[vox-tech] Linux sound recording

[Ted Deppner]

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On Tue, Jun 17, 2003 at 08:36:40AM -0700, Henry House wrote:
> > On Tue 17 Jun 03,  6:59 AM, Henry House <hajhouse@houseag.com> said:
> > > I think I need a sound card. Criteria:
> > > Any recommendations?

Yes... any supported sound card.  Tapes have maybe 20 to 40 db signal to
noise if you're lucky... any sound card (even a "cheap one") can do better
than that.

> The main two points seem to be:
> 1. Get all analog signals as far away as possible from AC power and any PC
>    electronics.

Yes... using sheilded audio lines will help too.

> 2. Buy high-end hardware intended for recording, not gamer / comsumer
>    hardware.

If you're truly doing studio recordings, yes, that'd be preferred.  From a
standard cassette, any audio card you find will likely be able to do
better than the cassette. =20

> Dumb newbie question: is a high signal-to-noise ratio (e.g., 100 dB) bett=
er
> than a low one?

High "signal to noise" ratio is good.  More signal, less noise.  In
reality this is a measurement from the "noise floor", the point at which
you cannot discern the signal from the noise, to the strength of the
signal itself.  Thus, if you have a 0db recording on audio tape, but the
noise floor is at -20db or -40db (if you're using good tapes and a good
deck), you'd have a 20db or 40db s/n.

I wouldn't obsess about spending large sums on expensive audio gear... any
card you buy will likely have a 30db or greater s/n (wild guess).

Lastly, your source already has a high noise floor (being a cassette)...
no amount of expense will change that, save obtaining a better recording
from somewhere else.

--=20
Ted Deppner
http://www.deppner.us/

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