Behringer UCG102

Looks cheap, looks like it’ll do what I want – any reason not to get one? I do need it cheap – I notice that the Tascam US-122 looks cooler and has hardware monitoring but it’s triple the price. All I want to do is record and play back. I’d use the soundcard on my laptop but the latency is too high.

I would quite like the ability to use a mic too, I don’t know if that cheap one will suppor that, aren’t mic levels lower than guitars?

That one won’t do microphones – you are correct the levels/impedances are not compatible.

For a cheap quick a dirty recording, it will do the job well – classic behringer quality*.

If you want microphone and guitar – for the same price you could get one each of the T-bone cheapy XLR/1/4″ Jack cable -> USB things from Thomann –

*in a world where quality means usable but virtually disposable.

Holy cow, that cable is awsumz.. Could be perfect. One would assume latency would be low enough, there’d be little point otherwise.

I’ve never used one, but looking at reviews suggests the latency is at usable levels.

I’ve got one. It’s ok for guitar, usable for Mic IF you plug the Mic into a practice amp and take the headset output from the amp into the UCG102…

This would be for playing and maybe jamming with myself whilst travelling and staying in hotels. So the small size is a big plus.

Depends what you want but those mini jack USB leads are quite cool and work well if you have enough power to the USB. I’d vote guitar port though, small and will cope with vocals but not really cheap. Great bit of kit though, mine always travels with me and my Steinberger headless guitar so I can turn hotel rooms into home 🙂

eBay a Roland micro cube and you’re sorted!

If you just want something cheap and relatively good sounding for playing by yourself then the Vox Amplugs are worth a look. Not the best build quality (my first one arrived broken and they do feel a bit flimsy) but I’m really happy with the sound of my bass one. Use it for recording and playing at home. Haven’t tried any of the guitar ones yet though but I’d be tempted. The AC30 sounds pretty nice on the audio demos on their site.

What you need is a new amp

The Line 6 Pod is a good one to go for. It looks a bit pricey, but comes bundled with some really god amp simulation software that lets you create pretty much any tone you can think of and play with it real-time. Its also survived a few years of being chucked around a class full of music tech students, so you shouldn’t be able to break it too easily.

<Self-plug> If you want to hear it in use, I used it for the guitar at around 2:00 in on my coursework.

Yep – have a Line 6 Pod. It would be much better for jamming by yourself due to the extra software effects.

Edit: Actually this is what I have:

http://uk.line6.com/podstudioux1/

Hmm, some good stuff here, but cheapness is a necessity, as is the ability to overdub myself and my primitive drum machine. My drum machine has thousands of built in rhythmns but hardly any I actually like, so I need to be able to sequence my own and then record. I have an ooold copy of the cheap version of Cubase, which I’d use, but as above the soundcard in my laptop has too much latency.

I’ve got a multi effects thing too which I’d use, so all I need is a means of getting the audio into the computer quickly enoug, for minimum outlay.

Shame you’ve got the other bits and a limited budget, otherwise the Boss BR-80 is an ace bit of kit

+1 for the Pod studio UX1. Mic input as well as guitar, good sounds for jamming and basic recording, excellent latency, even on older computers. You can pick them up really cheap off the bay. I used to use one and never had any problems with it.

If you are looking for good software, try Reaper – free to try, no timelimits, and loads of vst plugins etc for effects and instruments.

+1 for Reaper. I’ve had loads of hours with Pro Tools and Logic and I still prefer Reaper to both.

So.. hang on a minute.. with those cheap USB to 1/4″ jack leads that bokonon linked to – do you listen through the laptop?

I have a Line 6 Live pod and it does do what it says on the tin. Has Mic input too.