Line-in into Laptop Problem.

Here's the one I use. The Sound Devices USB Pre It has wonderful mic pre's,
a superior headphone amp and lots of input output options. See it at:

http://www.sounddevices.com/pr oducts/usbpremaster.htm

USBPre Features
  a.. Dynamic range greater than 106 dB (in 24-bit operation)
  b.. Flat 10 Hz to 22 kHz audio bandwidth
  c.. Exceptionally low distortion characteristics
  d.. Two inputs accept microphone, instrument, line, or tape level inputs
  e.. Input type is selected per channel - allowing two different signal
types simultaneously
  f.. Phantom power (48 volt) for condenser microphones
  g.. S/PDIF coaxial input and output
  h.. Six-segment LED peak input meter
  i.. High-power headphone monitor
  j.. Mix control enables headphone monitoring of analog source audio,
computer audio, or a mix of both source and computer audio
  k.. Phono (RCA) jacks connect PC AUDIO output to external loudspeakers or
preamplifiers
  l.. Bus powering from the USB port eliminates external power sources and
batteries
  m.. High-strength extruded aluminum chassis
  n.. Compact dimension (4.4 cm H x 18.5 cm W x 10.0 cm D)
  o.. Mac?? OS 9, Sound Manager compatible, OS X Core Audio
  p.. Windows 98??, ME??, 2000??, and XP?? Wave audio and DirectSound compatible
  q.. ASIO for both Mac OS 9 and Windows
Frequency Response:
(reference 1 kHz) 10 Hz - 20 kHz, ??0.5 dB (any input to PC recording) 10
Hz - 20 kHz, +/- 1.0 dB (PC source to PC audio out)

E.I.N.:
(mic inputs) -124 dBu min. (10 Hz - 22 kHz bandwidth, 150 ohm source, gain
control at 50% or more, 15 dB pad out)

Output Impedance:
PC audio -3.3k ohms, headphones - 20 ohms

S/PDIF Digital:
24-bit maximum input, 20-bit maximumhardware output (limited to 16-bit
output in Windows Me and OS 9 Sound Manager), sample rate and bit depth
selected by recording software and operating system

Sample Rates / Bit Depths:
Recording: 8, 16, or 24-bit at 32, 44.1, 48 kHz
Playback: 8, 16-bit at 5 to 55 kHz, will play back 24-bit sources at 16-bit

Master Clock:
(recording) PLL generated, low jitter

Metering:
input level at A/D converter, 6- segment, 30 dB total range, peak
responding, 0 dB on meter = 0 dB FS (0 dB referenced to Full Scaled Digital)

Phantom Power:
48 V through 6.8k W resistors, each mic input will supply 10 mA

Powering:
USB bus powered, 3 stage soft-start meets USB hot-plugging power
requirements, 5 V, 350 mA quiescent current from USB port, 5 V 500 mA max
current from USB port

THD+N:
(10 Hz - 22 kHz measurement bandwidth) 0.05% max. (any input to PC
recording, gain control at min., input driven to -6 dB FS) 0.009% max. (PC
audio output, 0 dB FS output, 100k ohm load) 0.05% max. (headphone output, 2
V rms output, 600 ohm load)

Output Clipping Levels:
(1% THD, Window

Yes, I have to 'echo' Don's tip here..the Echo Indigo io  is a great device,
does all the sample rates and bit depths to 24/96...wonderfully quiet line
in stage, but no s/pdif in or out... if that's important to you ?  Plus,
being a PCMCIA card (what else are you gonna use that slot for anyway ?), it
leaves all your USB ports free for other things..like a mouse or printer
or.....?   Be sure to check laptop chipset compatibility via the Echo
website before you order one.  A seriously great device, with first rate
drivers and a very respectable headphone amp too. Review here:
   [url=http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1325719,00.asp]http://www.extremetech.com/art icle2/0,1558,1325719,00.asp[/url]     and even
better, here :

http://www.soundonsound.com/so s/apr04/articles/echoindigo.ht m

Best wishes,
Ray
 ------------------------------­-----

On 3 Jul 2005 02:54:14 -0700, the_keffs @hotmail.com wrote:

As an alternative to USB, there are some excellent PCMCIA sound cards
for laptops. Have a look at the Echo offerings.

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

http://www.midiman.net/index.p hp?do=products.list&ID=mobilei nterfaces

And plenty more from other makers.    Ask your local music-tech store.

Consider the little outboard A/D box from Lavry.  It's only around $250
and you get two XLRs with line or mike inputs and a USB out.  And it
actually sounds good, which is pretty impressive at that price point.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra.  C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Keff,

using one of my USB sockets? <

There are *many* such affordable devices from the $39 SoundBlaster MP3
through the $100 M-Audio Sonica (does 7.1 surround), and upwards from there.
Do you know Google? Try "USB sound card" and you'll see it all.

--Ethan

On 3 Jul 2005 02:31:05 -0700, the_keffs @hotmail.com wrote:



With many laptops, if you open up the windows mixer in recording mode
and select line in, the mic connector becomes a line in instead. Worth
a try.

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

Great idea, Don. Thank you so much but unfortunately my laptop doesn't
give me that facility. Thanks once again, Keff