USB recording? Or XLR?

btangel · #1 07-29-2005, 05:27 AM

I'm a recording newbie that has been recording with a cheap mic for the last 6 months so I'm calling for an upgrade...but obviously I can't choose!

I have a rocktron chameleon DSP preamp that has XLR outputs which is the final stop in my efx chain (for now) before it goes into an amp or PC. I don't want to do mic recording so now it seems that I have 2 options to go from here.

1. Get a pro audio soundcard that takes XLR input and record with that. (can you do this?)

2. get a Pod xt, put it after the chameleon and record via USB. My only concern is that if I'm gonna use the POD just for recording it'd be a complete waste of money. But judging from reviews I may find some sounds I like on the XT which would make it....well...2 birds with one stone I guess!

If there are any other suggestions feel free to bring it up. I'm still mostly confused with the available recording options and what I can, and can't do.

thx in advance!

megadeth · #2 07-29-2005, 05:52 AM

get podxt PRO. u'll have ****loads of tonal options and xt itself has lots of I/O. as u say that u r newbie, it will be a great learning curve for u.

nightfiend14 · #3 07-29-2005, 06:01 AM

If you want the pod just for the USB you can by a USB interface so you don't have to pay extra for all the pod stuff you might not use. Also if you do go the USB route make sure everything is USB 2.0 it is much faster, if you computers USB isn't 2.0 and your interface is you will probably have latency problems.
I really prefer to go the sound card path or at least firewire. Firewire is more expensive then USB though but it is much faster.

rgr · #4 07-29-2005, 12:10 PM

Since you seem to like the Chameleon, keep it, and get a decent recording setup. That way you'll be steps ahead of the game because you will have something that you can record vocals, drums, etc... with when that time comes. It'll open up many more options for you.

Roger

Polaris20 · #5 07-29-2005, 12:31 PM

If you like the Chameleon, the just keep it, and get something like the Gina 3G from Echo. Great card, plus you can also hook a mic to it as well, and the latency will be lower than what you'd get from a USB device.

Tsorovan · #6 07-29-2005, 12:57 PM

The only way I see a use for USB/Firewire interfaces is when you're restricted to using them, as on a laptop. Get a real soundcard. The M-Audio Delta Audiophile 2496 is reaaaaally cheap and works great. You'll have way less latency and more monitoring options.

Polaris20 · #7 07-29-2005, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsorovan

The only way I see a use for USB/Firewire interfaces is when you're restricted to using them, as on a laptop. Get a real soundcard. The M-Audio Delta Audiophile 2496 is reaaaaally cheap and works great. You'll have way less latency and more monitoring options.

No balanced in's and out's though, which the Echo products have, and it sounds like his Chameleon has.

nightfiend14 · #8 07-29-2005, 04:04 PM

i believe the m-aduio 192 or 196(don't remember for sure) has balanced in and outs and it also has the higher bit rate then most other cards espcially in the price range it's in.

Tsorovan · #9 07-29-2005, 06:27 PM

Balanced inputs are nice, sure, but to be frank, if you don't have a long cable run, it doesn't matter much, not if you're on a budget at least.
But yeah, the Echo cards are good. Not sure about the drivers being as reliable as M-Audio's but they should suffice.
You can get a used Audiophile 2496 for what, 40-50 bucks? You can't really beat that value yet...

Polaris20 · #10 07-29-2005, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsorovan

Balanced inputs are nice, sure, but to be frank, if you don't have a long cable run, it doesn't matter much, not if you're on a budget at least.
But yeah, the Echo cards are good. Not sure about the drivers being as reliable as M-Audio's but they should suffice.
You can get a used Audiophile 2496 for what, 40-50 bucks? You can't really beat that value yet...

Mia Midi is $120 most places. Drivers are rock solid, with better compatibility from chipset to chipset, compared to M-Audio, who gave me a different answer everytime I talked to them about it.

Audiophiles are nice cards, I'm just not sure the service is there, like it is with Echo.

btangel · #11 07-30-2005, 04:35 AM

hmm if I get a pro audio soundcard with say...a shure m57 would I still need a mic preamp? Or could I just plug the mic straight into the XLR port? Thx for the help guys. I'll start looking around for soundcards and compare prices. I'm liking the pro audio + mic idea since I have more recording optinos as some of you mentioned.

Polaris20 · #12 07-30-2005, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by btangel

hmm if I get a pro audio soundcard with say...a shure m57 would I still need a mic preamp? Or could I just plug the mic straight into the XLR port? Thx for the help guys. I'll start looking around for soundcards and compare prices. I'm liking the pro audio + mic idea since I have more recording optinos as some of you mentioned.

If you got the Gina 3G from Echo, it has 2 pre's on it, with phantom power for condenser mics too.

btangel · #13 07-30-2005, 03:03 PM

ah ic. I'll look into that thx!

nightfiend14 · #14 07-30-2005, 03:35 PM

you will more then likely need a mic preamp of some kind since most soundcards don't have one. They are cheap though. Or maybe you will find some other unit you might want to run as well in your chain that might just happen to have preamps in it.

JESTER700 · #15 07-30-2005, 03:52 PM

Another option is a good soundcard (MIA & Audiophile are good ones) and a small outboard mixer with phantom power. That gives you a different kind of flexibility, and for the money might be a better buy than a fancier soundcard - depending on what you think you might do in the future.

Personally I wouldn't worry about balanced/unbalanced. In typical short home studio runs at line level, you won't get a difference in performance.