What is the cheapest way to record a tube amp on the computer?

Hi,
I want to be able to record my Laney L5T-112 all-tube Class A amp on my PC, however I am short of money. My amp does have a line out. I can't find many good audio interfaces either which are less than £50..
Thanks.

the Tascam US800 is $99 us and it works great with Reaper. It is also a 6 tracks at once inter face forwhen you get more ambitious'

Cheapest way is just to buy any kind of microphone, with an adaptor to plug it into whatever input you have on your computer, most have a microphone input, there are USB mikes and have at it. Audacity is a free download for recording software. Even cheaper is to use your line out with a regular guitar chord to your computers microphone input, if it has one, you will probably need a 1/4" to 1/8" reducer/adaptor.

the Tascam US800 is $99 us and it works great with Reaper. It is also a 6 tracks at once inter face forwhen you get more ambitious'
Thats wierd, in UK there almost £200!!

Tech21 GT-2 is the answer that's still the most cost effective.:cool:
Especially when there is a time constraint.
Time is money. :mrgreen:

How about this?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/5-1CH-3D-USB-2-0-Audio-Sound-Card-Adapter-Headphone-MIC-/120645083232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1701e060

Big +1 on plugging a mic into your computer and using Audacity.

OK, I just ordered the M-Audio fast track! Just one question, will the T.Bone SC140 be OK for recording my amp? I have one lying around.

Should work well. I would try the microphone, the line in, and a blend of both.

With a camera? :-)

Should work well. I would try the microphone, the line in, and a blend of both.

Yeah, I'll give it a try. I also have an Audio Technica AT2020 at home which I don't use much as I don't record vocals.. Would it be better than the T.Bone SC140?

Yeah, I'll give it a try. I also have an Audio Technica AT2020 at home which I don't use much as I don't record vocals.. Would it be better than the T.Bone SC140?

The AT2020 is going to be significantly higher in quality, just make sure it can handle the volume first.

The AT2020 is going to be significantly higher in quality, just make sure it can handle the volume first.

What do you mean? I only play my amp at bedroom volume anyway, so I'm quite sure it will be able to take the volume :)

Try both, and in different positions/locations.

Try both, and in different positions/locations.

Thats quite tricky, because my mics are at my dads, and my amp + guitar at my mums!

Sorry, that was mean.

Some options:

I have an old M-audio interface I got from someone's dustbin. It works well and has an XLR mic input. Use something like that and an SM57LC. You could get that on eBay maybe?
An adaptor cable and an SM57
A USB condenser mic of some kind that could double for you as a vocal mic, if you're doing multitrack build-ups.
REALLY on the cheap you could score one of those old Macintosh plug in mics at a yard sale. They're usually in the box with the original paperwork, because back in the day a lot of folks didn't ever use them.

Good luck and sorry again for the smart aleck answer before.

Cheers!
CBG

Sorry, that was mean.

Some options:

I have an old M-audio interface I got from someone's dustbin. It works well and has an XLR mic input. Use something like that and an SM57LC. You could get that on eBay maybe?
An adaptor cable and an SM57
A USB condenser mic of some kind that could double for you as a vocal mic, if you're doing multitrack build-ups.
REALLY on the cheap you could score one of those old Macintosh plug in mics at a yard sale. They're usually in the box with the original paperwork, because back in the day a lot of folks didn't ever use them.

Good luck and sorry again for the smart aleck answer before.

Cheers!
CBG

Haha its cool! Yeah I ordered the M-Audio fast track about an hour ago, should be here in a few days.

Ha! Weird...

Well, mine works o.k. I use it for a Skype mic input, and I really did get it from a dustbin. :-) I think it was a girlfriend throwing out her ex-boyfriend/musician's stuff kind of thing.

Anyway, hope you like yours. An SM57LC is always handy to have around. When not recording you can use it for a hammer.

CBG

Thats wierd, in UK there almost £200!!

That's too bad 99 at GC or MF......last I looked.

Do not rely on the mic preamp built into your computers soundcard, it will sound awful no matter what. All modern computers do have decent A/D conversion built in with their stock soundcards but the mic preamp is awful and noisy.

If you want to record cheaply, find something else to plug your microphone into like a little old mixer (if you own one or can get one for $20), the use the LINE IN on c=your soundcard for recording.

Sometimes old hifi amps/cassette players have mic inputs, you can use that as a preamp. But you will need to get a microphone. An SM58 style will be about $80 second hand.

If this is too awkward, you can buy a USB condenser mic like the very good value offerrings from Behringer:

http://www.dv247.com/assets/products/63964_l.jpg

This will cost you about $80 new and give you VERY professional results. It will be a high quality sensitive mic you can also use for vocals, and it has all the 'soundcard' and preamp built into the mic itself. It only transmits digital data to your computer.

This means much less equipment in the chain, less noise etc. Less expensive accessories like cables. You will need a mic stand though.

Thats wierd, in UK there almost £200!!

This is very true.

That is an very very good audio interface, it is very rare to see that many XLR inputs on an interface. Even for £200 its good value with that many inputs.

If these are really that cheap, get one !

And then buy yourself a nice microphone and you are all set.

This is very true.

That is an very very good audio interface, it is very rare to see that many XLR inputs on an interface. Even for £200 its good value with that many inputs.

If these are really that cheap, get one !

And then buy yourself a nice microphone and you are all set.

I have already ordered the M-Audio Fast Track, it should be sufficient for my needs.

The Laney L5T-112 does /not/ have a line-out.

It does have an FX send and an Ext Cab socket.

Most computer sound cards do not have a proper line-in or a proper microphone socket, so you are stuck using wretched computer microphones.

Interface e.g. Line6 Toneport UX-1 are £85-£100, more than adequate and come bundled with Audacity(?) which is free to download anyway. USB, low-latency, simple. I do use the Gearbox interface but kill all its FX rubbish.

What I do with my L5T is run a small DIY attenuator from the Ext Cab socket to the Mic input of the UX1, this drops the speaker feed safely down to "line" level. It works with any amp that has an Ext Cab socket. It also provides a form of speaker emulation since it is connected to the speaker. Without going into great detail, the speaker is also a crude microphone, hence it works very well. Circuit diagram available on request, very simple and cheaper than a cheap mic.

The Laney L5T-112 does /not/ have a line-out.

It does have an FX send and an Ext Cab socket.

Most computer sound cards do not have a proper line-in or a proper microphone socket, so you are stuck using wretched computer microphones.

Interface e.g. Line6 Toneport UX-1 are £85-£100, more than adequate and come bundled with Audacity(?) which is free to download anyway. USB, low-latency, simple. I do use the Gearbox interface but kill all its FX rubbish.

What I do with my L5T is run a small DIY attenuator from the Ext Cab socket to the Mic input of the UX1, this drops the speaker feed safely down to "line" level. It works with any amp that has an Ext Cab socket. It also provides a form of speaker emulation since it is connected to the speaker. Without going into great detail, the speaker is also a crude microphone, hence it works very well. Circuit diagram available on request, very simple and cheaper than a cheap mic.

Yeah, I only looked on my amp this morning and realised it didn't have one! My mistake :)

It is not clear from my post #23 above that when my attenuator is used, the speaker is /not/ disconnected - the amp must have correct load! The attenuator is a high impedance in parallel with the speaker, effectively no change to load (tiny drop).

I would also recommend the Line 6 Toneport and a decent mic. Plus you can go direct and use a virtual amp to lay down some basic ideas without having the hassle of setting your amp every time.

I would also recommend the Line 6 Toneport and a decent mic. Plus you can go direct and use a virtual amp to lay down some basic ideas without having the hassle of setting your amp every time.

Most modern interfaces have guitar 'hi-z' inputs. So you can record guitar & bass D.I

You can still use it with any modelling software, be it Guitar Rig, Amplitude or something else. The cool thing about it is that you can go through different simulations after you have layed down the playing, it doesnt change the recorded audio.

Once you have your track and all its components laid out and musically complete, you can go record everything for real.

I would also recommend the Line 6 Toneport and a decent mic. Plus you can go direct and use a virtual amp to lay down some basic ideas without having the hassle of setting your amp every time.

The Toneport does come with all the software you never needed.

But imo the virtual amplifiers do sound like crepe compared to the real thing. What is the point having a really good valve amp (with the emphasis on the really good bit, rather than valve) and a raft of good FX pedals, if you then DI.

Setting up my amp just consists of turning it on. I turn off all the Toneport virtual models and FX and record onto the DAW. I also get a better result using my attenuator than a mic, ambient noise much reduced (you do get some because the speaker it is hooked up to also acts as a "poor" microphone, however this provides a very effective "speaker emulation"). Some amps have/had this as a "recording output" from the OT secondary side e.g. Fender Twin Amp

But imo the virtual amplifiers do sound like crepe compared to the real thing. What is the point having a really good valve amp (with the emphasis on the really good bit, rather than valve) and a raft of good FX pedals, if you then DI.


jefrs,

Have you tried/had success mic'ing an amp cabinet and recording it thru
the mic input on the Toneport?

I've done multiple searches including the Line 6 site and found nothing related...sorry if you posted anything about this...I didn't see anything.

"I also get a better result using my attenuator than a mic, ambient noise much reduced"

I understand your method, but I'd like to record the amp speaker, but also want to record vocals...the Pod Studio UX2 is on my short list along with more basic interfaces.
The amp I want to record has no ext. cab jack.

Thanks for any input.

Tom