.

Look here for more info and prices:
http://www.samedaymusic.com/browse--Audio-Interfaces--2418

 

[crosstudio]

i've got the tascam fw-1884 and the edirol fa-101. if you are looking for something small then take a look at the fa-101.

i've also owned the tascam us-428 which was a 2-input USB with mixer faders and such. it was pretty good too, but i sold that and my mackie 1604 to get the fw-1884.