I need a sound card simple as that..

I require 1/4 inch input for guitar
Stereo 1/8 output for headphones / speakers
Compatible w/ Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
Compatible w/ sonar 8.5

Hoping to get something around $150 or less.

I need to run the out on my line 6 spider directly into the PC.


Was looking at m-audio delta44 but it lacks the stereo headphone/speaker output.
I really only require 1 in and 1 out as I am recording 1 guitar track at a time, and I only wear 1 pair of headphones at a time :)

Any tips, links, ebay auctions that will satisfy these requirements?

Thanks for helping me.


In the past I had an XP machine w/ SB audigy and Cakewalk home studio (prior to sonar)and loved it.
Seems vista and win 7 have complicated things a bit so I am sort of re-entering home studio recording, and it is a bit overwhelming all the sudden. It used to be so simple :)

Good point. A even have one of those adapters already.

Thanks.

Looks like most of the sound cards I see have a left input and right input and then left and right outs. I used to just plug my guitar into the "mic in" and that would record to a single stereo track and I would listen to it with my "speaker out"

That is what I am hoping to do. For some reason, my windows 7 Machine will not see my audigy card.

AP2496

looks lie the AP2496 uses RCA inputs so I would run a 1/4 cord from the out on the amp to a splitter that has RCA connections on it and run it to the AP2496?

I swear I am not ****ed, things have just changed a lot since I did this last.

In your first post, you said that you want 1/4 inch input for guitar and later your mentioned  mic'ing a guitar. 

Direct connecting a guitar requires a different type of input than a mic.  A traditional electric guitar (magnetic pickups) requires a high impedance input, sometimes called a Hi-Z input.  If your guitar has active circuitry or if you're running your guitar through an amp or an effects processor, you won't need a Hi-Z input.

MurMan


In your first post, you said that you want 1/4 inch input for guitar and later your mentioned  mic'ing a guitar. 

Direct connecting a guitar requires a different type of input than a mic.  A traditional electric guitar (magnetic pickups) requires a high impedance input, sometimes called a Hi-Z input.  If your guitar has active circuitry or if you're running your guitar through an amp or an effects processor, you won't need a Hi-Z input.

oops, sorry for confusion. I will likely run from the out on my line 6 amp to a 1/4 inch in on an audio interface for the PC. If I were to mic the amp, I would still be using a mic and the 1/4 inch jack.  All my mics have the three prong connector to the mic, and a 14/inch at the other end. I have never had much success actually micing an amp so most likely would do direct in from the amp.

Hey Diss,

You mentioned "... All my mics have the three prong connector to the mic, and a 1/4 inch at the other end. I have never had much success actually micing an amp..."
 
That would be the best reason why you never had much success. Using mics of that nature tend to suck for anything. Your Line 6 should sound really nice direct recording anyway so stick with that. Until you end up with gear that sounds better when micd.
 
There are MANY cheaper audio cards out there. I would agree with anyone that told you try and get something decent as opposed to the cheapest, that "buy cheap, buy twice" thing is so true.
 
I would also agree with the audio card with a mixer deal. It really is the smart way to go. Then in the future you can get rid of those 1/4 inch mics. They are USUALLY junk to put it blunty. You should start with a SM-57 or SM-58 style mic for your first recording mic(s) and use XLR cables to go from the mic to the mixer.... BUT all that is in the future since your budget is so small. It's just that, thinking for the future in this world is important.
 
Get a decent audio card, M-Audio, Echo, Lexicon, Alesis, Mackie, MOTU, EMU just to name a few. Just don't get USB models unless you read up that the drivers are very good. USB tends to be poor in latency especially when pushed hard. I had the M-Audio USB Fast Trak and didn't like it at all. The Latency was horrible. I would stick to PCI, M-audio makes good ones.. then get a mixer. Like stratman suggested. It really would be the smarter move. The setup he told you would be a good one to start with.

The main thing with the mixer, is that it gives you options for inputs. Line & mic preamps as well as the ability to add things (such as Comp, EQ or rarely FX, again thinking of the future) prior to going into the analog to digital convertors. How many options lso depends on what mixer you get of course.

Good Luck dude.

Rob

RnRmaChine


Hey Diss,

You mentioned "... All my mics have the three prong connector to the mic, and a 1/4 inch at the other end. I have never had much success actually micing an amp..."
 
That would be the best reason why you never had much success. Using mics of that nature tend to suck for anything. Your Line 6 should sound really nice direct recording anyway so stick with that. Until you end up with gear that sounds better when micd.
 
There are MANY cheaper audio cards out there. I would agree with anyone that told you try and get something decent as opposed to the cheapest, that "buy cheap, buy twice" thing is so true.
 
I would also agree with the audio card with a mixer deal. It really is the smart way to go. Then in the future you can get rid of those 1/4 inch mics. They are USUALLY junk to put it blunty. You should start with a SM-57 or SM-58 style mic for your first recording mic(s) and use XLR cables to go from the mic to the mixer.... BUT all that is in the future since your budget is so small. It's just that, thinking for the future in this world is important.
 
Get a decent audio card, M-Audio, Echo, Lexicon, Alesis, Mackie, MOTU, EMU just to name a few. Just don't get USB models unless you read up that the drivers are very good. USB tends to be poor in latency especially when pushed hard. I had the M-Audio USB Fast Trak and didn't like it at all. The Latency was horrible. I would stick to PCI, M-audio makes good ones.. then get a mixer. Like stratman suggested. It really would be the smarter move. The setup he told you would be a good one to start with.

The main thing with the mixer, is that it gives you options for inputs. Line & mic preamps as well as the ability to add things (such as Comp, EQ or rarely FX, again thinking of the future) prior to going into the analog to digital convertors. How many options lso depends on what mixer you get of course.

Good Luck dude.

Rob

I am actually using a Shure sm-57 it is just that the cable on the other end is the 1/4 inch jack rather than (XLR I think it is called?)

2 options on a budget; cheap soundcard like the audiophile 2496 plus a mixer, i always recommend the soundcraft compact 4 cos it is designed for the home pc-based studio and has a Hi-Z input for guitars, plus 2 headphone outs which is always handy;

or a usb/firewire based audio interface, most of which have headphone socket, and they run from $100 up. manufacturers include m-audio, emu, edirol/cakewalk, mackie, tapco, line 6 at the budget end up to presonus, motu, rme at the middle/higher end.

the former option will give lower latency and more connectivity/expandability but the latter is neater, portable and in the case of line 6, comes with useful software. the choise is yours!

so do I lose something in translation when using a cable like this? This is how I have tried to mic my amp in the past using a cable like the one pictured below in combination with a Shure SM57. It has always sounded muttled and that is why I end up going direct in.



If I were to use a cable like this in combination w/ my amp (line 6 spider IV 75 watt) should I expect better results? Direct in is okay, but sounds so 1 dimensional. Like a CD vs a vynal record there is some ambiance missing.



By the way thanks for all the input guys. I am learning a lot.

I appreciate it.

For what I gather are your needs (plus that you already know and love(?) Line6 amp models), I would strongly recommend the Line6 TonePort UX2 usb interface. That way you can leave your Spider at the rehersal room and still enjoy the tones played straight Into your computer with a simple guitar cable. PLUS, with the right setup you'll be able to change the sound after you've recorded it!

For DI guitar recording (with the GearBox/PodFarm software), latency is a non-issue. The box sits nicely on your desk and is as plug-and-play as they come! It doesn't have midi, but you can always get a usb keyboard for input or a cheap usb 1in1out midi interface later!

If you're only gonna use guitars and one dynamic microphone at a time the UX1 is alright but the UX2 has phantom power on its two mic preamps so you'll be able to use condenser microphones.

All that and it's cheap!
 
I have one at my desk (for plugin dongle purposes) though I've moved up because I needed more inputs for drumkit recording. But the interface always worked nicely with no hiccups ever as I can remember.

Sven
 
 
Edit: Forgot to credit Hugojaquet for getting there first

dissfigured


I require 1/4 inch input for guitar
Stereo 1/8 output for headphones / speakers
Compatible w/ Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
Compatible w/ sonar 8.5

Hoping to get something around $150 or less.

I need to run the out on my line 6 spider directly into the PC.


Was looking at m-audio delta44 but it lacks the stereo headphone/speaker output.
I really only require 1 in and 1 out as I am recording 1 guitar track at a time, and I only wear 1 pair of headphones at a time :)

Any tips, links, ebay auctions that will satisfy these requirements?

Thanks for helping me.


In the past I had an XP machine w/ SB audigy and Cakewalk home studio (prior to sonar)and loved it.
Seems vista and win 7 have complicated things a bit so I am sort of re-entering home studio recording, and it is a bit overwhelming all the sudden. It used to be so simple :)

THIS
 
 

mgh


hey hugo
i agree with some of what you say, some less so. it's tough to answer the OP when he clearly doesn't even know what an XLR or 1/4" jack is called, in my post above i gave some advice which assumed different ways of recording, from DI-ing to mic'ing. I'd argue that a small mixer is pretty useful in any home studio, it lets you keep several things connected permanently, and provides expansion. but you could just use an external interface, of course. The OP needs to do a bit of research and understand terminology to narrow down his options i think. And be able to ignore some of the dodgy advice being given on here!

Hey,

I hear you. And I do agree whit most what you have said too. And I do agree a small mixer can come handy in a project studio. But I do not think the OP needs one per se. He has indeed some reading and learning to do.

But hey, even a small mixing desk and NO NEW soundcard would work too in his case. He just has to use the line- ins and not the mic in of his soundcard. A mixing desk could in that case be used as the "better" preamp compared to the one in his soundcard.

All this is possible, but I for me the Spider "s*cks" big time and it is of no use to try to record THAT signal as clean as possible. Unless he does it at minimal cost. the a jack to mini- jack adapter and into the line - in of his soundcard is already good enough.

If he follows some of the advice here he will end up micing his spider with a 100$+ microphone into a 100$+ mixer and that into a 100$+ soundcard. Well he could always ditch the microphone and go lin- in. He will spend 200$ minimum anyway.

And in that case I would go for decent modelling. Or buy a good amp to start with AND a decent microphone and a decent interface+ eventually a mixing desk. Although I think the preamps on most interfaces are better then on cheap mixing desks anyway...

So in the end I would go for a decent interface with line ins AND decent mic ins with phantom power like an edirol/ cakewalk UA 25 not to favor line6, but hey the toneport is cheaper, has the same in's and out's and comes with with modelling anyway as a "bonus"...And no I don't work for line6, but use their stuff.

To resume: in the case you have NO GOOD AMP and NO GOOD audio interface and have little money and struggle to record your guitar: buy a toneport.

If you plan to invest more, like for starters buying a real good amp for example, you CAN choose an other solution from the above that will capture your signal with fidelity. But... indeed that will cost (a lot) more.

I third (or 4th or whatever it is by now) the UX2 suggestion.  For $200 you get everything you have asked for and more. 

Using the 1/4" cable with a Shure SM58 is going to give you an impedance mismatch in much the same way as plugging a regular electric guitar into a Lo-Z input.  The muttled sound you are getting is because of this.

Because the Spider is what it is, and the VST version of the stuff in PODFarm (part of the UX2 package) should surpass it by a pretty good margin, you probably still won't want/need to mic the amp, but you can certainly use that mic for other things, as it's a good mic and when properly connected, it will be night and day difference.

Since no one else has linked it (I didn't see one anyway), here's some info and demos of the UX2: http://line6.com/podstudioux2/

Here's where you can buy it: http://www.zzounds.com/item--LINPSUX2 - if you'd be kind enough to go to my website and use one of the zzounds links from there, I'd be appreciative.

I have a UX2 along with an Echo Audio Layla 3G, which has been a great workhorse over the last several year.  The Gina3G was recommended above (same card with less I/O) and I can also support THAT as a good option, though it seems that the Toneport line would be more to your requirements and price.

Hope this helps.  If you get the UX2, I'm pretty sure that you won't be disappointed.

interface/soundcard same thing. with the ux2 you could mic your amp OR go DI (plug the guitar direct) and use the pod farm plug-in.