Need Help Setting Sound Card Recording Level

This weekend I installed an Echo Indigo io sound card in one of the PCMCIA card slots of my IBM ThinkPad. I attempted to record from an audiocassette to the hard drive with my usual cable setup (which I have used successfully on several occasions): RCA line-out from my receiver to 1/8-inch plug into the computer's line-in jack, except this time into the Echo Indigo rather than the on-board sound card.

Problem: although the recording level meters indicated that sound was coming in, I was unable to adjust the recording level. As far as I can tell, I have configured everything correctly: the Echo Indigo is set up as the computer's default sound card for recording and playback; I directed my audio editing software, Sound Forge 7.0, to use the Echo Indigo as the recording device; and I used the analog input sliders on the Echo Indigo's "Console" window to attempt to adjust the level. The level did not change when I moved the sliders. Just for drill, I switched the mixer device back to the on-board sound card, to no avail.

In case Echo's tech support is unresponsive (or I cannot get home early enough to call Echo in the next few days), does anyone here know how I can adjust the recording level with what is supposed to be a 24-bit audiophile sound card expressly designed for notebook computers? (I do not want to -- and indeed should not have to -- resort to using the receiver's headphone jack rather than the line-out jacks, especially since the Echo Indigo shipped with a two-RCA-plug-to-single-1/8th-inch-plug cable.)

Thanks for your help.

Paul

 

I reached Echo tech support yesterday. The tech said I would need to add an outboard mixer to adjust the recording level, as the PCMCIA-based sound card was too small to accommodate a mixer or preamp. The tech suggested mixers by Behringer. The Behringer website indicates that the Eurorack UB502 might fill the bill. Does anybody have any thoughts? Thanks.

Paul

 

Paul,

I would suggest that a good hi-fi preamp may serve your needs better in this case. I am using the Parasound PHP-850 with my computer system, and I am very happy with it.

Behringer products offer great value for the money, but in many cases their sound quality may leave something to be desired. They are not well-respected in the pro-audio community due to some unethical design practices, and several lawsuits resulting from same...

In the interest of diplomacy, I'll leave it at that. Can you help me get my flame suit on?

best of luck,