?Audio Advice? Saving Audio from mini disc

Martin · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 21.42

I'm a bit stuck here...

I've got a mini disc with a voiceover script that I want to try and incorporate into powerpoint to run with the presentation so that it all goes on one click.

The mini disc player has headphone, mic and line in sockets. I've tried connecting the headphone socket with the mic socket on the pc and recording through Windows Sound Recorder but it sounds pants. Is there a better way of doing it? The quality on minidisc is superb and I want to retain as much of that as possible when saving to the pc.

If anyone has any advice that would be great.

Thanks

Chris · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 21.47

Try recording using the Line In in your PC instead of the mike socket.

Windows Sound Recorder is generally shite in its default quality - ensure everytime you do a new take you select "CD Quality" from the list and not any of the others.

Get a dedicated program to record sound like the Total Recorder (if you really want to push the boat out, Adobe Audition) and you can record it directly to a wave sound.

Do not use any form of compression when the file is on your PC - the data on the minidisc is already compressed using the ATRAC codec, and coding it to something else will make it sound bad.

Bail · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 21.50

As Chris said, use LINE IN, you could accidentally kill your mic in if you use it. Try downloading the 30day trail of Adobe Audition from the Adobe site. You can then record the audio, trim and edit it as needed then save is almost any format you want.

Jamez · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 22.39

Bail wrote:As Chris said, use LINE IN, you could accidentally kill your mic in if you use it.

I didn't wreck the MIC IN, but I did wreck the bit of kit that was hooked up to it!!

Always use LINE IN. In fact, stuff some chewing gum in the MIC IN slot - you'll never have any use for it (unless you're one of those weirdos that uses a shitty £9.99 computer microphone for MSN.)

Nick Harvey · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 23.12

Jamez wrote:(unless you're one of those weirdos that uses a shitty £9.99 computer microphone for MSN.)

Surely "shitty" microphones cost around £75.

Decent microphones cost "proper" money.

Martin · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 23.13

Thanks for the help.

I downloaded Audition and its working perfectly. Took me a while to find my feet with the layout but I'm getting there.

Thanks again.

p.s. - dont suppose anyone has a drum roll track on them? that would solve all my problems them

Jamez · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 23.32

Nick Harvey wrote:
Jamez wrote:(unless you're one of those weirdos that uses a shitty £9.99 computer microphone for MSN.)
Surely "shitty" microphones cost around £75.

Decent microphones cost "proper" money.

If you're going to be using a proper microphone, you would run it through either a pre-amp, mixing console etc; first.

The mixer would go into the Line Input on your soundcard (onboard soundcards are crap), and then use your desired audio recording application (Audition, GoldWave, Soundforge etc.) to record your material to.

Jamez · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 23.33

Martin wrote:
p.s. - dont suppose anyone has a drum roll track on them? that would solve all my problems them

You should have asked me an hour ago! I had everything hooked up then!

Nick Harvey · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 23.33

Martin wrote:p.s. - dont suppose anyone has a drum roll track on them?

I must have the front of the National Anthem somewhere.

Any good?

Martin · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 23.36

If theres a drum roll in it (not too length) then I'm sure it would be ideal!

Nick Harvey · Sat 11 Jun, 2005 23.37

Are you okay till tomorrow, as I'll need to find a gram to hook up?