Mannr@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: > I am considering getting a USB audio interface. > > My goal is to capture audio for making CDs. I will capture from line level, > eg., from minidisc or phonograph, and from microphone inputs, eg., for > recording live shows to a laptop. It should be completely USB powered for > maximum flexibility. Digital I/O would be great, but is not required. > > I am not looking for professional quality. But I would like something pretty > good, eg., at the level of consumer minidisc recorders. That is what I am > using to record now. I don't need any mixing capability. Plain capture > at 44.1kHz/16bit and optionally 48.0kHz would be fine. > > I've seen lots of gear, eg., Edirol, M-audio, etc. But I have several > questions: > > - What is the A/D quality of some of the retail units? > > Retail units: > Edirol UA-1A, UA-3D (edirol.com), > MAudio Transit (m-audio.com), > Soundblaster Extigy, Soundblaster MP3+ > > Higher quality? > Tascam U-122, Edirol UA-20?, MAudio MicPre, > > Professional level (>500USD) > SoundDevices USBPre > (http://www.sounddevices.com/products/usbpremaster.htm) The Soundblasters are consumer/gaming devices. I wouldn't trust them to have good ADCs. The other units you mentioned are high quality. I'd guess all of them are at least as good as your "consumer mididisc recorder". > - Is the Mic preamp any good? Yes. > Ie., as good or better than the one in my consumer minidisc? Probably. It's hard to make a comparison when you don't tell what unit you have, or how good it is. :-) (and not all of the above units do have a mic preamp) > - What is the "native" capture mode of these units? > > 16bits is OK, but I have heard reports that some, like the Soundblaster, > capture at 48 or 96kHz and resample for 44.1kHz. I am looking > for true sampling at 44.1kHz. Only the Creative units resample AFAIK. > - How can I control record level on these units? Depends on the unit. (The UA-1A doesn't have any controls, neither hardware nor software. The other usually do have controls.) > UA-3D Y I/O, Y I/O, YN I/O, N ?(1) 16 Consumer > (1) claims 32/44.1/48k. Is this 48k native sample rate? The website says this is for the digitial I/O, and doesn't mention the ADC rate. (I guess the ADC can do the same natively; try asking Edirol.) > Edirol UA-5 9VDC I/O, Y I/O, YY none 44/48/96(2) 16/24 ??? > (2) "real time sample rate conversion", is this 96k native sample rate? This too applies to the digital input only. The website says the ADC can do 44.1. The M-Audio Transit and MobilePre aren't yet supported by ALSA, and I don't know about the USBPre. I would recommend one of the Edirols, but you have to choose what features you want. HTH Clemens
