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[PaulDW]

I have been creating small recordings of samples and small bits of music that would be really handy to use live... Either through an amp or PA. However, I was wandering what hardware I would need to buy in order to plug my PC into an amp or PA system... Sorry for the extreme lack of technical know how... But any help would be much appreciated...

Cheapest options are preferred... but any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated...

[RF Scott]

What audio outputs do you have on your PC/Laptop? As far as I know you'd just need a cable which has whatever connections you need from your laptop, to a jack, which could then be DI'd, much like sticking an mp3 player into a hifi.

[PaulDW]

I just have a headphone out at the moment... I know I could just get a jack with an adaptor to fit... I was just thinking that the quality might not be great though... Although I could be wrong, I might just try doing it that way...

I was thinking if there was an external soundcard or interface that I might need to get to do it properly?

[RF Scott]

I'm sure there is, but I've seen people with laptops use the headphone out, and its sounded fine to me!

[PaulDW]

Excellent... well i will definitely give that a shot...

[GraemeC]

Originally Posted by PaulDW

Excellent... well i will definitely give that a shot...

If your running it through a pa I would suggest using a di box but yes the headphone out will be fine

Originally Posted by CliveRavensby

I'm sure there is, but I've seen people with laptops use the headphone out, and its sounded fine to me!

noooooooo!
no!
you'll hear the sound of the hard drive!!!!!!!

"clickclikclicklci brrrrrrrrrrr whiiizzz!"

the very least you need is an external sound card. That way you can properly isolate the audio signal from the internal noise of the laptop.
you can get a usb sound card for about 30 quid. but one for proper musician applications would be nearer 80 for a low end card.

Originally Posted by CliveRavensby

I'm sure there is, but I've seen people with laptops use the headphone out, and its sounded fine to me!

although that is what the old gasbags did.
meeeeeeeeew.

[soundian]

Originally Posted by lime ruined my life

noooooooo!
no!
you'll hear the sound of the hard drive!!!!!!!

"clickclikclicklci brrrrrrrrrrr whiiizzz!"

the very least you need is an external sound card. That way you can properly isolate the audio signal from the internal noise of the laptop.
you can get a usb sound card for about 30 quid. but one for proper musician applications would be nearer 80 for a low end card.

I take it you've never had to do LIVE sound.

[spellchecker]

sounds accurate enough to me, my laptop makes a hellish noise from all its crammed electrical components and is only usable onstage if i remove the dc power source cos it hums so bad. even without dc power and little hard drive action, it still bleeps all over the place. i'm actually considering buying an external audio interface to remedy just this problem.