Can anyone recommend a USB interface?

[dexter30]

My stock sound card sounds like crap when recording. Anyone have any recommendations for an external interface? Also, if I use an external interface do I have to change my soundcard?

Thanks,
Dex

[Grim]

My stock sound card sounds like crap when recording. Anyone have any recommendations for an external interface? Also, if I use an external interface do I have to change my soundcard?

Thanks,
Dex

I have an M-Audio USB Transit. I'm happy with it.

[Brendo613]

How come it sounds like crap? Could be the equipment. I use a very cheap setup, guitar --> Digitech RP200 --> computer's microphone or line in. It works very well, and sounds clear www.soundclick.com/BrendanS. Perhaps you are micing your amp ... that never seems to work well :hmmm:. Give it a whirl hooking effex straight in :thumbs:

=Brendan= :worm:

[YowhatsupT]

what is your soundcard??? i could help ya more if I knew...I dunno if you have to change it until i know what you have...also what computer setup do you have...if you can tell me i can tell you what some good upgrades. but i cant until i know more

[AcousticShred]

Brendo, the problem is with distortion, recording line in gives you a very harsh digital crunch.

[dexter30]

I'm only using the intel intergrated audio. I have an older pute running at 800 mhz with 256 mb of ram on a 30 gig hard drive. I'm using the line in from the mic and it's breaking up and making all kinds of unwanted noise. I find that recording something and then listening to it is a great learning tool but it's not helping much since I don't have any real perspective as to how it really sounds.

Thanks for the help guys,
Dex

[hammer]

I would not recommend going with USB audio if you using an older computer. USB has come a long way in the last 3-4 years and I wouldn't trust it for reliable audio on anything that did not support USB 2. EMU has a good 2 channel card for about $100 US. It's called the E-MU 0404 PCI Digital Audio System. Check it out here. (http://www.music123.com/E-MU-0404-PCI-Digital-Audio-System-i142220.music) It get's good reviews but it's not a game card. Don't pay any attention to the low score on this site some guy bought it for a games card and then gave it a very low score.

[YowhatsupT]

no dont get that...thats not a brand ive even heard of...hold on ill look something on newegg for ya. gimme a sec

[hammer]

Never heard of E-MU ??

[YowhatsupT]

try this
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=29-102-162&depa=1

i dunno if you have any pci ports but this is what you would want....

[hammer]

E-MU is owned by Creative. E-MU make the pro audio cards Creative make the home user game type cards. The Creative cards (Soundblaster) are more versitile the E-MU are higher quality for digital audio. The choice is yours.

[dexter30]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll check the product reviews for the items listed and then I'll make my choice.

YowhatsupT, I do have several pci slots so I will also look into your suggestion.

Thanks everyone,
Dex

[YowhatsupT]

E-MU is owned by Creative. E-MU make the pro audio cards Creative make the home user game type cards. The Creative cards (Soundblaster) are more versitile the E-MU are higher quality for digital audio. The choice is yours.

thanks for clearing that up man...i think i might have read somthing like that a long time ago but ive never had to worry about sound cards...hehehe onboard audio :)

[hammer]

No problem, I only know becuase I've been searching pretty hard lately for the best deals when it comes to my home studio. It was time to get rid of my soundblaster live and upgrade to something a bit better. I just got an audigy... it's better but not by a heap so I'm thinking about the EmulatorX package deal from E-MU.

However, I recon the Audigy or the E-MU 0404 PCI would do for dexter30.

[Bowlee]

My drummer bought...a Tascam US-122 and it sounds really good if you have good mics and equipment. It sounds pretty close to a Digi 8-track. I highly recommend it cause it's easy to use.

[Grim]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll check the product reviews for the items listed and then I'll make my choice.

YowhatsupT, I do have several pci slots so I will also look into your suggestion.

Thanks everyone,
Dex

Whatever you do, 24-bit is the standard. I use an Echo Mia for my internal audio card. NOTE I say audio card, not sound card. I can plug 1/4" adapters into it and go straight from a preamp (Digitech Genesis III) into the card, and resorc into either Sound Forge or Guitar Tracks.

[dacster]

the audigy and soundblaster cards although they do work for recording they are not recording cards. they are Gamers cards and they are designed to work for multi purpose machines ie they will do in a pinch. Like a dual sport motorcycle. Latency issues make them less then Ideal for recording. but the will do for the average home recording. If you want goor fasst response. Low latency, and clean high end recording you ned to use a sound card designed for recording. They just do a better job, they cost more but if you want good clean recording that is the answer.

AS far as distorted recording get your input levels controls up on the screen. The method of getting that screen up depends on software version, there should be both a level control and an "advanced" button push the advanced button and it will pop up a screen that shows an attenuation box or mic boost. uncheck it. then adjust the levels till the recording comes out clean. You should be able to get clean recording just using you onboard sound. multi tracking and overdubbes will get goofy without a good card.

[YowhatsupT]

for pro grade recording you might wanna try this type of stuff out....

http://www.future-micro.ca/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=385&cat=48&page=1

[Sarco]

My drummer bought...a Tascam US-122 and it sounds really good if you have good mics and equipment. It sounds pretty close to a Digi 8-track. I highly recommend it cause it's easy to use.

I have one too and it's really nice indeed, but you need a decent computer to get good results with it, currently using it with a P4 3,04 Ghz HT with 1024 DDR ram (but the thing lags a bit with my dads P4 2,0 Ghz with 512 DDR ram) Only buy it if your computer really beats the minimum requirements for it!!

[ScatScati]

i got the soundblaster audigy2 soundcard from amazon.com. Works fairly well