I'm surprised that you were able to get "okay" by connecting a line out to a laptop microphone input. (Because I've been there :) )

Lap tops have notoriously terrible sound cards, especially for recording. If you are plugging anything else besides a standard computer microphone it only gets worse.

Get an audio interface with a couple of inputs if you want to make music by yourself. Maybe something like an [[url=http://[/URL]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]M-Audio Transit USB[/]="http://pro-audio.mu…"]M-Audio Transit USB[/]

Yes, do that.

Although some of my favourite recordings were made using a laptop mic in, some PG58s and a Phonic PowerPod.

But yes, do what Greener says and you're already a level above me.

"do what Greener says"

Yes, do what I say...

I'm not sure if I want to follow everything that I read on a PC screen these days.

Was on IRC, things got strange, I asked an 8ball-script if it knew where my car was.

It unfurled that I need to travel to New York in a millenium falcon to find my car - which, of course, is inside my fridge and next to my bed.

Oh, and it doesn't know what to do with my worst enemy, who I'll meet there.

Thanks, I'll try to get a sound card.

How about something like this?
http://www.aage.dk/shoppingsystem/vare.asp?varenr=34606

or more expensive:
http://www.aage.dk/shoppingsystem/vare.asp?varenr=37208

It's from a danish site. You can try googling the sound cards if you need more specs.

The Behringer thing might be better than your onboard card... Might... They have a great name for making crap stuff.
The EMU should be a lot better.

They are not sound cards per se, they are audio interfaces. Just to let you know. :)

Side Note, Codemonkey, what are you on? Can I get some? :P

Well, then with those audio interfaces. The EMU is about 150 USD, and I can't afford that right now.

Is this okay?
http://www.xs-sound.dk/data/products/mayaex5/indexwtop.html

scroll down to "Specifikationer" for something english.

It's about 50 USD cheaper.

Never heard of it at all.
Can you post names of items instead of links to sales sites, you'll get better responses from people here that way.

Okay. :)

But can you tell me - what kind of audio-in do I need to get good quality? Jack, minijack, phono??

I've been looking at some Creative Soundblaster thing too, but it only has minijack-in. Will it still be all right?

By Jack I think you mean 1/4"?
Minijack, 3.5mm? Or the smaller ones like on video cameras?
Phono??? A phono plug is for record players... Wtf?

Most good mics have an XLR out, get something with and XLR in and you should be sweet, 1/4" TRS is for instruments like electric guitar.

1/4" TRS and XLR are what you're looking for.

Soundblaster stuff is for playing games and watching movies. Same as your onboard shit but with more flashy options. Codemonkey loves his sound blaster, ask him about it.

does musicians friend ship international?

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-SP1-Microphone-and-Stand-Package?sku=277031

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Lexicon-Alpha-USB-Audio-Interface?sku=245507

a cheap simple studio for only 100$ USD
it will sound good enough to keep a casual user happy and learn the ropes, for a very small outlay of cash. the cubaseLE software that comes with the interface is really nice, and better than anything like audacity or reaper. you can actually get a lot done with that little setup.

Even if musicians friend ship international, I wouldn't like buying something outside the EU, because there's a risk that I'll have to pay tax of it, and then it might suddenly be 200 bucks. So I want something that's available in the EU.

So I need something with 1/4 TRS-in - right.
Can you name some cheap audio interfaces that has 1/4 TRS-in ? And do I need other software?

Update: I found the Lexicon Alpha USB interface on that Danish site I linked to before - aage.dk. It's 134 USD. I'll see if I can find it on some German or British store

Go to a shop and ask the guys there. Look at products, read things. You're going around in circles.

Good luck and have fun.

Problem is that there aren't any shops that sell stuff like that in my area. That's why I asked here :)

But thanks for the help !

I would get the Behringer before the other one you linked. You don't need 6 outs. What about M-Audio or Presonus? Are they available where you are? The EMU 0404 PCI is less that $100. If you have a desk top I would recommend the PCI route.