Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] USB audio capture line/mic: A/D quality, how set record levels?
From: Clemens Ladisch (clemens_AT_ladisch.de)
Date: Thu Aug 28 2003 - 10:09:11 EEST
Mannr_AT_uwaterloo.ca 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
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