Computer interface

dr_stupid

dr_stupid

Active member
I have the need to record some audio narration for online software tutorials. The quality does not have to be anything great, but I was hoping to do a little better than I am getting recording through my sound card. I have a Countryman EMW and a AT 897 as far as mics go. Would a cheap USB or firewire interface provide any improvement over the sound card interface? I can spend about $150 max, and would prefer to spend $50 to $100. Any advice would be much appreciated. I suppose I could also capture through the DVX, but that is a little cumbersome...
 
Just a guess, but the best way to spend that money would probably be in treating the room you plan on recording in. Where do you plan to record this? Anywhere near a computer is going to be noisy.

Cheers
 
The room sucks. City apartment, loud computer. I was thinking about getting under a bunch of blankets...

I was just looking at M-audio MobilePre online and read some comments here. Think it could help me out a little? I realize I'm not going to get great results - just trying to improve what I have now, which is really awful.
 
So room acoustics would do a lot more for me than bypassing the soundcard? I can't do much about being in the city (can't get a house in the burbs for under $150! :) Seriously, could getting underneath a big down comforter plus sleeping bag plus whatever else I can find help a little?

I would also like to have the portable interface for the future, too, if I'm eventually in a better environment or get a laptop, etc. But if it doesn't really add anything over the sound card in the price range I'm talking about, then I would just wait and save my money I guess.

Thanks for your advice!
 
$150? You must be far from LA...

Well, sleeping bags and such can sort of help.. except you'll sound like you're stuffed under sleeping bags and can't breathe. People tend to get a little snuffly in such circumstances. If you really want to do something like that, try and line a closet or something with sound insulating materials so that cou can move around and breathe naturally (at least for a little while).

I personally think almost any external device made recently will be better than the sound card - just getting away from the computer circuitry will help, and even cheap stuff made these days is not too bad by standards of a few years ago. So, yes, getting an outboard device will likely help. But what we're trying to say is, the different bits of electronics have the potential to reduce equipment-generated noise by, say, 6 dB... but sound treatment might buy you 20dB less noise, as well as improving the sound in a wide variety of ways. So, you have the chance to record bad sound much more precisely, or record good sound a little more noisily.

Most highly treasured recordings were made with much noisier, lower-resolution equipment than we have easy access to today. Proper technique and environment can make a recording pleasing with any equipment, but great equiment just makes bad technique and environment that much more apparent.
 
Pretty much everyone is right here. The blanket over the head is an old radio trick that is still used by top producers from time to time because of convenience. But it helps with room acoustics more than room noise. A sound box will help but as stated it wont work miracles. It should get rid of any nasty buzzy boise you have and it should be a much better sounding preamp than whatever is built in but... If your in a noisy apartment with a loud computer I would look at some tratments. You don't own so I wouldn't do anything permanent but you could make some partitions out of 1X4 pine on edge with fiberglass batting in the middle and a cloth cover on each side for very little. They are portable and soak up sound like magnates. a few close to the computer and window might do wonders. And they are still usable as a portable vocal booth when you move up town.
 
Noiz2 said:
You don't own so I wouldn't do anything permanent but you could make some partitions out of 1X4 pine on edge with fiberglass batting in the middle and a cloth cover on each side for very little. They are portable and soak up sound like magnates. a few close to the computer and window might do wonders. And they are still usable as a portable vocal booth when you move up town.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for that idea! Sounds easy to do and I need something to muffle the noise of my G5 Powermac.
 
Additionally to your room you could also treat your computer with better fans and maybe a silencing kit.

If you really want to buy an audio interface you'll probably be able to find something used for little money. Many people buy e.g. M-Audio gear at first and then after a while upgrade to MOTU or RME and sell the old interface. So did I. Here's what I learned over and over again: Buying cheap means buying twice.
 
Noise Reduction does wonders on simple computer fan humming, but leaves a lovely rage-inducing "robot-whisper" sound. So, if its no very noisy, just put up some blankets and use Noise Reduction with a good mic. Its what I do, less the wall blankets.
 
Hey guys -- thanks for the advice -- very helpful!! Noiz2 - just want to make sure I understand your "partitions." Build a rectangular frame out of 1" by 4" pine, put fibrglass in the middle, and cover the fiberglass with cloth tacked to the frame?

Thanks again for the help!!
 
Many advice floating around here. :)
$150 max? Let's stick with $100 to be safe.

It's quite low. What card do you have on your G5? You probably don't need a new card, but getting a firewire/usb would be convenient for future mobile recordings. Yet, you won't have much options on that external mobile card. So getting a new card is a low priority.

Next priority will be isolating your computer in another room. If you have the right amount of cables, then go this route.

Another priority would be putting up blankets, sleeping bags, and whatever you can find and use to absorb reflections. You could probably ask your neighbors if you don't have enough.
 
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