Which cheap soundcard ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter DaniKOoL
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DaniKOoL

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Hi everybody !

I discovered this great forum about recording and I took many hours reading topic as I want to buy a soundcard to do some recording for fun.

What I need is portable one with at least 2 XLR and TRS input and direct monitoring for about 200$.

I would be recording my acoustic guitar with a studio project B1 or by plugging my guitar straight into the soundcard (in xlr or trs input) when I want to sing along.
This setting would also be useful to record my friend and I playing at the same time.

I found 3 soundcards that fulfill my resquest: m-audio mobilepre, edirol ua-25 and tascam us-122.

I won't get the mobilepre because I read review saying the preamp is not really good with phantom power (which would be the main application in my case)
The edirol ua-25 seems quite good but I didn't heard a lot about it on this forum. However, it's quite hard to get this one used in France so I think I won't get this one either.

The only one I may be able to afford may be the tascam us-122. I heard mixed opinions about this one and saw that there was many problem with USb on it. (maybe on other usb soundcards too?)
I saw on an article that when you plug a phantom powered mic on channel 1 and a guitar plugged in the channel 2's 1/4" input, the guitar sounds really crappy. Has someone already tried that ?

The conclusion is that it's very hard to get recording equipment with a really limited budget! So I hope you guys could give me some advices.

Thanks in advance
 
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I've got a US122 and haven't had any trouble with it. But I think you're right about phantom on not working well with line in. Not sure why. I did it accidently, forgetting to turn off phantom after I got done with vocal trax.
 
DaniKOoL

mia from echo is cool stuff.. i have one !!!
if you want took some cheap soundcard just go with pci dont go other..
 
The problem is I'd like to use it with my friend's laptop.
And if I buy a pci card, I must also buy a preamp for my guitar, isn't it ?


apl said:
I've got a US122 and haven't had any trouble with it. But I think you're right about phantom on not working well with line in. Not sure why. I did it accidently, forgetting to turn off phantom after I got done with vocal trax.
Click to expand...

What happened when you used the line in afterward? Did it sound crappy or no sound at all ?
Have you ever tried singing with phantom powered mic and playing your instrument connected on line in at the same time ?

Thanks in advance!
 
DaniKOoL said:
1. What happened when you used the line in afterward? Did it sound crappy or no sound at all ?

2. Have you ever tried singing with phantom powered mic and playing your instrument connected on line in at the same time ?
Click to expand...

1. It was fine after I turned the phantom power off.

2. No because my software won't let me create two separate tracks, just one stereo.
 
i have a tascam us122 also and it has served me well.

why would you want to plug an instrument into the line in? unless it is some sort of digital instrument like a keyboard or something. either way, i have had good results with a microphone in the left xlr input and a guitar in the right 1/4 inch input.
 
Yeah I was talking about the 1/4" input. Sorry for the misunderstanding !
Is your microphone a condenser one ? The guitar sounds ok ?

Well, you got me relieved here! It there is no problem with the phantom power, i'm gonna get it then.
 
woah woah, hold off one sec. I misread your stuff. I want to say it will work fine but i remember having an issue with my condensor....
it has been a long time since i have used it. I do remember using two microphones on my acoustic gutar, one was a condenser with phantom power on and the other was a dynamic. it worked fine. I can't comment on the 1/4inch and XLR (with phanom power on) to work.

maybe you could demo one to make sure before you spend your cash?
 
No I think you didn't misread me. I edited my first post to keep people from misunderstanding what I meant !

Well, if you managed to use a dynamic and a condenser without having any probs then that should be fine!

As you say, I'll try to demo before buying it.

Thanks
 
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