Best 2 channel AD converter ?

[Firechild]

I´m not totally impressed of the AD converters of the Digi 192´s.
As there is no exchange hardware program up to the new I/O´s I have to buy a separate 2 channel AD for tracking Lead vocals.

What´s your opinions ?

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

What about the mid priced Mytek Digital Stereo 96 ADC ?

I used to use Benchmark ADC-1 but I sold it before buying Pro Tools HD as I thought the 192 converters should be just fine.

My current lead vocal Tracking chain.

Brauner Valvet - Focusrite Red 7 - Digi192 - PT HD.

[A2D]

my personal fav is the UA2192 if you can find one

[Firechild]

Yeah, but it looks too "retro" for me... :D
Beside that I don´t want to pay for DA´s.

[Scott Whigham]

Seems like the Burl B2 is the flavor of the month around GS -

******//www.burlaudio.com/products/b2-bomber-adc

Lavry stuff is great too

[Firechild]

Originally Posted by Scott Whigham

Seems like the Burl B2 is the flavor of the month around GS -

B2 Bomber ADC | Burl Audio | Analog and Digital Professional Audio Recording Gear

Lavry stuff is great too

That is interesting and then you will also get yourself a great wordclock master too, right ?

[AmbientSound]

Check out what Weiss has to offer. Very nice

[funka]

From all I was able to hear, Forssell MADC-2.

[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

[axlepaas]

+1 for the burl b2. Sold my 16x a few months ago after i got it. quite an amazing piece of gear, and yes. a slammin master clock to boot.

[MIKEHARRIS]

[QUOTE=Joshua Estock;6425562]I just recently shot out the Benchmark DAC1
/QUOTE]

i think hes looking for a AtoD...and if so thats the Benchmark ADC-1...a spectacular new converter with USB @$$1800

[Erik Thomas]

Originally Posted by A2D

my personal fav is the UA2192 if you can find one

+1 ...love mine its a rare beast these days...

[Levi]

Best I've used is the BurrBrown PCM4222 EVM

Yep, this is the bomb... quickly becoming a Nashville "secret weapon."

[Firechild]

Originally Posted by Levi

Yep, this is the bomb... quickly becoming a Nashville "secret weapon."

Yeah, but the converter is from 2006 so I´m still thinking it´s just a hype ?
Also you have to be able to get the right powersupply and build a good looking box around it...
I may be interested if someone has one for sale.

Or put it this way...Is there any product outthere that uses this PCM4222 chip ?

[Retinal]

Hedd

[chet.d]

To the best of my knowledge, Burl or Forssell.

[spektor]

jcf for me

[dandeurloo]

the AD Jim mentioned or the BLA Sparrow (if you can find one) are great options at budget prices.

[nst7]

You might want to look into Black Lion Audio's about to be released 2 channel converter based on their FM192 mod.

[priko]

Forssell MADC-2

[Shy]

"The best" is Lavry AD122-96 MKIII, as simple as that. Whether you'll hear a difference between it and whatever, that's another matter.

[MarkyGoldstein]

How important is the metering on an AD converter?

[JonesH]

My m understanding when it comes to individual AD ICs is that while important, it's even more important to look at the analogue circuits and clock surrounding it. Case in point would be the AKM chips used in both Digi192 and E-mu interfaces as well as the (generally deemed great) ULN-8.

[thermos]

Forsell for me hands down. I had a Hedd for a while and a Burl to try, the Forssell is unreal. I've heard of a few preferring it to the Lavry Gold as well.

I also had that ADC that Jim Williams is talking about. Bought a good power supply for it and had it wired up and it wasn't useable. I could tell there was resolution for days, but the voicing was not music. He said you can have it be musical with some part change outs and stuff, but I feel like just voicing the filter is an art in itself. I think its well worth paying the $ Fred Forssell charges to get what he is hearing into rackmount form. Especially if you are getting the MADA, (because the DAC is just as good as the ADC).

[thermos]

Originally Posted by MarkyGoldstein

How important is the metering on an AD converter?

To me not important at all. Just personal taste. Daw meters seem to do fine.


EDIT: And re the op's point about technology, the Pacific Microsonics converters and the Lavry Golds are both still considered some of the best converters ever made, and I know the Pacifics were designed around 1997. The Golds have been unchanged sonically for some time too I think.

I bet a Lynx Aurora would be a step up from the 192 converters, I still use mine for tracking drums and I like it even after getting the Forssell (for mastering). The increase in the depth and sheer musicality with the Forssell makes a huge difference in mastering, but with tracking it feels more like a 10% increase rather than the make it or break it kind of thing it feels like when mastering. Also I had the Mytek 96 DAC, and didn't like it. If the ADC is similar I'd skip it, though the 192 ADC is supposed to be great.

[Trakworx]

Originally Posted by MarkyGoldstein

How important is the metering on an AD converter?

Depends. For tracking a simple crude meter is usually fine. If you're interested in seeing the dynamic range of your signal (mastering or 2-bus), then a detailed meter with simultaneous peak/average display (Burl B2) can come in handy.

J~

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by Firechild

Yeah, but the converter is from 2006 so I´m still thinking it´s just a hype ?
Also you have to be able to get the right powersupply and build a good looking box around it...
I may be interested if someone has one for sale.

Or put it this way...Is there any product outthere that uses this PCM4222 chip ?

The Tascam DSD recorder uses the DSD version of the 4222. You will not find many pro audio converter manufacturers that will drop 25 bucks on a ADC chip. That's why you see so much $5 AKM stuff. Pro audio is now about cost cutting, not performance. It's just a reflection of the collapse of that industry.

If you believe the PCM/DSD4222 ADC is hype, look it up here:
Analog, Embedded Processing, Semiconductor Company, Texas Instruments
Now, compare to the Crystal CS5381 or the AKM5394A and the difference is night and day. I use all custom transconductance amplifier technology with the BB parts and the PCM/DSD1794 DAC and have not found any other design that reveals what this stuff can do. Those chips are only as good as the surrounding analog design as I replaced the analog on all these converter demo pcb's because the on-board solutions did not reveal enough for me.

[jaffa]

Lavry - gives you plenty of options. Go for broke and the Gold or the less expensive, excellent AD10. The Blue of course will give you expansion options for future if you need it? They really are fantastic converters. I have a Benchmark D/A and Blue D/A and can say that the Blue is certainly as good (I'm not getting into the 'better than' scenario) so I would think the A/D would stack up pretty well against the Benchmark if you can use that as your reference.

Steve

[TankT34]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

The Tascam DSD recorder uses the DSD version of the 4222. You will not find many pro audio converter manufacturers that will drop 25 bucks on a ADC chip. That's why you see so much $5 AKM stuff. Pro audio is now about cost cutting, not performance. It's just a reflection of the collapse of that industry.

If you believe the PCM/DSD4222 ADC is hype, look it up here:
Analog, Embedded Processing, Semiconductor Company, Texas Instruments
Now, compare to the Crystal CS5381 or the AKM5394A and the difference is night and day. I use all custom transconductance amplifier technology with the BB parts and the PCM/DSD1794 DAC and have not found any other design that reveals what this stuff can do. Those chips are only as good as the surrounding analog design as I replaced the analog on all these converter demo pcb's because the on-board solutions did not reveal enough for me.

Hi Jim,
from this page
| Media Recorders and Duplicators at zZounds
in Q/A column : quote
Q; Does the DV-RA1000 record and play back true Direct Stream Digital, or is it converted from PCM
A: TASCAM worked with Sony to create a true DSD recorder. The A/D and D/A converters output true DSD resolution in addition to PCM signals. The A/D is a Burr Brown PCM1804, and the D/A is a DSD1792.

so which AD converter is in the unit ?

[baikonour]

Originally Posted by A2D

my personal fav is the UA2192 if you can find one

Same here.

[jac]

I would go with a Mytek 192 ADC. If you are looking for a transparent conversion you'll be happy!