Hi .. not sure what you mean ... I'm saying any music or sound playing through your sound card and recording from that instead of hooking up the source to a Line In on your sound card ... it's the "What You Hear" thingy ...

Well, if the music originates within your computer, such as a media player, then using What You Hear is probably the best choice if it's available. I can't think of any benefit to sending the sound out of the card and then back in through a wire. In fact, it seems like this would be another loop through which more noise and distortion could enter. On the other hand, if the sound is coming from an external source such as a tape deck or a keyboard, using line in would be preferred.

Although, if you have the media file available then opening that directly in Vegas would be an even better method.

Chienworks ...

OK, but I read a post (maybe not here) that recording "What You Hear" is technically different (deficient in some way) and I just wanted to know how... you said :

" if the sound is coming from an external source such as a tape deck or a keyboard, using line in would be preferred...."

So, let's say you hooked up the tape deck and you could theoretically play it through windows media player and you recorded from that, would the recording be the same as direct from the tape deck through line in? If not, why and what is the technical difference?

Here's a better analogy ...

1. you do a narration, record it and create a wave file or ...
2. you play the wave file and record from that

Is there a difference in the two wave files..?

yes. one is recording the wav file the other is recording the recording. anything playing back when you record from "stereo out" is recorded. Windows beeps, modem noise, etc. It's pretty much pointless for most appliations.

just record stright from the line in.

...thanks to all for your patience ... OK, got it ... BUT is the 'line in' signal that's being recorded the same as the signal being played through the card that you can hear ...?

If nothing else, the "what you hear" signal has gone through another stage of processing after the line in signal. This means it probably has more noise and distortion.

Except, if your source is generated by the computer, the "what you hear" signal may be first generation. To get a line in from it you'd have to go out of the sound card and loop back in, which would add several more stages of processing.

This is why we keep asking you where your sound is coming from. Our answer of what is best depends on that.

Chienworks ...

" the "what you hear" signal has gone through another stage of processing after the line in signal. This means it probably has more noise and distortion ..."

OK, that's what I needed to know. Noise is no problem but is there any 'general' settings that can offset the distortion in post regardless of what type of music/sound it is? IOW, is it a constant or known factor?

If there is distortion in the audio, there is no way to remove it. If the distortion is being created by the soundcard playback, it will be in the recording.

Dave T2