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How to Route XLR to a Computer

Recording to a computer is quickly becoming the prevalent method of capturing audio. While many inexpensive microphones are designed to connect directly to a computer's sound card, the capability of the average computer far outstrips the performance of a bargain basement plastic mic designed for occasional Internet calls. The boom in home recording has meant a similar boom for quality microphones at affordable prices, and while USB mics now appear, XLR connectors are still the most common connector for the widest selection of microphones.

Things You'll Need

  • XLR mic cable
  • XLR to 1/8-inch mini-plug adapter
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Instructions

    • 1

      Connect the XLR cable to your microphone. Connect the XLR adapter to the other end of the XLR cable. Most adapters have short lengths, two feet or less, so using a standard XLR cable gives you convenient length.

    • 2

      Plug the 1/8-inch end of the adapter into the pink jack on your computer's sound card. This is the standard jack for accepting microphone audio input into a sound card.

    • 3

      Open your audio mixer and check that audio input from a microphone is enabled. Right-click on the speaker icon at the lower right of your screen and select "Recording Devices." If you added a separate sound card or audio interface, refer to your equipment's documentation for accepting mic input.

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Recording Music

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