[LAU] USB interface for backing up old tracks mastered on cassette

[Joe Hartley]

On Wed, 16 Jan 2019 18:26:39 +0000 (UTC)
Jordan Muscott <augustusgorman at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> Thanks for the reply. I know this part of the question isn't linux specific, but presumably the AD converters in something like that aren't "as good" as those in a more expensive device though? 

True.  The Behringer is locked at 48kHz/16bits, and uses a fairly basic chip.
This is usually fine for CD-quality transfers.  There are better chips one could
get, but I wouldn't be able to hear the difference in coming from a cassette.

> I guess my question is do I have to fork out for a feature rich device such as one of the RME ones, or is there something with a more limited feature set out there (eg only 2 channels) that is of equally high quality?

You can, but for me it's a cost/benefit thing.  Do you need 12 channels of
I/O?  The high-end pre-amps?  MIDI?  ADAT or SPDIF?  Not for the task of
doing tape to digital conversion.  If you want a really great interface with
all of that, the Babyface Pro is top-notch, but is priced accordingly.

> And then of course the linux specific question is -> Is it supported?

Yes, the UCA202 is a USB compliant device, which means you plug it in, and it's
recognized as an audio interface in your system.  Couldn't be easier!

I still use a UCA202 to do my tape and LP transfers into a Linux laptop,
even though I've got a Soundcraft MTK mixer at my disposal.  It does only
one thing, but it's not bad at it.

Good luck!

-- 
======================================================================
       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh at brainiac.com
 Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa