Recommend me an external soundcard so I can plug my guitar into my laptop and record.

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I used to record a lot on my old desktop computer through a Soundblaster Live! that had a 1/4" input jack (the standard plug that you use with guitars and microphones), but I have now upgraded to a laptop which has an 1/8" input, the size of small headphone jacks. I've tried putting my 1/4" jacks into it with the help of an adapter, but the sound quality is just abysmal. I would like to use the 1/4" jacks without adapters. I've heard that there are external USB adapters/sound cards available that can help me, but I'm not really comfortable just buying one without hearing about any firsthand experience. What are my options here, and is there a reasonably cheap setup that anyone can recommend?

thanks!

― Jaz Colman, Tuesday, 21 February 2006 04:43 (nineteen years ago)

budget?

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 04:56 (nineteen years ago)

Budget... let's say around $150 or so.

― Jaz Colman, Tuesday, 21 February 2006 04:57 (nineteen years ago)

There's this thing -- the Line 6 Toneport -- that's been getting good reviews lately. (If I hadn't already bought something I'd be considering it.) The lower-level model runs around $160/$170, I think? And of course it comes with a bunch of Line 6 Pod-style amp simulators and preamps and whatnot.

― nabisco (nabisco), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 06:36 (nineteen years ago)

someone recommended the M-Audio Pre something or the other, which seemed to have a lot more knobs and all that... any opinions on that one?

― jaz colman, Tuesday, 21 February 2006 20:15 (nineteen years ago)

i can't speak for the m-audio one, but i have an edirol ua-25 which i'm quite happy with - it's not high end but still pretty decent nonetheless.

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 22:13 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

I'm not sure if this is really the right place to ask about this, but I have a problem with using my soundcard to record music. The thing is I'm not MAKING the music I'm recording, this is to do with ripping vinyl, so apologies for being slightly off-topic for this board.

Anyway, the problem I'm having is this: the recording volume control doesn't work properly. Regardless of what level I set the recording volume at, the program records the sound at the same level (which happens to be too loud to record without clipping)! Only AFTER I start recording will adjusting the record volume have any effect. And sometimes after a few minutes and for no reason, the volume level will jump back to the original too loud level.

I'm using Cool Edit Pro, but I don't think it's the software, as I used to use it on another PC which did not have this problem, so I'm assuming it's the soundcard. Any ideas?

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

are you THE jaz colaman?

― giora, Sunday, 14 May 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

if you read some other posts of mine here you might think different but i *don't* work for these people, however i reckon the new focusrite saffire LE interface is pretty damn lovely and well worth evry penny of £239.

wicked kit just gets better and cheaper all the time - ain't it great kids! :))))))))))

― john clarkson, Sunday, 14 May 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

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