Recording into a computer

[chosen]

I am just getting into the computer recording. I have a decent sound card, but my question is how should I record into the computer. I have a microphone that requires phantom power, so I use an amp head, take RCA wires with a spliter and run the amp head through the mic line on the computer. Does anybody have any suggestions on a different way to record into the computer?

Is recording using USB better than using a mic line on a sound card.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Chosen,

Don't take this personally, but your current wiring scheme is about as incorrect as it can get.

There is no indication of what you mean by "amp head". Under the circumstances that could mean anything from a guitar amp head to an entertainment center preamp unit...both of which would be the wrong units to use, BTW.

Secondly, coming out of any kind of preamp, you do *not* want to be plugging in to the mic input on the sound card as that has it's own (crappy) mic preamp on it, and you'd then be preamping twice, which is a bozo no-no.

What you need is either a dedicated mic preamp or a devices that has a mic preamp in it. Either way they have to have phantom power supply available as well. Anything from a portable mic preamp to a small mixer would do the job. From there you would run into the Line In jack of your sound card, not the Mic In.

And, yes, a decent preamp with a USB interface would be far superior to using your stock soundcard. Expect to pay between $150 and $200 for a worthwhile two-channel mic preamp with phantom power and a USB interface to your PC.

HTH,

G.

 

[TimOBrien]

Go get a starter book for recording.

You'll make lots fewer mistakes and waste far less money getting set up.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...102-3138169-9582512?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

 

[chosen]

Thanks for the advise.