--- You wrote: Many of the tutorials discourage running the cable from the phono/tape/cd/source into the mic port. --- end of quote --- The wings card 1/8" Audio In jack is a strange beast. When you use a normal length plug, the signal it expects is at "line level", just like the RCA jacks, which is the voltage put out by a walkman type earphone jack, for example. If you insert a longer plug as found on the apple microphones, the same audio in jack sends the signal to a microphone preamplifier. YOu don' t want to send line levle audio to a mic preamp. But most stereo cables have plugs of the correct length to prevent this.
I use the 1/8" audio in with a normal stereo plug for line level input. It's a little more convenient for me than the RCA plugs and the results are the same. At the other end of the cable is an audio mixer so I have a lot of options to feed the computer: cassette, phonograph, even a radio tuner and video audio). Most mixers have microphone inputs too, so the mic preamplification happens in the mixer and the computer sees audio at line level. This would allow you to record stereo sound, while the mic input on the wings card is mono. The Apple mic is not likely to be of first quality. For the best sound you'd do well to buy a decent mic and a mixer with mic inputs, or a mic preamp so you don't have to use the one on the wings card which is also likely to be marginal. Hope this helps. Rich -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
