Best 2 channel AD converter ?

[mykhal c]

i'm really interested in puttin' together a PCM4222EVM build. my question is...are the AES and S/PDIF outs mono or stereo?? i've tried lookin' at the schematic. but bein' an electronics newb i don't come away with an answer. in my limited experience with the high gear i've always seen AES and S/PDIF as stereo features/functionality...thus my confusion. help is really appreciated. thanks

[mattg082]

From what everyone else says the Burl is the best. I personally have a Rosetta 200 and really like it. Top quality, although colored, but I like that. It pairs great with my API and Great River. It can be had on ebay for around 1,200 sometimes less. Not a bad buy at all.

[YOHAMI]

Burl +1

[GYang]

Forssell does the best job expected from converter. Rare converter that doesn't change anything (listening subjectivelly at least) in the signal.
If I need color added to it, I have dozens of pres that are more than happy to distort the signal in whatever direction is preferred.
Converter is not supposed to do that at all IMHO.
Forssell design is beauty in its simplicity, genial.

[Sharkus]

Eventide H8000FW has some extra features too.

[ISedlacek]

It is relatively easy to make a "better" converter by adding some colouring or sound exciter features into it - it could easily sound as if better than a transparent one for a moment ... But in a log run, converting the sound from analogue to digital domain is just what is needed, for sound shaping we have tons of specialised tools ...

[erikdrink]

Native instruments?

[deft_bonz]

Originally Posted by Firechild

I guess every converter older than 4 years is a no go as the technology moves faster than the price reductions...read...Rosetta 200...

I wouldn't say that. A lot of converters that GS users favor the most, are older than 4 years

That said I love my Cranesong HEDD, but as you said, you don't want to pay for the D/A.

[YOHAMI]

Originally Posted by ISedlacek

It is relatively easy to make a "better" converter by adding some colouring or sound exciter features into it - it could easily sound as if better than a transparent one for a moment ... But in a log run, converting the sound from analogue to digital domain is just what is needed, for sound shaping we have tons of specialised tools ...

I second that. From my internet testings I find Lavry Gold to be amazing, and if I could afford it I would get 24 channels of that stuff. But, Burl is still amazing and the colouring / exciting it adds, or, lets say, "captures?", is just what my audio needs. Im getting a mothership soon.

[YOHAMI]

I wonder how the Burl sounds without the transformer. They are releasing a transformerless card for the B0 next. We will find out then.

[YOHAMI]

Ivo, is this the one you recommend?

Forssell Technologies MADC-2 | Studio Economik, Canada

Not that expensive for being the best in the transparent side?

[hasbeen]

Don't discount Lavry. I use the Blue. Never tried the Burl. Tried Apogee. RME, Benchmark others. The Lavry Black AD11 looks like a cool tool.

[Ben F]

Preferred the Prism dream AD-2 over the forsell MADC-2.

[Keith Moore]

Anybody have pictures of their BurrBrown PCM4222 EVM's assembled?

[Jim Williams]

Look under the hood if you want to know the converter's limitations.

More likely you will see AKM or Crystal converter chips. More likely you will not find BurrBrown PC4222 ADC's and PCM1792A DAC's.

The rest is sugar coating as those parts set the limits.

[Zep Dude]

Lavery Gold for 2 channel stereo mix. This converter has incredible representation of the analog punch and 3d dimension that often gets erased with converters. I also found Benchmarks to very good in this regard.

[Firechild]

I was lucky to find a buyer for my Digidesign 192 so there was an easy choice for me to go for the AVID HD I/O 8x8x8 .
Extremely satisfied. Price is similar to what you have to pay for a hi-end 2-channel AD but now you get 8 ins/outs.
SoundQuality is way beyond what I´ve heard before, including Benchmark ADC-1.

[Keith Moore]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Best I've used is the BurrBrown PCM4222 EVM. It has their top-o-line converter (better than what is uses in most ADC's) and it's only $149 from:
Analog, Embedded Processing, Semiconductor Company, Texas Instruments

Hey Jim,

What would be the DAC version of this kit? Also DI you have any pics of the modules you built?

Thanks,

Keith