A/D converters

[wahfreak]

I need a little schooling on A/D conversion...nothing technical.

Bottom line is I'm looking for something better.

I have a relatively simple set up in my basement for recording. I'm using 2 channels of SCA pres > line ins of my Presonus Firebox for conversion > DAW via Firewire.

I use Sonar 8 in a semi treated 12 x 16 space (bass traps and absorbers and monitor through Adam A7's. I use Peluso R14 and AT-4047, SM 57 mics for various tracking purposes.

My thought is to ditch the Firebox but I would need some sort of conversion. Lets just say I buy an RME ADI-2. It has SPDIF out but I don't have a SPDIF in on my DAW so do I need another sound card/interface with SPIDF in? If so, does the multiple conversion cause a problem?

[Denyle_Guitars]

Originally Posted by wahfreak

My thought is to ditch the Firebox but I would need some sort of conversion. Lets just say I buy an RME ADI-2. It has SPDIF out but I don't have a SPDIF in on my DAW so do I need another sound card/interface with SPIDF in? If so, does the multiple conversion cause a problem?

Yes, but even a $10 SB soundcard has s/pdif and support for 96k. Or keep the firebox and pipe the RME converter through it's s/pdif input. Or ditch the Firebox and buy something like an echo audiofire. Multiple conversion? There isn't any.

[Sunbreak Music]

I'd check out something like a Lynx2 or similar, but it's going to be PCI.

[wahfreak]

Originally Posted by Denyle_Guitars

Yes, but even a $10 SB soundcard has s/pdif and support for 96k. Or keep the firebox and pipe the RME converter through it's s/pdif input. Or ditch the Firebox and buy something like an echo audiofire. Multiple conversion? There isn't any.

Thanks. I guess that's what I didn't understand. Using S/PIDF is for transfer only, not conversion?

[Sunbreak Music]

Originally Posted by wahfreak

Thanks. I guess that's what I didn't understand. Using S/PIDF is for transfer only, not conversion?

It's not conversion, but it's not the best for transfer, either.

[wahfreak]

Originally Posted by Sunbreak Music

It's not conversion, but it's not the best for transfer, either.

Thanks Cass-

So what your saying is to use an interface with good converters so that I don't have to transfer, hence the LynxTWO.

[Sunbreak Music]

Originally Posted by wahfreak

Thanks Cass-

So what your saying is to use an interface with good converters so that I don't have to transfer, hence the LynxTWO.

Yep--keep it as simple as possible, and lessen the chance of clocking errors.

[ToddK]

Unless the Presonus has an AES connection. Thats a solid digital connection.

SPIDF has lots of errors.

To be honest, you're not gonna hear much of a difference in converters until you step WAY up. The Presonus converters are just fine. Your money is better spent in other places. Mics, room treatment, plugins, hardware=preamps, compressors, etc.

Down the road, when you're more set, then go for an Aurora or something.

[Scott Whigham]

Originally Posted by ToddK

To be honest, you're not gonna hear much of a difference in converters until you step WAY up. The Presonus converters are just fine. Your money is better spent in other places. Mics, room treatment, plugins, hardware=preamps, compressors, etc.

Sounds like he has good pres and good mics with some room treatment already. If he's GAS'sing, we can't stop him

I like my Lavry Blue - paid $1600 for two channels AD/DA/MSYNC Word Clock. My friend loves his RME Fireface. He used to have the Rosetta 800 but dumped it to stick w/ the Fireface 800.

[ToddK]

well, he mentioned an RME ADI 2 which is only around 700.00.

I doubt that box has the transparency of the Lavry, but its possible.

I have an RME Multiface 2, which costs a grand and the AD/DA is decent, but probably not much
better than the Firebox. Im fairly sure it has the same converters as the FireFace boxes.

I used to have a Delta 1010 that sounded just as good actually.

[wahfreak]

Originally Posted by Scott Whigham

Sounds like he has good pres and good mics with some room treatment already. If he's GAS'sing, we can't stop him

I'm not gasing, I just want to make the next incremental upgrade. I also want to understand (even just a little about what I'm buying. Like always, some say it makes all the difference in the world and some say don't worry about it.

If it A/D in that price range really doesn't matter (Lynx, RME or whatever) I don't ever see myself spending $2500 on a high end converter. That money is better spent on a lunchbox with some good eq or comps.

I just hate all the conflicting reports.

[Scott Whigham]

Well, if you just want incremental upgrades, I think you are better off with other purchases - upgrading/expanding your mic selection, adding a compressor, adding an EQ, or adding some different mic pres. Some would argue that a Royer 121 would replace your Peluso and one of the good AKG 414s would replace your condenser. I think you would get much more appreciable upgrades in sound by upgrading one or more of these than you would by upgrading converters.

Also in a semi-treated room, I'm just not sure that most people (myself certainly included) even can notice the difference between the various converters. I think you probably could pick out a sub-$200 converter vs. a $2500 converter but I'm not sure that you'd spot the difference between a $300 converter vs. a $700 converter.