Reference Guide

1458
Beginner’s guide to Cakewalk software
Audio
Microphone direct-in
Microphones can be plugged into the sound card’s Mic input. Some inexpensive microphones are
made especially for use with sound cards and come equipped with 1/8 inch plugs. However, better
quality microphones take better quality cables, which do not terminate in 1/8 inch plugs. The
diagram below illustrates how to connect a microphone that terminates in a 1/4 inch plug to a 1/8
inch input:
Figure 421. Microphone direct in
Home stereo, CD player, radio tuner, preamp output
The output of a stereo component can be connected to the sound card’s Line input, using a dual
RCA to 1/8 inch stereo mini Y-adapter. Many portable cassette players come with this kind of
adapter, or even with a single cable with all the necessary plugs. In the following diagram, a stereo
component is connected to the Y-adapter using standard RCA cables:
Figure 422. Home stereo, CD player, radio tuner, preamp output
Internal CD player
If you are using your computer’s internal CD player, and it does not have its audio output cable
connected internally to the sound card, run a cable from the CD player’s Headphone jack to the
card’s Line input. If there is no Headphone jack, you’ll need to use an external CD player.
Microphone
To sound card microphone input (mono)
XLR to 1/4 inch microphone cable
1/4 inch to 1/8 inch adapter
STEREO
RCA / left
RCA / right
ADAPTER
Y-adapter:
2x RCA to 1/8 inch stereo
1/8 inch stereo
sound card
line in