AndyKubicki Posted March 5, 2003 Share Posted March 5, 2003 Hi Dave, Shipping is no problem, but I forgot to specify that these are cassettes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 5, 2003 Share Posted March 5, 2003 First of all, I've confirmed from M-audio that Live 2.0, their bundled software, does support 24/96 recording. That makes their cards bargains, assuming the electronics and sonics are good. As to WMA format, only WMA lossless (supplied with XP) meets our standards of not transcoding. It appears to be similar to "shorten" in it's ability to losslessly compress Redbook or wav by 20/40 percent. Good thing to free up that space for LP's! It is POSSIBLE that it also will handle 24/96...shorten does not. However, I haven't tried WMA format, so I cannot verify this. Perhaps we can all learn together... SonicBlue is a great company with low cost, innovative products. This looks like a heckuva deal with a couple of caveats. I'd want to verify that it will handle the lossless WMA files. It probably can, but I've been disappointed before... Also, if you have 2.4 ghz devices, like wireless phones, they MAY interfere with your PNA network. I had that problem...but it may have been fixed in the two years since I tried it. I had to unplug my Siemens phone system to get it to work. Now, I love music, but phones are neccessities. Andy: I've a Sony WMD4 pro walkman that is about as good as cassette decks get. I'd be happy to transfer and process those if you like. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyKubicki Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 You've got mail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclonecj Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 Can a computer tech get in on this one? I have to admit, After reading this forum, I was getting a little scared, & I had to go do some research. I am using a computer in my system for non-critical listening using a sound blaster live card (for MP3 playback). I have a connector from the digital output to my HT receiver. I thought I was doing ok until I read the specs that you were looking for. But I felt better when I confirmed that CD's are recorded at 16 bit, 44.100, & the SB live card is capable of that. I have also used it to record many of my albums to computer, but directly into wav files, 16 bit, 44.100. and to me, they sound the same as the original, and can be burned direct to Cd in this format with no loss. From there, they can be converted to MP3 using a good converter. If you check my web page, you can see the computer on its side in a black case -- most people don't even notice it! Mallett: I also use Winamp, but the keyboard was not doing as well as I had hoped. Have you looked at www.streamzap.com ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 I am not sure what you mean by the "...keyboard not doing as well as you'd hoped." I use a wireless and it works well for me, giving me remote volume, selection, muting, EQ if I want it, and such for my vintage tube system. I'll check out the link... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invidiosulus Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 Cyclonecj, Using an sblive card's line in jack to record from will not give you near the sound quality of the M-audio 24/96 cards. Going from that to mp3 as your playback format you are going to lose even more sound quality, even with a 320kbps mp3. I believe the sblive's normal output sampling rate is 48kHz so there may be some interesting things going on with a cd being played back. My yamaha reciever has noption to display the incoming sample rate. I'll see if it's doing 48kHz with a cd later this afternoon. Peace, Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 How amazing that this topic should come up just as I have been playing with this very thing.... First off and before I say anything else I should point out that I am completely without any knowledge on the subject of audio recording (I once used a tape to record my mum singing...) and am not that much more knowledgeable on computers these days but here goes. OK - the TT is in the living room and the computers are in the study. The portable computer doesnt have a line in and although you can use the mic in it sounds horrible so I am stuck using the desktop. The desktop has a sound card (a Soundblaster 128) which does have a line in but not with RCA adapters but with a small walkman headphone type connector. Anyway after a lot of buggering about I managed to put a 15 foot pair of RCA's between the TT and its phono stage allowing me to connect the output to the soundcard via a not very nice cable I picked up at the local computer supplier. This neat trick meant I could record without moving either the TT or the computer - just the phono stage.. OK - software. To my surprise the provided sound recorder software with windows seems to be incapable of recording more than a minute of sound for no good reason I can find. Not only that but it produces horrible recordings even when you set the quality to its highest level. Fortunately my CD recorder (Plextor) came with some software that seems to do the trick recording up to and slightly beyond CD quality in that it supports the DAT format. This software is called Nero and it does all the recording for you and then lets you choose the format to save to. Right now I am saving everything to wav format as someone told me it is lossless and so wont suffer quality wise when I edit it. To date I have had somewhat limited success. For some reason I seem to be picking up rather more hiss that I notice when listening to the vinyl and I may have the recording volume set to high as the resultant CD's I cut are louder than any other I have ever heard. It does, however seem to hold much of the magic that is vinyl. Its all still a work in progress and done entirely with things to hand rather than with specialist sound cards and what have you but I can say it does work to a point with rather better results than I expected. Just thought I would share.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invidiosulus Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 maxg, The extra hiss you are mentioning may very well be a result of your using the soundblaster 128. The little 1/8" stereo jacks on the soundblaster are not the quietest connections around. My dad(marvel) had some pieces of acoustic guitar work that he had initially recorded on his Alesis Adat(I believe in 44.1/20bit) and he recorded them into his computer using an older sound blaster card. He experienced much the same sort of hiss and a slight softness or muddiness in the high end. Later once the computer with the M-audio 24/96 card was up and running he again recorded the same piece of music and the results were incredibly better. Peace, Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclonecj Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 Josh: I guess I should have highlighted something above. I use the computer output sound for non-critical listening only, such as when I am on the computer, cleaning the house (rare), in the garage, etc. In this case, winamp with 800+ MP3 songs on the playlist in shuffle mode is the best. Even my 300 disk Sony player can only program 50 tracks, which I was very disappointed with, not to mention the lag time while changing disks. You have given me much to think about, & I will be looking into the M-Audio. There is always room for improvement! Besides, I can write-off any computer parts! If I am going to sit down & listen, the disk goes into the Adcom & everything is direct to the Belle's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 MAXG: I presume by "slightly beyond cd/DAT format" as 16/48. Bear in mind that in producing a CD from this, you are transcoding odd bits that will affect the ultimate sonics. This may or may not bother you, but it does impact quality. Since you can't put 20 oz. in a 16 oz. cup anyway, you might as well set the sample to 16/44.1. As has already been said, I suspect the hiss to be from the SB 128, not one of their better efforts. CYCLONECJ: I presumes you've noted that using the techniques we've discussed you can shuffle as many CD's as you want with no lag time at all. You can also build and save playlists for virtually any purpose. INVIDEOSULUS: I still really love to hear from Marvel his experience with the M-audio. As at least a couple on the forum are seriously considering this card, I'm sure it would be generally appreciated. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclonecj Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 I have about 100 winamp playlists saved for every occasion, including the default one that plays automatically on startup that includes everything. Since I have ripped all of my CD's to the computer, its like having my own personal radio station, & I can pipe it all over the house, & I also have a VPN to my work, so I am never without my own music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Mallet - you are correct about the 16/48 thing and no I did not bother to use it for the same reasons you mentioned. As regards the input noise I dont think it is the connector. I originally started this to record a tape of songs for children to a CD for ease (why do they still produce these things on tape?). Anyway for that job I used an old walkman and it worked so well I started off on the recording vinyl kick, mainly out of interest rather than need. I am off the opinion that the output from the phono stage is just a bit too high for the card to cope with - I might be wrong but a bit more playing will tell. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 I'm still betting on the hiss being from the SB itself. Have you tried FM or another source? I cannot see how a connector could cause hiss...hum or RFI from somewhere, but not hiss. Any techie is welcome to correct me here, as I am out of my element a bit. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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