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Hypothetical question regarding recording (pg. 2)
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| dinoXpress |
| quote: | Originally posted by TruffleShuffle
Well, if that guy says RCA cables' quality decreases after 20 ft., what should I use then? |
move ur pc closer. |
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| CosmoKid |
| quote: | Originally posted by dinoXpress
move ur pc closer. |
+1 |
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| TruffleShuffle |
| I can't move the PC closer, it's a desktop and isn't another outlet close to the setup :( Should I just use some device like a MiniDisc player to record? |
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| DJ RANN |
I anyone has questions about cables I'm the man to ask:
For these kind of lenths you must use high quality cable like the one the company that I work for makes:
http://www.vdctrading.com/products....D=9&Page=3#p167
If you are using the internal sound card on the computer the chances are is that the output signal voltage will not be that great and therefore you need low loss cable to that distace. The cable above is perfect for that.
the other problem sounds like driver issues which can't really be resolved if you are using a laptop internal soundcard. Get an external audio interface and make sure your computer is optimised for audio. |
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| tvmann |
Re the laptop (or any computer used for audio or video recording) - good idea to defrag the hard drive. Also I've noticed Windows Media Player on my laptop will have occasional gaps when playing back a perfect wav or mp3 file - while other programs play back no problem.
Re the long RCA cable - try a cable test where you record music from a CD player (or ideally your decks/mixer setup) very near the computer with a 3 foot cable, then record the same music with your long cable and see if the sound is degraded.
I bought a cheap long headphone cable and it definitely reduces the quality of the sound. Since good long cables are expensive, the best solution is to avoid them and use short cables whenever you can, if you only need to go a short distance the cheap RCA cables are fine IMO. You can go long distances with XLR.
It's not necessarily true that a thick cable will sound better - the insulation material is a dielectric and can mess with the audio signal which forms an electromagnetic field around the cable. A thick cable is just physically stronger so it can take more wear and tear. |
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| b i n k u n |
| quote: | Originally posted by tvmann
I bought a cheap long headphone cable and it definitely reduces the quality of the sound. Since good long cables are expensive, the best solution is to avoid them and use short cables whenever you can, if you only need to go a short distance the cheap RCA cables are fine IMO. You can go long distances with XLR.
It's not necessarily true that a thick cable will sound better - the insulation material is a dielectric and can mess with the audio signal which forms an electromagnetic field around the cable. A thick cable is just physically stronger so it can take more wear and tear. |
yup, XLR cables will be better.
key is balanced cables to reduce noise and ground hum when you are going long distances with audio. |
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| Tony Morello |
| for long runs the best best is to use XLR |
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| DJ RANN |
Sorry Dj Lane, but gold plated connectors do not conduct a signal better or longer - it's a myth. The cable itself is still copper and gold plated connectors are used simply because they don't tarnish/oxidise, and therefore over a long time period or in moist conditions won't degrade the connection.
If you had a solid pure gold cable and connector at either end soldered again with pure gold that is the only way you could get the "benefit" of gold connectors. Plated just means a thin layer over another material and the qualities of the copper (linear crystals, ultra pure oxygen free,),the material of the insulator(s) and how these are put together, are much more important. Also how the connector is attached (with quality solder and done prfessionally) is also very important.
These hifi cables you see on sale for £200+ will not do a better job than the cable I mentioned before for £10.
I don't understand why everyone is saying use xlr. They are only for balanced signals and using an xlr for an unbalanced line is pointless.
tvman don't want to be rude but you're also way off. any conductor which has a current passed through it will crate a megnetic field and it's insulator is a dialetric - that's the point. The points above dictate if the cable is going to be open to EMI, and RFI and whether it will conduct the audio signal without loss, interferance or degratdation. |
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| JakeC |
30 feet is way to long the cable would get all kind of interference from electrics etc.
for your gonna use Phono to a Jack plug for that distance i suggest you fork out as much as you can as a £2 lead is gonna up your recording.
the only way to record over that distance without getting interference is get 4 phono/rca, 2 xlr leads and two DI boxes.
you then have the phono/rca running into one over a short distance then the two xlr leads which are balanced running the major distance then another di box which converts the balanced signal back into unbalanced for the phono/rca to go into the linein of your pc.
you should be able to do that for less than the price of buying one extremly long high quality Phono to 1/4 jack which will cost loads. |
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| DJ RANN |
Not true. We make on a daily basis leads which will carry an unbalanced signal up to 20m and have no problems.
By the time you have DI boxes, and links in the chain the signal will sound worse than if you used a crappy moulded phono to phono.
to address the original question you nee a 3.5mm stereo mini jack to 2 x phono : see this link for the exact cable.
http://www.vdctrading.com/products....tionID=9&Page=3
Around £35
if you just want phono to phono( either twin or single) :
http://www.vdctrading.com/products....tionID=8&Page=8
Around £25 |
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| JakeC |
| quote: | Originally posted by DJ RANN
Not true. We make on a daily basis leads which will carry an unbalanced signal up to 20m and have no problems.
By the time you have DI boxes, and links in the chain the signal will sound worse than if you used a crappy moulded phono to phono.
to address the original question you nee a 3.5mm stereo mini jack to 2 x phono : see this link for the exact cable.
http://www.vdctrading.com/products....tionID=9&Page=3
Around £35
if you just want phono to phono( either twin or single) :
http://www.vdctrading.com/products....tionID=8&Page=8
Around £25 |
carrying an unbalanced signal over those lengths is dangerous, the amout of electric mains, wires etc. that would effect the signal is bound to make you recording sound . if you have a balanced the signal wont be affected but without the second di box to convert back to unbalanced you would neeed a flashy soundcard. |
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