Will plugging in a stereo to a computer’s MIC jack damage the microphone?
Question:
I’m sorry to trouble you with this question, but the Audacity Forum link is not working. On your helpful site [the article on Converting audio cassette tapes to CD, MP3 and other digital formats] you say, “Plug . . . the other end [of the audio cable] into your computer soundcard’s ‘Microphone’ or ‘Line in’ jack.”
As far as I can tell, my Dell laptop doesn’t have a line-in jack, leaving me with the microphone option. However, Audacity says,”Do not plug stereo equipment into your computer’s ‘Microphone’ port, which is designed for low-powered (’mic-level’) signals only.” Can you tell me if I can get effective [and non-damaging] stereo recordings using the microphone port?
Answer:
There are a few schools of thought on if plugging stereo output into a computer microphone causes damage. Here is my opinion, which will allow you to do what you’re trying to do, as long as you’re careful.
Can you tell me if I can get effective [and non-damaging] stereo recordings using the microphone port?
The short answer: Yes. Just make sure that your playback device’s volume is turned down low.
On your recording device (like your computer):
The AUX or LINE IN jack is designed to take input from a higher-powered sound source (like a tape recorder).
The MIC or MICROPHONE jack is designed to take input from a low-powered sound source (like a microphone).
For your playback device (like your tape cassette player):
The LINE OUT or AUX OUT jack sends a low-power sound signal to your recording device.
The HEADPHONE or SPEAKER jack sends a variable-power sound signal to your recording device.
The theory is that plugging in a high-powered sound source (like a tape player with the volume turned up high), will be too high-powered for the computer’s MIC input, and could damage the computer’s sound card.
Keeping the playback volume low will solve this issue, and will prevent damage to your computer’s microphone.
I know you specifically don’t have a LINE IN jack, but if you did, here are the recommended cabling combinations to use when recording from a player to a computer, and when you should use them. They’re sorted in the order in which you should try them:
1) Player LINE OUT / AUX OUT output to the recorder’s LINE IN / AUX jack: Recommended. No damage should occur.
2) Player HEADPHONE / SPEAKER output to the recorder’s LINE IN / AUX jack: Recommended. No damage should occur.
3) Player LINE OUT / AUX OUT to the recorder’s MICROPHONE / MIC jack: Recommended. No damage should occur.
4) Player HEADPHONE / SPEAKER output to the recorder’s MICROPHONE / MIC jack: Not recommended, as having the volume too high may damage your recorder’s microphone. However, if you keep the player’s output volume low, there should not be a problem.
Nadiyah:
Hello. I have a question in reference to the question that someone previously asked titled -”Can you tell me if I can get effective [and non-damaging] stereo recordings using the microphone port?” I have a desk top and a laptop, but do not a stereo cassette player. I do have a portable “boom box type” cassette player that has a microphone jack. Can I convert tapes to CD (following your instructions) using a portable player?
Thanks Much
16 December 2007, 10:29 amNadiyah J.
abkaiser:
Yes. The instructions will be the same whether you are using a stereo cassette player or a portable boom box. With a boom box, you would use the earphone jack to plug into your computer’s audio input.
Karen:
I have a similar question. I tried plugging in my digital tv receiver’s audio outputs through a mini stereo plug into my laptop’s microphone jack. I wanted to be able to hear the audio only through my computer. I had the coaxial cable hooked at the same time to my tv to be sure I was on a channel that was coming in through my attenna. Is it even possible to do this? Do I have to have special software to play the sound on? I thought it might just play from the computer’s speaker. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also I already checked all the different volume levels. Thanks.
10 August 2008, 3:36 pm