http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/ Engadget Comments for Music Thing: The USB Lightsnake and other ways to connect your axe http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 28th 2006 2:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 28th 2006 2:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2005/01/add-usb-port-to-any-guitar-and-some.html]]>Apr 28th 2006 2:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/
The Lightsnake:
http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2006/04/lighsnake-usb-guitar-cable.html

The GuitarPlug:
http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2005/01/add-usb-port-to-any-guitar-and-some.html

The Behringer iAxe:
http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2006/03/messe-whats-on-behringer-photocopier.html]]>Apr 28th 2006 2:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/
Had the unfortunate opportunity of playing some Fender 2x12 solid-state monster recently. Even when using a PRS (a real one, not one of those ridiculous SE's), it was easily the worst thing I've heard since my first-ever 15w practice amp bit it.

Maybe this makes recording convenient, but I don't see the potential "charm" or otherwise. I'd rather take my chances open-miking my amp.]]>Apr 28th 2006 3:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/but here's the product]]>Apr 28th 2006 3:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 28th 2006 3:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 28th 2006 4:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Feb 22nd 2008 2:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/
Why do you need to have your computer "power" your pre-amp through USB when you already said it's powered through a 9v battery??? You must use your 9v or equivalent power supply for that. USB would not be enough and is incompadible anyways.

As far as it not going into a sound card...it's because there is a driver interface that converts the magnetic audio signals to a readable USB transmission of audio. Pretty cool, huh?]]>Apr 28th 2006 4:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/ Preamps have a battery, but no 'ON' switch, they get their power through the 1/4" cable when it connects to something like a phantom powered sound card or through a guitar amp. I'm wondering if the usb has enough power to make the guitar amp pick up.]]>Apr 28th 2006 5:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/
Not to be too pedantic, but that's kinda what a USB sound card does. It just happens to be small enough to be in the housing for the USB jack. For all intents and purposes, it looks like there's no sound card... it's just so small you can't see it.

In theory, these could be made with a pair of RCA's, or an XLR on the end of the cable too. If they were cheap enough, you could just keep adding inputs to the computer, without concern for having enough inputs on your soundcard. Make it robust enough, and you could run a whole live show off of these things and a laptop with ableton live on it.

Whether a cheesy one-chip in-cable USB DAC can really provide comparable audio quality to a good high-end sound card (or outboard true USB DAC) remains to be seen, though.]]>Apr 28th 2006 6:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 28th 2006 7:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/
Snake?

Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!

]]>Apr 28th 2006 7:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 29th 2006 1:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 29th 2006 2:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/
Um, no.

The preamp like is in his acoustic guitar is 100% powered from the 9V battery. When the plug is inserted into the jack it simply completes a circuit that turns it on. They don't need an on/off switch, because the action of the plug being in place does it. There is no signal or power or anything going from the amp to the guitar, just guitar to the amp.

Phantom power is only possible using XLR jacks, the third pin provides the power. Phantom power is impossible (without modification) is normal 1/4" jacks.

The USB jack is likely going to be drawing voltage to power the mini circuitry that makes the conversion from analog to digital, but no power is being transferred to the guitar.

Although it would be sweet if 1/4" jacks could power things, imagine not needing any batteries or plugs for floor pedals or tuners.]]>Apr 29th 2006 3:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 29th 2006 8:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Apr 30th 2006 5:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/
http://sewelldirect.com/lightsnake-usb-instrument-cable.asp]]>May 10th 2006 4:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/May 19th 2009 5:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/SoundTech-USB-Intelligent-Instrument-Cable?sku=332600

Has anyone used one of these lightsnakes with the problems rectified?

Also, my guitar I got from a friend of a friend - the electro side of it has never been put through an amp. Listening to the comments on powering the internal guitar amp?, I wonder if it'll work for me anyways?; best I can describe is that there is a guitar jack on the corner and 2 fender-style volume knobs. No buttons or volume sliders ect.

Any help appreciated.]]>Apr 13th 2007 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Sep 8th 2007 12:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Sep 8th 2007 3:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Sep 8th 2007 4:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Sep 8th 2007 7:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Sep 8th 2007 2:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Sep 8th 2007 2:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/Sep 9th 2007 12:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/music-thing-the-usb-lightsnake-and-other-ways-to-connect-your-a/
http://www.worldmusicsupply.com/search/default.asp?Category=Category&Type=1&brand=&keyword=usb+mixer&action=search
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