USB Audio Line Out Box?

RalphM wrote on 2/27/2009, 10:21 AM
I'm going to be using my laptop to play sound effects for a live production. Today I checked it out through the sound board and there is a pretty high hiss level using the earphone output jack on the laptop. The level is also pretty low. (Not really surprised by either issue).

Can anyone recommend a USB device that will give me a quiet, line level output? (Inexpensive is also good).

Thanks,
Ralph

Comments

richard-amirault wrote on 2/27/2009, 3:32 PM
You mean somthing like the Behringer U-CONTROL UCA202
John_Cline wrote on 2/27/2009, 4:27 PM
Go to NewEgg.com and search for "usb audio adapter", it comes up with four of them, all for under $20 each.

If very high quality is an issue, then maybe the M-Audio Transit. It has a list price of $99.

I don't like Behringer's business practices, but the Behringer UCA202 mentioned above is a perfectly decent device, too. It has a list price of around $45. Behringer does make one unique product that I think is one of the coolest "swiss army type" audio devices available, the Shark DSP110
RalphM wrote on 2/27/2009, 6:27 PM
Thanks for the replies.

Further searching found some interesting options, many of which were back-ordered or special order. I ordered the UCA202 as it looked pretty fool-proof and certainly fit the "inexpensive" criteria.

The Behringer Shark is an interesting unit - did not see it listed at any retailer that I checked though.

RalphM
Chienworks wrote on 2/27/2009, 7:01 PM
I've had very good luck buying Behringer gear on ebay, of all places. There's no dealers anywhere in my area who carry it.

I didn't read the details on the shark, but i did look at the closeup pictures. I don't see any sort of digital port on them. Certainly there isn't a USB port. So i don't think it would serve your purposes.
TheHappyFriar wrote on 2/27/2009, 7:15 PM
i've found most hiss is from the AC power. Try disconnecting the AC & run of batt to see if it goes away. If not the extra devices will be necessary.
John_Cline wrote on 2/27/2009, 8:39 PM
I buy all my audio stuff through Grandma's Music here in Albuquerque. Great folks and great prices, they also have a thriving Internet mail order business with free second-day air shipping.

http://www.grandmas.com
John_Cline wrote on 2/27/2009, 8:43 PM
No, the Shark is strictly analog i/o, I just mentioned it in the context of something unique and useful that Behringer makes. Otherwise, it had nothing to do with the topic at hand.
RalphM wrote on 2/27/2009, 8:46 PM
Re the AC power, I tried it with and without the AC. Still had hiss. I tried cutting the highs down by 15db on the mixer channel strip I'm feeding , but the hiss was still noticeable. It telegraphs "here comes a sound effect" when I hit play on the laptop (running the effects as a file in Sound Forge with markers of each effect)

We have another laptop in the same room that stays on a portable projector cart. Its DVD player is terribly noisy, so I'll try this gadget on it as well to see if it makes a difference.

RalphM
RalphM wrote on 3/4/2009, 2:31 PM
Behringer UCA 202 arrived today. Very big difference in noise level vs the headphone jack of my laptop. Line level output appears to be fairly low, but I have a small mixer I can use if that is a problem.

Have not tried recording with it, but the meters in Sound Forge show an open circuit input noise reduction of down around -67db. The mic input open circuit shows as high as -50 db on one channel, slightly better on the other.

Thanks to all for the advice.

Ralph