Guitar -> PC

[Snograt]

I'm looking for a satisfactory way to input a guitar signal into my PC, into a DAW. I'm trying to do straightforward stuff like laying down a bass track then lead/rythm tracks.

What I've got is a Alesis IO|2 which sort-of does the job but with some odd problems. For one, no matter how I configure the thing, the hardware knobs controlling gain and latency seem to do nothing at all. Also, it's recently started picking up an intermittant hiss which I'm having a hell of a time isolating (might be PC related or something as obvious as the headphones.)

Alternatives I've looked at are:

• Pro Tools Essentials Recording Studio
• M-Audio Fast Track
• Avid Recording Studio
• Lexicon Alpha Studio
• The various Line 6 Pod Studios

All of these come with (severely) cut down versions of ProTools, Ableton or Cubase, all of which are powerful tools that are a right pain to get to grips with - yes, I know, that's just me!

So, what do you guys recommend, based on your own experiences?

(Pro tip: don't go wandering down Denmark Street on an impulse - you'll buy something that's more expensive than anywhere else and likely not what you actually need.)

 

[p0ss3s3d]

The PODs are okay, the mic pre's are a bit pants, but the guitar in signal is good. For £10 you could find a "guitar link" on fleabay. Not the best audio quality but it would function fine. Or ART do a usb mic preamp that I guess would also work well for guitar.


Also consider mic'ing up your amp(s), sounds and feels better, plus you get that interaction between pick-up and speaker. For that an SM57/421 into a decent pre-amp into an interface/PCI card would work well, but if mic'ing up is no option I'd go for the tascam because it just works - not much to it, pretty reliable, sounds good.

If your more into messing and you have no software to use (like guitar rig and a DAW for example) then get a POD.

If you have no money the £10 guitar link. (actually this is probably more me )

 

[Snograt]

Nah, block of flats, so amp micing is a no-go

I've got Guitar Rig and the various neutered "lite" DAWs as mentioned above - am I right in assuming that running via ASIO is bypassing the sound card? Or is it still hitting the hardware, just avoiding directx? That's just a random ponder as to whether I should stick my Creative fatal-one-tee back in the rig or whether it's irrelevant.