Recording from the mic input on my laptop...

[Greg Avakian]

Help!
I want to transfer some of my Dad's interveiws and also 78s to CD. I was hoping to do this with my laptop, but it doesn't have a "line" input. When I use the "mic" input, it sounds like crap and I suspect it's not real good for the computer either since I am probably overloading the input by having a different impediance. OK, I don't really know about that part.

Any suggestions? Is there a USB adaptor or something else that I could get that anyone would recomend?

Thanks!

Greg

[Lawrence]

There probably is, but not just by a physical adapter: I think it would need to have an analog/digital converter as a part of the device, which will make it more expensive. I think that USB and serial cables transmit digital information, whereas the line input transmits analog information that your computer converts to digital. That's the value of having a line input: it allows you to send analog information into your computer for conversion. A USB device would need to convert the information outside the computer and then send it in as digital information.

If you are interested in perfectly-accurate reproductions, I suspect that a USB device would get a cleaner signal because it is capable of transmitting more information more accurately than a mini-plug. The line-in plug on a computer is usually a mini-plug, which is not the best for conveying a signal. I use mini-plugs all the time and it is certainly functional, but it is not for audiophile-quality, perfect transmissions.

If you are just interested in getting a sginal across that is not muddy like the mic input is now providing, I suspect the least expensive route would be to get a converter to resolve the impedence difference between the mic input and your analog output from the 78s/audiotapes. Radio Shack or a specialty music-recording store would be my best guess at where you could find one.

[KevinSchaper]

There's a hardware/software combo out there that's basically a usb phono amp called Steinberg Clean Plus.

Maybe the software can even deal with the different eq curve required for 78's.

http://www.turntablelab.com/accessories ... nplus.html

[ad-roc]

http://www.edirol.com/products/audio.html

I think the UA products would be all that you need for a line source.

[GemZombie]

Help!
I want to transfer some of my Dad's interveiws and also 78s to CD. I was hoping to do this with my laptop, but it doesn't have a "line" input. When I use the "mic" input, it sounds like crap and I suspect it's not real good for the computer either since I am probably overloading the input by having a different impediance. OK, I don't really know about that part.

Any suggestions? Is there a USB adaptor or something else that I could get that anyone would recomend?

Thanks!

Greg

If you have to use a laptop, you'll just have to get an external "soundcard" like the SB Extigy. It's an excellent device.

Mic in just won't be good enough on a standard laptop... besides, you're risking some electronic noise by using the built in one anyway, they often suck.