M-Audio Profire 2626 vs. Amek + Digi 192 IO

[space2012]

found:
M-Audio ProFire 2626 : The Sound - Audiofanzine
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Drums were recorded with 4 microphones (2 overheads, 1 snare and a kick) in three stages:

• M-Audio Profire 2626 converters and preamps
  
• Amek preamps (2 CIB and 1 DMCL) and converters from the M-Audio
  
• Amek preamps and converters from the Digidesign 192 I/O in Protools TDM

Here are the microphones used:
2 Neumann U87 for overheads,
1 Shure Beta57 for the snare
1 Shure Beta52 for the bass drum.

I’d like to thank Megamat for playing drums (even if the snare tightness (tuning) changed between 2 takes!)

The recordings were made at the maximum level before clipping in 24-bit 44.1 kHz, they were normalized for A-Bing tests in Protools TDM 6.9 cs3. To listen to these samples, just download and import them into your sequencer. Be sure to uniformly lower the levels to avoid clipping the Master and to get the same level on the tracks to compare.


Here are the the results:

• Everything recorded with the M-Audio Profire 2626 (Bass Drum,)( Snare,)( Left OH,)( Right OH)
• Amek preamps and the M-Audio Profire 2626 converters (Bass Drum ,)(Snare,)( Left OH,)( Right OH)
  
• Amek preamps and the Digidesign 192 I/O converters (Bass Drum,)( Snare,)( Left OH,)( Right OH)
  

[Nahuel]

I cheked that test before I bought my 2626 (last week)... thanks. jus one thing: the performance are a lil different but you probably dont have six u87.

[audiovisceral]

to me, 2626 sounds a bit poor by comparison, but i still think a lot of its weakness is bad clocking, and with a bla microclock for example it would compete much closer.

anyway still great for the price. the only strange deficiency is the 2626 is picking up far more hi hat in the snare than the digi. not sure why, as both used the same amek pre.

edit: "the snare tightness (tuning) changed between 2 takes!" - probably why.

[Per Lichtman]

It seems the audio files referenced in this thread are no longer online at the site link provided. Are they available elsewhere? I was very curious to hear them.

[Dubai]

Originally Posted by Per Lichtman

It seems the audio files referenced in this thread are no longer online at the site link provided. Are they available elsewhere? I was very curious to hear them.

files...

other interesting test...
Original Audio vs Single through Profire Converters

[Etch-A-Sketch]

Originally Posted by space2012

found:

The recordings were made at the maximum level before clipping in 24-bit 44.1 kHz, they were normalized for A-Bing tests in Protools TDM 6.9 cs3. To listen to these samples, just download and import them into your sequencer. Be sure to uniformly lower the levels to avoid clipping the Master and to get the same level on the tracks to compare.

The fact that there is no consistent level ref AT THE MIC negates this test. Get a tone generator (like an A440 from a tuner/metronome) and a ruler. Tape the ruler to the tone generator. Set up the tone generator an exact measured distance to each mic and measure the level in the DAW, one mic at a time. When setting up the next test subject, get the exact same level reading in the daw with the tone generator the exact same distance from the mics.

You'll be surprised at how similar things start to sound when they are exactly matched and how different things can sound if they are even 0.1dB ~ 0.3dB different in level.

I did a similar shootout between several different mic preamp and A/D combos. You know what... not one single person that listened to the files I posted on the web could consistently hear differences.

[Dubai]

Originally Posted by Etch-A-Sketch

I did a similar shootout between several different mic preamp and A/D combos. You know what... not one single person that listened to the files I posted on the web could consistently hear differences.

where is the link?