Interesting Notes; Microphone - TerraTec EWS88 MT Manual

Interesting notes.

Connecting and recording from turntable.
Very "hip" is currently the restoring and archiving of Vinyl or Schellack recordings. The
AudioSystem EWS88 MT certainly does enable you to make high-quality recordings. However,
there are certain considerations and we would like to point them out to you.
A direct connection to the EWS88 MT is not possible, because turntables – technically limited
due to its pick-up mechanism – provide a rather weak and extremely unbalanced signal. As a
result, it is vital to slot in an amplifier (hi-fi-amplifier or a dedicated phonostage with optimized
distortion correction). A Hi-fi amplifier is usually equipped with a TAPE OUT socket, which you
can connect to the EWS88 MT.
TerraTec does offer such a pre-amplifier for vinyl enthusiasts. The TerraTec phono PreAmp is
equipped with a high-quality RIAA-EQ, as well as gain switches for the different cartridge
formats. It also offers a mini-jack connector for use with standard sound cards. The power is
supplied through the card's GAME Port. As such, it is vital to use a sound card which can
operate in conjunction with the EWS88. We recommend our own TerraTec DMX Xfire 1024.
Both components are probably cheaper than any comparable hi-fi amplifier equipped with a
phono-stage.
Software for digital transfer and editing is included in the EWS88 package. Samplitude Project
from SEK'D, for example, is optimized for handling large files and should pose no problem to
beginners. However, conventional software alone is not really suited for dealing with the
requirements of restoring audio files. In addition to the usual functions like editing, equalizing
and volume, there are functions like removing background noise and clicks optimizing S/N
ratios as well as other sound processing tools. And finally, a CD burning facility would be on
everyone's wish list. All these functions are offered by specialized software, which can be
purchased from the following manufacturers:
Algorithmix
Dartech
Diamond Cut Productions
Sonic Foundry
Steinberg

Microphone.

The analogue inputs of the EWS88 MT do not accommodate microphones, especially not
phantom powered ones (48V). The are usually equipped with a 6,3mm jack or XLR jack – so
you might as well save yourself the time and not use your home-made adapters. If you are
planning to record microphones with professional quality (i.e. speech, vocals or acoustic
instruments), then there is no way around using additional peripherals. Dedicated channel-
strips or mixing desks with suitable XLR-sockets AUX-Sends (or subgroups) can be purchased
in the right shops.
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www.algorithmix.com
www.dartech.com
www.diamondcut.com
www.sonicfoundry.com
www.steinberg.net
AudioSystem EWS88