soundcard help

  • Thread starter Thread starter stratboy
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stratboy

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Hello everyone! Yes, I guess that I'm the "newbie", and I need some "pro" advice. I am totally new to this home recording thing, and I have no idea which soundcard would be adequate for my needs. Right now I just have my on-board soundcard and I would like to buy a good internal upgrade. I have a decent desktop running XP and I am using Cakewalk Homestudio 2002. I play guitar and would like to plug it straight in, do I need a card with a 1/4 jack, or would a 1/4 to 1/8 convertor be acceptable? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
The onboard sound on your PC has a Line In and/or a cheesy mic in with a low-quality mic preamp designed for small plastic electret condensor mics that cost a couple of dollars. The signal from guitar pickups is neither of these, though you might be amble to squeeze enough gain out of the Mic In to at least pick it up. Do not be startled that it sounds like, well, shit.

Some soundcards have onboard mic preamps that can double as instrument inputs. Or, you can plug the guitar into an amp or effects device that has a line level output. There are devices now available called guitar amp modelers that attempt to mimic the sound of many types of amps as they sound on records (the Line 6 POD was the first, but nearly every company puts out something like this now, varying widely in price and, no doubt, quality).
 
Thanks for the reply AlChuck,

What soundcard do you think would be adequate? I really have no idea what to look for, and I'd rather not spend $200 on a soundcard if I don't have too.
 
Stratboy, I agree with Liquid, but I think you should go for the M-Audio 24/96 soundcard, this is based on the info you´ve provided. It seems that you just want to record your guitar, so 2 ins would be fine. I think Echo Mia has been discontinued.

TS
 
for 24/48 pci...

consider the maudio revlution (no midi, but good converters and 88khz 176khz pro sampling rates.

audigy 2 zx platinum if you're not using their internal effects mixer which resamples everything. for 24/48 it should be fine.

If you can afford $200, get the emu 1812.
 
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