Tascam US-122 vs. Audiophile 2496

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steve15

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How does the Tascam US-122 and Audiophile 2496 compare? Which one is better when it comes to sound quality, tone, and clarity? What are the basic differences between the two? Would you recommend one over the other? Thanks.
 
The US-122 is a usb interface, and the audiophile is a pci card.

If you're using a laptop, usb is the way to go, otherwise the speed of the pci card will always win out.

The audiophile card has excellent a/d d/a converters
 
Im not sure of the audiophile but I am using the tascam with excellent results via USB to my desktop. AND its portable LOL!
 
Bulls Hit said:


If you're using a laptop, usb is the way to go, otherwise the speed of the pci card will always win out.
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Actually, no. If you are using a laptop, Firewire or PC-Card is the way to go.
 
VesuviusJay,
What is your current equipment setup? I'm getting pretty good results with the US-122 when recording clean guitar, but when I record distortion guitar, I'm getting pretty bad results. Thanks.
 
brzilian said:
Actually, no. If you are using a laptop, Firewire or PC-Card is the way to go.
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I don't think the US-122 comes with a firewire or pc card option
 
Well guys, I work as a computer pro for 10 years now, teaching myself to record for 2. Correct me if I'm wrong but I assume you are plugging the guitar directly into the soundcard. I gave up direct recording after 6 months of experimentation because sounded like sh*t. Specifically, I couldnt get any punch or distortion that didnt end up sounding like a bumble bee hive, all thin and tinny and weak. If you want good guitar tone you must explore mic'ing a cabinet. Its kind of hard to explain until you've tried both. But the best way I can explain it is my guitar tone now sounds like a 150lb champion rottweiller. The best I could get direct was a 40lb greyhound. Rottweiller = Beef, grehound = weak and sickly, no power... no balls.... NO BUENO! :|

Get yourself a stereo pair of sm57's($150.00/pair) and do some research here on mic placement. Once you start to get the hang of placing the mic, you will agree you never should have plugged your guitar directly into your soundcard. ;)
 
VesuviusJay said:
Well guys, I work as a computer pro for 10 years now, teaching myself to record for 2. Correct me if I'm wrong but I assume you are plugging the guitar directly into the soundcard. I gave up direct recording after 6 months of experimentation because sounded like sh*t. Specifically, I couldnt get any punch or distortion that didnt end up sounding like a bumble bee hive, all thin and tinny and weak. If you want good guitar tone you must explore mic'ing a cabinet. Its kind of hard to explain until you've tried both. But the best way I can explain it is my guitar tone now sounds like a 150lb champion rottweiller. The best I could get direct was a 40lb greyhound. Rottweiller = Beef, grehound = weak and sickly, no power... no balls.... NO BUENO! :|

Get yourself a stereo pair of sm57's($150.00/pair) and do some research here on mic placement. Once you start to get the hang of placing the mic, you will agree you never should have plugged your guitar directly into your soundcard. ;)
Click to expand...

You always should run a guitar through a pre-amp before running into a soundcard, unless the soundcard has a preamp built in (which is the case with the 122). There is no need to mic a guitar for recording.
 
Bulls Hit said:
I don't think the US-122 comes with a firewire or pc card option
Click to expand...

I realize that. But when it comes down to reliability and bandwidth, Firewire and PC-Cards are a better choice for laptops. M-Audio has recently released the Firewire Audiophile and Echo Audio has the Indigo line of PC-Card interfaces.
 
brzilian said:
You always should run a guitar through a pre-amp before running into a soundcard, unless the soundcard has a preamp built in (which is the case with the 122). There is no need to mic a guitar for recording.
Click to expand...

I would love to hear something to demonstrate this, as no matter what method of recording guitar direct that I attempted, I was always unhappy with the quality of the track. My guitar tracks didn't explode until I got the mics placed just right. Direct guitar couldn't even measure up to half of what proper cabinet micing does.
 
VesuviusJay said:
Direct guitar couldn't even measure up to half of what proper cabinet micing does.
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I agree 100%. The sound you want to capture is the amplified speaker cone pushing air, not just the electrical signal produced by the pickups
 
Bulls Hit said:
I agree 100%. The sound you want to capture is the amplified speaker cone pushing air, not just the electrical signal produced by the pickups
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Precisely!!!! Well said.
 
VesuviusJay,
Thanks for your help. Do you have any recordings of distortion guitar that you could post where you mic'd the guitar amp with the SM57? Thanks.
 
Well of course I do. What kind of advice should I give without providing an example eh?



Enjoy!
 
I certainly did. Amazing isn't it. I have still spent under a grand on all my studio gear.
 
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