That infernal hum

[thomas heathwood]

Joe -  Sorry you are still having troubles with your attempts to hook up a dubbing route to your computer.
In addition to what I mentioned last time, you must understand that the "mike input" is NOT going to match your 
attempted connection of the stereo output.  Your gain and equalization will both be incorrect.
May I suggest that you simply:  1. Get the two pieces of equipment side by side - not connected by lengthy
extensions.  2. That you attempt to connect the USB input (sound card input)  to the "headphones" jack on your
amplifier and not to the "audio output" jack.  
If that doesn't help,  you can get an equalization patch from Radio Shack that will convert hi-Z  (high impedance)
output to low-Z and tyhen can use the "mike" input, probably still recing the gain to a fairly low level on the amplifier.
A knowledgeable clerk at Radio Shack should be able to supply such a conversion patch. 
In the end, if it is going to be worth it for you, you coulkd replace the sound card with one which has a "line level" input included so you can plug your stereo output directly to the the coputer.  
In any event, attempting to use the "mike in" access is not going to work and may even cause permanent damage to your computer.
<<Tom Heathwood>>      HeritageRadio@msn.com<mailto:HeritageRadio@msn.com>       May 28,  2008
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: A. Joseph Ross<mailto:joe@attorneyross.com> 
  To: bri@bostonradio.org<mailto:bri@bostonradio.org> 
  Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 12:28 AM
  Subject: That infernal hum


  Thanks to everyone who has answered online and off.  I thought the 
  most likely solution might be a USB sound card, to which I could then 
  patch my stereo system into my laptop.  That would also be 
  convenient, since I could set the laptop next to the stereo and 
  control things without walking back and forth.

  So I went to MicroCenter today, but of the three USB soundcards they 
  had, two had only an output jack, and one had only an output and a 
  mike jack.  Same problem I already have.  So I'm going to look online 
  and see if that solves the problem.

  Baring a solution to the hum problem, other possibilities may be to 
  try connecting a boom-box that I have, which plays cassettes, to my 
  desk computer's soundcard.  If that works, I can then use the stereo 
  to tape the records and then play the tapes into the computer.

  Or I just might break down and get a CD recorder for my stereo 
  system.

  -- 
  A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                           617.367.0468
   92 State Street, Suite 700                   Fax 617.507.7856
  Boston, MA 02109-2004                    http://www.attorneyross.com<http://www.attorneyross.com/>