Audio Interface

[juicello]

Hello, does anyone know a good audio interface that is compatible with casio ct-x700? I am looking to buy one, but I am not sure which audio interface will work with my piano. And also, does anyone know if audio interfaces pick up on the piano keys clicking and making noises? I've noticed that electric/digital pianos make clicking noises sometimes when you play, which doesn't really bother me. However, when I record music on the audio interface, I do not want the audio interface to pick up on the clicking, if that makes sense. 

 

Thank you, cheers!

[Brad Saucier]

Your audio interface will connect to the phones output of the keyboard.  Your computer may already have an internal audio interface with a 3.5 mm line input jack.  If so, you'll only need the cable to connect the two to get started.  You'll be able to record exactly what you hear through headphones when they are connected to the phones jack.

[juicello]

1 hour ago, Brad Saucier said:

Your audio interface will connect to the phones output of the keyboard.  Your computer may already have an internal audio interface with a 3.5 mm line input jack.  If so, you'll only need the cable to connect the two to get started.  You'll be able to record exactly what you hear through headphones when they are connected to the phones jack.

Ok thank you for responding. From your knowledge, does the audio interface pick up the clicking noises from the keyboard? And do you know any good audio interfaces?

[Chandler Holloway]

No, the mechanical clicking noises are not audible when recording from the headphone output. It's a direct recording of the signal straight from the sound chip on the CT-X700. However, if you were recording the output of the built-in speakers with a microphone, it would pick up mechanical noises as well as whatever background noise is in the room you're recording it in. An audio interface thankfully circumvents that by getting the signal directly from the source.

 

I recommend the Behringer UCA222 or UCA202 (they're exactly the same aside from the color and the bundled software, as far as the interfaces themselves, they're identical. the UCA202 is usually a bit cheaper since it's not bundled with as much software as the UCA222) if you're just looking for a simple USB audio interface for recording stereo, line level audio (like the kind coming from the headphone output on the CT-X). If you want something a little more professional that can record other stuff like microphones or electric guitars, you might want to spend a bit more on something more substantial like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.

 

Keep in mind that you'll need the right cables to connect the headphone output to whatever interface you decide to buy. The CT-X700 headphone output is a stereo 1/4" TRS output. The Behringer UCAs have RCA inputs, and the Scarlett 2i2 takes a pair of 1/4" mono TS inputs.

 

If you have one of these 1/4" to 1/8" adapters, great.

 

That means you'll either need an 1/8" to dual RCA Y-cable (like the Hosa CMR-206) if you're going to get one of the Behringer UCAs:

 

 

or an 1/8" stereo aux cable (you definitely own one of these already) plus a breakout adapter like the Hosa YMP-434 if you want to go for the Focusrite 2i2

 

If you don't have a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter, then you'll want to get similar versions of these cables, but with a 1/4" stereo connection on the end so it can plug directly into the headphone output on the CT-X.

 

If you're going for the Behringer, that would be the Hosa TRS-202:

 

 

For the Scarlett 2i2, that would be the Hosa STP-202:

[juicello]

40 minutes ago, Chandler Holloway said:

No, the mechanical clicking noises are not audible when recording from the headphone output. It's a direct recording of the signal straight from the sound chip on the CT-X700. However, if you were recording the output of the built-in speakers with a microphone, it would pick up mechanical noises as well as whatever background noise is in the room you're recording it in. An audio interface thankfully circumvents that by getting the signal directly from the source.

 

I recommend the Behringer UCA222 or UCA202 (they're exactly the same aside from the color and the bundled software, as far as the interfaces themselves, they're identical. the UCA202 is usually a bit cheaper since it's not bundled with as much software as the UCA222) if you're just looking for a simple USB audio interface for recording stereo, line level audio (like the kind coming from the headphone output on the CT-X). If you want something a little more professional that can record other stuff like microphones or electric guitars, you might want to spend a bit more on something more substantial like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.

 

Keep in mind that you'll need the right cables to connect the headphone output to whatever interface you decide to buy. The CT-X700 headphone output is a stereo 1/4" TRS output. The Behringer UCAs have RCA inputs, and the Scarlett 2i2 takes a pair of 1/4" mono TS inputs.

 

If you have one of these 1/4" to 1/8" adapters, great.

 

That means you'll either need an 1/8" to dual RCA Y-cable (like the Hosa CMR-206) if you're going to get one of the Behringer UCAs:

 

 

or an 1/8" stereo aux cable (you definitely own one of these already) plus a breakout adapter like the Hosa YMP-434 if you want to go for the Focusrite 2i2

 

If you don't have a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter, then you'll want to get similar versions of these cables, but with a 1/4" stereo connection on the end so it can plug directly into the headphone output on the CT-X.

 

If you're going for the Behringer, that would be the Hosa TRS-202:

 

 

For the Scarlett 2i2, that would be the Hosa STP-202:

Thank you so much for the very detailed answer! I really appreciate it. I fully understand the concept now.