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i have a decent computer with a revolution 7.1 soundcard in it. i have a cheapy epm agt 200 transducer for my guitar. do i need a preamp for this setup to work?

Comments

RemyRAD Tue, 05/16/2006 - 21:39

No, you need a guitar amplifier and microphone. Your revolution 7.1 soundcard is actually a piece of crap that should not be plugged into any guitar directly. Or, no guitar should be plugged into that crappy soundcard since it will only give you a crappy guitar sound.

If you want to plugged your guitar directly into your computer you should do so with a dedicated guitar preamp with a line level output. The line level output could then be plugged into the line input of your crappy soundcard where it will sound less crappy then if you plugged the guitar directly into the microphone input that has a DC voltage on it that could do damage to your guitar's "transducer". Oh sure, you might be able to plug your guitar into your crappy soundcard line input but then, that will load down the guitar transducer which really wants to see an input impedance of at least one million ohms! The soundcard has approximately 150 ohm microphone input impedance and a 10,000 ohm line input impedance making it totally wrong for a guitar pick up. That is why you really need a preamp or a full-blown amplifier with a microphone and a proper microphone preamp plugged into your sound card line input. The microphone input on your sound card is only appropriate for those simply horrible headphone mounted condenser microphones for multimedia purposes and instant messenger.

So start saving your dough for a proper preamp/amplifier/microphone or other such stuff.

I'm good and cheap
Ms. Remy Ann David

anonymous Wed, 05/17/2006 - 14:06

Thank you for that awesomely harsh reply :)

I broke down and bought a 15 watt Marshall today but I still can't get the line in to work. I must be doing something wrong. I should be able to plug the lineout from the amp to the line in on my soundcard and get some type of reponse but i'm not. Technically i hsould be able to plug it right into the mic input and get some kinda sound, but thats not workin either.

RemyRAD Wed, 05/17/2006 - 22:32

I assume you are using a Windows PC? You're not getting any recorded sound because the sound cards mixer as directed its recording input from the wrong source. You can't easily change the source input of your sound card that will allow you to record what you want. You may want to try reading a previous post of mine that explains what to do with your computers soundcard mixer.

Here is the URL
http://recording.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=274119#274119

Let me know if this helps?

Input output ex lacks
Ms. Remy Ann David

anonymous Wed, 05/17/2006 - 22:52

Yes Windows XP. I can use my mic perfectly fine through mic in and set it to either mute itself, or playback through the speakers. When I go to swap it for the guitar cable coming from the line out on the amp it makes a split second crack sound then nothing. I found out it does make a sound when you plug it in through control panel that comes with the soundcard. I'm beyond stumped as to why this doesn't work. Any type of pickup should work, correct? Even a simple transducer... I have noticed one other thing: the 1/8th adapter the guy sold me is stereo to mono, not stereo to stereo. Not sure if this would be the problem but i'm going to try this tomorrow I guess.