Webmaster's Rec Room

I use my computer to play and record audio/video but got SICK of plugging and unplugging those dang little mini-plugs. Also, I got tired of adjusting the volume with the software controls instead of a trusty real-world volume nob.

The Behringer Eurorack UB502 Mixer is a $35 solution that solves that problem with true quality.

The term "professional feel" get way over-used in marketing but, in this case, you can actually say it. The knobs, connections, even the case, are the very same ones they Behringer uses on it's bigger professional mixers.

First hook your this mixer to your line-in and speaker-out of your sound card. Then plug your speakers into the mixer and -- viola -- you have professional quality control of every in-and-out option on your computer. You will need to get/make cords with those big phono plugs, instead of the mini ones but the big ones are way better, so it's worth it.

With a little turn of a knob and maybe a press of button, you can switch between whatever you are doing... Internet phone; dubbing an audio tape to disk; using WinAmp; listening with speakers or headphones; etc. etc.

Random notes:

I've used mine, never turning it off, for two years and it has worked flawlessly in a rather hostile environment -- a testimony to Behringer's quality control.

The size is perfect alongside a computer.. about like a paperback book.

It would be terrific for low-budget Podcasters.

It does not have phantom power, so you'll need a dynamic microphone or battery powered condenser. (This is only an issue if you have a studio-quality condenser microphone.)

It has a (superior) XLR input for one of microphones... if possible use a XLR microphone XLR cords are less likely to pick up noise from your computer... which is electronically noisy.

Suggested microphones: I use the Sennheiser (below) which sound great and is cheap but it comes in a 3-pack. I'll guess that the Shure, Sony or the Audio Technica microphones, below, would sound good in most applications (VOIP, video narration, podcasting, etc.) and would be a huge improvement over whatever cheap microphone-headset that came bundled with your computer.

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