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Agreed. An even less electronically noisy environment is anywhere outside the computer case, which is one reason USB external sound interfaces are common around here.

No i was using my old cable, that explains why there are two outlets for AUX out, i am an idiot!

I will acquire such a cable and think about an external audio device, since my motherboard is pretty small and i guess my graphics card is blocking the PCI slot below it. Do you have any reasonably cheap devices you can recommend? I would like to stay below ~150$/120€ but of course the lower the better!

I have the same problem with the blocked PCI slot. There is usually a PCI-e x1 slot above the PCI-e x16 slot where your graphics card sits. PCI-e sound cards slot into the x1. I think this would be the cheapest option than going for external USB, but I am not familiar with these so I could be very wrong.

If anything you will at least get a much better sound output for listening to music etc :P

So I just checked and there are actually accessible PCI-e slots below my graphics card, the question now is whether to buy an external device or a sound card? Is it viable to buy an external one in my budget range or should i just go for a sound card?

In my opinion, external is better, particularly if you are going to be recording. Basically they are made for this purpose. Internal interfaces are usually designed primarily for advanced playback.

Having an external interface gives you lots of advantages, like knobs for gain and volume, LED's that light up if the input is coming in too hot, etc. Stuff that matters if you are recording.

Basically in this forum you see the following devices:

• Presonus Audiobox USB
• M-Audio FastTrackPro
• Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
• Behringer UCA202

I would not recommend the Behringer for recording (it lacks the features and some of the quality you will need. I own it.).

I personally use the Focusrite. The recording quality is very good. The only issue I have had with it is poor stability of the drivers, though they have updated the driver several times since I got it and the current one seems much more stable. Type "focusrite 2i2" into youtube and watch a few videos. The dials and things are pretty handy.

The M-Audio and Presonus are better because they have MIDI-IN ports, which can be convenient if you are not using USB-MIDI.

Whatever you decide, just make sure it has the ability to record stereo. Many lower-end devices are designed for guitar and can only record one audio track (for example, M-Audio the FastTrack non-pro version). If you got something like that you'd be stuck with mono forever.

Hey thanks for your very informative answer, the focusrite looks nice but how exactly would i record with that? do i plug 2 1/4 in my aux and 2 1/4 in the audio interface? whats confusing to me is that a picture of the focusrite shows a line output not a line input?

Also are there cheaper alternatives? or is it worth it to spend a little more even on an amateur level?

thanks!

This was the cheapest reasonable one I saw when I was looking. You may find something different, but I didn't.

The focusrite takes XLR (balanced), 1/4 TS (unbalanced), or 1/4 TRS (balanced) inputs. You would run 2 1/4 TS cables from your piano to it. They can be at line level or mic level (which is much lower and get "pre-amped". All the inputs are on the front. Its output is on the back. It's a pair of 1/4 TRS (balanced) jacks which would also work with a 1/4 TS unbalanced cable, which is what you would run to speakers if you use them.

Most likely you will have to buy some cables to get it all set up. Most of them are pretty cheap.

So I am still unsure with all that cable business...

if i buy the 2i2 and this cable http://a2.images6.thomann.de/pics/prod/157992.jpg will i be able to connect it properly? The website where I am going to buy it doesn't say anything about TS or TRS and I don't really know what those terms refer to... the cable in the link has a 1/4 stereo jack to a dual 1/4 mono jack and the 2i2 itself would be connected to my pc via usb as far as i can see?

Programs like Audacity have no problem recording from a USB-Device, although i guess there comes software with the box?

A lot of beginner questions, still trying to get a hold of the whole audio interface subject..

Google is your friend on the TRS vs TS thing. Long story short, TRS cables carry two signals (typically either stereo sound or balanced sound, which is a single signal and the same signal again out of phase with the first one as a way of getting rid of interference) while TS carries a single signal. Your piano probably has two 1/4 TS outputs. The interface takes two 1/4 inputs, which will need to be TS. The cable you showed combines two TS into one TRS. That's not what you need. The solution to your problem is simply two TS cables like this.

If your piano hasn't got a line out your best bet is to buy an audio interface and plug it into the headphone socket.I use a Line 6 UX1 which does an excellent job for about £100.

Allright you guys have been a tremendous help, i think i will go with the 2i2, my last question is, is it important whether i buy 1/4 to XLR or 1/4 to 1/4 cables?

Many years ago I tested the quietness of a sound system by switching out the 1\4" cables with XLR 'mic' cables.

With no input signal and the mixer and amp wide open ... and the amp was close to 500 watts rms per channel, there was a very slight difference in favor of the XLR cable.

Since this system was used on jobs, I didn't think the very slight reduction in the noise floor was a big deal; it would go unnoticed so I used the 1\4" cables.

If you're mastering audio for a professional situation, go with the XLR. If you're making recordings for your own enjoyment, go with the 1\4". (If I'm on a job and a 1\4" cable goes bad, I can easily find a replacement. If an XLR cable quits, it's more difficult to locate one.)

My opinion ... it's splitting hairs, but then there are audiophiles who split hairs for fun.

It's definitely just amatuer/for fun stuff but I guess i will go with the XLR nonetheless if the quality is (ever so slightly) better, there is practically no price difference and i am ordering all my cables/audio stuff at a place that sends superfast so even if one cable should go bad, ill have replacement soon enough.

Thanks for your input!

The usual purpose of XLR is to carry a balanaced signal. Your digital piano does not produce balanced signal. As a result, there's no advantage to XLR I can think of (except it is less likely to be accidentally pulled out if you trip on it).

Now, the focusrite can produce a balanced output signal, so if your speakers accept a balanced input signal, you can use that to go from the focusrite to the speakers and avoid any interference that could happen between the focusrite and speakers. Balanced signals can be transmitted over XLR or 1/4 TRS, but not 1/4 TS.

Well after some time i finally got my 2i2 and am able to record without interference/distortion.Thanks again for all your help!

(In case anyone is interested, here is a sample of the sound quality Youtube )