"Fred Anderson" wrote in message ...
Currently, we're recording guitars through the following chain by way of
1/4" analog connectors (except for that final step) :

Guitar = PODxt = Mackie 1402 = Gina External Box = Computer

I just learned that the PODxt can directly connect to the computer via USB.

Does either method really influence the resulting sound, or any artifacts
that might be found therein? Because I am finding that the sound we get
isn't very clear, and has a small whistling noise that we find quite
annoying. Would switching to direct USB help?

For what it's worth, the Echo Gina is a great card and the analog connectors
and wiring are all good quality and new.

I realize the best solution would be using an amp or double-tracking with
the POD and an amp... but an amp isn't an option right now for various
reasons.


What kind of guitar are you using? I would take the mackie out of the
chain. Go direct into the sound card. I do think there is sometimes
an impedance matching problem with these things and that might cause
the whistling problem.

I have found a few things to be true from having used guitar in a box
processors for direct recording. First off, never use the presets.
Those are made to wow you or sound good in head phones or maybe
through and amp, but not in a mix.

Take every effect whatever out of the chain and first build your tone.
IE how much gain, what distortion, any eq. Once you get that sounding
good then maybe you could adds some of the other effects IE chorus or
flange or whatever. Leave the reverb off until final mix.

Secondly the single coil pickup guitars don't sound good through
these. They get some nasty unfiltered harmonics which sounds to me as
what you are describing as this whistling sound. If you can use a
guitar with humbucking pickups or send it to an amp and out a speaker
and mic it.

Hope that helps

Mike http://www.mmeproductions.com