Hi Ray, I never ever use a computer's microphone jack to record if I can help it, I have a hardware mixer board, which I plug into the line socket of the sound card. I am also a little old-fashioned, in that I like my hands on faders <Smile>. All the best -- Computer Room Services: the long cane for blind computer users. Telephone Voice: +44(0)1438 742286, Fax/BBS: +44(0)1438 759589 mobile: +44(0)7956 334938, Email: Steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Web site: http://www.comproom.co.uk -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ray's Home Sent: 05 September 2005 13:23 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: ssound blaster audidgy 1 or 2? and alternatives I guess the problem is that if one is determined to get a higher quality audio soundcard other than the ubiquitous Sondblaster then, if integral microphone input is required, the sound quality on the Mic side is bound to be less than perfect, for as Tristram has pointed out, the gain structure of most ordinary soundcards means you have to present quite a high input from a mic to deal with this. Maybe this is why some mics are sold as being 'computer mics', or whatever. They tend to be high ouptput electret types, or maybe even have a pre-amp built-in. Once you get into the realms of really high quality audio then microphone pre-ampts become external, as much to avoid computer generated noise, as to provide higher sensitivity. For not too demanding use, I guess it comes down to the Turtel Beach or maybe Teratec cards. Higher quality cards to consider are the M-Audio range, or maybe Yamaha, but the latter is pretty firmly aimed at the music fraternity. A good place to start is: http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/browse/category_id/9f73a8ba694fa4af3 4e42f1936f270a5 Dolphin Audio, not to be confused with Dolphin Access, is a firm in Merseyside. You will quickly see that external cards connected via USB or Firewire are a large category in themselves, and this might be one way to go. Many of these cards too enable defeating of SCMS copy protection to enable digital transfers, although I've a feeling the Audigy might allow for this too. I would certainly not want to foist unnecessarily exspensive soundcards on people, but for those wanting to do serious, high quality recording or transfers, then these alternatives are certainly worth looking at. If anyone does find an internal card which conbines a high quality mic input(s) with the usual line in/out, then I'd certainly be interested. Ray Personal emails: Email me at mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tristram Llewellyn" |I have come to position that the porblems some Jaws users experience |have more to do with the nature of the Creative drivers under the |2000/XP platform than Jaws itself. Whilst I wouldn't dispute the |intrinsic audio quality of the Audigy card for what it is, most |musicians and sound enginneer types don't tend to use the Audigy |unless price is a consideration. There are much better units |available without some of the driver issues which have been felt more |widely even than Jaws users with the Creative cards . | | Hissy recordings are mostly the result of poor gain optomisation, and | with microphones coupled to relatively poor quality pre-amps sucn as | found on domestic style soundcards. | | Regards. | | Tristram Llewellyn | Sight and Sound Technolo ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq