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I've been running karaoke at home using a cheap all-in-one player for my friends for a while now, and have recently taken the leap into a computer based system.  Everything works fine, I have a dual display setup, mp3 based karaoke files and Sax and Dotty's hoster to play them.  Since the move though, I havent been happy with the sound output.

I'm using my onboard sound ( http://www.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=A7N ... e&langs=01 ) and while the song itself sounds fine, I'm having problems with the mic output - it sounds echoey, and I cant seem to get it to sound loud enough.

I have the mic plugged into the MIC socket, and a single cable running from my line out into my stereo (home theatre) system.  I had my all-in-one plugged into the stereo system, and it sounded fine.

I'm thinking I need a card with more than one line out to carry different channels?  I know bugger all about sound setup, so I'm turning to you guys for advice.  I've been looking at the Soundblaster Audigy2 Platinum - would this be what I needed?  I'm running all this from a desktop, not a laptop, btw.

I like the Sound Blaster Audigy mp3 USB device... hooks up to your usb port, and converts to pure RCA connections. (Note, you can also have line IN as well!)...

easily the best thing I bought for my computer since my usb external storage enclosures for internal drives and cdrom.

Can you tell I like USB?

I understand that your question pertains to a home desktop patched into your home stereo system, not a stage system like a pro KJ would use.  That said, then I agree that a decent sound blaster card would probably fix your problem.

However, for you pro KJ's who checked this thread hoping to improve your stage sound, then you might want to consider a pro level sound card that will interface with your mixing board properly.

I use the Delta 44 made by M-Audio. I highly recommend it for anyone who KJ's with a desktop into a pro audio mixer. It is a PCI based card with a cable extended breakout box that accepts 1/4" phone jacks. You simply install the card and software, attach the breakout box to the card, then patch the cables into your mixer inputs using standard 1/4" patch cables.

The beauty of this card is that it allows you to properly match input levels to your mixer.

No standard PC sound card does that. Not even the best Creative Labs card does it. The Soundblaster cards are great for gaming and home audio surround sound, but not for pro audio. Pro audio mixers need different input levels than the Soundblasters and others like them provide.

The Delta 44 comes with great software that contains a patchbay/router and also a means to select proper output levels to match whatever type mixer or amp you are driving. And it fersure will work with home audio equipment too. It give you 3 different levels of output;  +4Db, -10Db and "consumer" level.....So you see it will work no matter what you plug into....And not just work, but also sound fantastic.

Are the 1/4" jacks balanced connections.  Another guy I talk with is looking for a card with 1/4" card but would like balanced connectors.  He is looking at an ESI Juli card that sounds very similar to this one.  TRS 1/4" ins/outs OR RCA ins/outs - user configurable.  http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/esi-julia/[/url]

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Here is a link to the Delta 44:

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta44-main.html

As you can see it supports balanced and unbalanced patching.

If he is concerned with hiss, hum and added noise, then tell him that it will add NONE to his chain. It is totally silent and transparent.

If you're looking for something a little better I recently bought an ADS Tech external sound device.  It was $50 at CompUSA and has both RCA in/out as well as S/PDIF in/out.  Given the possibility that I may move to some digital connections in the future it seemed to be a good idea.  So far the sound quality is excellent and overhead on the system is quite low.  Minimum recommended system requirements were lower than most other external sound cards.

I couldn't find the Soundblaster MP3 at CompUSA but did find it at Wal-Mart.

Hi!

I don't know if this will be of any help but what I'm doing is that I record my singing on an external device and bring it in via line in. It seems to work well as long you have a mixer and a device (e.g. minidisk player) to record your singing with!

jee

Heh, heh.....

Are you saying the ADS Tech is better?......Heh, heh, yeah right! Go ahead and buy a $50 card from Wall-Mart if you want or buy one that sounds profesional.

Should have clarified - better than the sound card that's built into the computer - especially if it's built into the motherboard.

I'm sure a truly professional sound card that offers balanced connections will blow my ADS Tech product from CompUSA away.  But since most people will be playing MP3's or encoding into MP3 in the end the advantages of using balanced connections or even S/PDIF input/output is lost to most people.  I'll not go into lossy codecs, bitrates, or the advantages of using an external A/D D/A convertor of professional quality nor balanced vs. unbalanced connections because it's a long drawn out conversation over what usually amounts in minimal differences in quality in a crowded noisy club.

If you need professional quality then get a sound card that supports balanced connections.  If you want something better than trying to get the mic/line in on your computer to work properly then get the ADS Tech or SoundBlaster products that offer Line In/Line Out over unbalanced connections and/or S/PDIF in/out to hook up your external player(s).

But let's not get lost in the details - the original problem was an echoey sound on the mic in the original set up.  A small external mixer, a good mic, and decent line-in/out connections will, in all likelihood, resolve the problem at minimal cost.  Of course it could be something as simple as turning on the +20db boost for the mic so the gain doesn't have to be turned up quite so high or insuring the mic is sensitive enough and has a proper dispersion pattern.  It could also be a problem with the sound setup on the computer itself and how the mic input is handled - and by what software.

Sorry rambling again.. I do this sometimes... no offense meant but high-end professional quality equipment isn't always the best solution - budget, application, end user understanding/training, and many other factors play a role in the final solution.

My head is swimming.

I'm sure I'm asking questions that have been answered - probably even in this very thread - but I really am a bit lost.

So far, I've used mp3 backing tracks imported into Goldwave audio mixing software. I've recorded my vocals on a separate channel in Goldwave using a cheap $20 headset. The vocals have been barely audible (I've had to totally maximize the volume of the vocals, causing quite a bit of hiss).

What I want is pretty simple - a decent mic that will actually pick up my voice and not require me to multiply the volume by 50 to be audible over the mp3 track, that I can plug into my computer, or into something inexpensive that plugs into my computer.

I don't need CDG-capable software, and I don't need ultra-amazing-professional sound. I bought a Shure premium vocal mic (model RS230) today at Radio Shack, but didn't realize its XLR plug wouldn't fit onto my computer. I can take it back if I need to, but was hoping there might be an inexpensive way to either get an adaptor of some kind, or find a mixer that will allow me to hook it up. Oh, and I have a Soundblaster Audigy card.

Can anyone take pity on the noob and help me with some advice? I saw some talk about external USB sound devices... would any of these help me, or would they hinder the sound quality? Thanks so much in advance,

Amy

Edited to add - what about a good USB microphone? Is there such a thing? I've read many of the posts in the Frequently Asked forum, but everything seems so far beyond my capabilities and my needs. I just want to record one track at a time and do the editing through goldwave, with a mic that has good sound...

Lonman,
I just installed the new E-MU 1212m from Creative Pro which uses balanced 1/4 ins/outs, so far, no other cards comes close to this one for the price, not even the Delta mention above.  It uses the best D/A converter, same used in a Pro Tool card, simply amazing!!

Only one problem so far with it, it appears that the driver is allergic to the NVidia chipset, severe sound dropout when listening to music (like SS) and typing on the keyboard, they are trying to fix this problem at E-MU.

I suggest you do a search on the net and I'm telling you, you won't find anything better!  Btw, I also managed to installed my Audigy2 ZS which uses the same audio driver as the 1212m so I can still use my EAX Console Key changer!!

www.emu.com
www.productionforums.com/emu/

With the delta 44 and 2 winamps (one for background and one for S&D)  I set the Direct Sound v2.2.10 plugin  to 1/2 out on the Sax player and the background player is set for 3/4 out..  That way I run the background thru a Nanocompressor for ducking with the background mics. Also run the background to different channels on the mixer for seperate levels and efx gain.

 The Sync Crossfader plugin provides a crude manual fade from S&D to background and visa versa.

  On a good system there is a vast difference between onboard sound and a good quality sound board.  The secret is tailoring the system for component matching such as impedance and levels and keeping the overall level at an average level.

No complaints with M-Audio...Has anybody tried their preamps such as the Dmp3?

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