No more opionions, please. lets listen. converter shootout.

kindkind · 27th March 2006

I am hoping to find out for myself which converter really is worthwhile. I need 8 channels, and also i need d/a. I have been searching the posts here and it is just indecipherable as to apogee v mytek v aurora etc..... Im sure you all know how hard it is to choose based on others posts. I think if someone can post some samples of different converters in some kind of a scientific manner the community would benefit. Whoever you are, if you have the means to do this or if it has been done and i have missed it please show me the way.
Thank you
c

zkaudio · 27th March 2006

to add to your question... is the db rating they give... i.e. 100 or 112, a direct indication of signal depth/quality? Or can some units around 100db range give better performance than a 112 rated unit.

thethrillfactor · 27th March 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindkind

I am hoping to find out for myself which converter really is worthwhile. I need 8 channels, and also i need d/a. I have been searching the posts here and it is just indecipherable as to apogee v mytek v aurora etc..... Im sure you all know how hard it is to choose based on others posts. I think if someone can post some samples of different converters in some kind of a scientific manner the community would benefit. Whoever you are, if you have the means to do this or if it has been done and i have missed it please show me the way.
Thank you
c

I thought Lynn Fuston did this already?

raal · 28th March 2006

just ordered the ADCD (thanks thrill) and am eager to hear it. i'm sure it'll be very educational, but i don't have the original source, so how will i know which coverter sounds most like it? i'm pretty sure i'll be able to see which i think sounds 'better', but that may not be = to which is closer to the original source.

so i for one, would like to hear some opinions!

Matthew Murray · 28th March 2006

There are also a lot of converters absent from that test from what I can tell -- no AD-16x's (only AD-16) and no Aurora's ... i was going to pick it up but then realized that the two converters i was most interested in weren't on there. Guess that's what happens in the ever changing market....

vernier · 28th March 2006

Studying the ADCD made me relax about converters ...almost completely.

Kiwiburger · 28th March 2006

It's strange. In another thread, I was a leper for suggesting that it isn't ultra-important to upgrade D/A for the purpose of monitoring. Especially considering ITB mixes which will never run through the D/A.

I still stand by my view that - in the great scheme of purchasing priorities - D/A is lower down the list than acoustics, monitors, mics, preamps, A/D etc.

Apparantly i'm a fool for believing this. Although other people seem to also have difficulty hearing huge, extreme, mix-altering differences in converters.

BUT - signal to noise is measurable and easy to hear - especially if you follow with compression or high gain.

So in my opinion, a converter with an EIN of 114dB is far more desirable than one with 100dB. Paper specs are hardly ever truthful - and the cheaper the stuff, the more likely they are going to say that everthing is flat from DC to Light etc. But 14dB of hiss is 14dB of hiss you don't really need.

mata_haze · 28th March 2006

sorry guys..
what's the ACDC?

Bat Head Sound · 28th March 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mata_haze

what's the ACDC?

A rock band from Australia.....

C.Lambrechts · 28th March 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mata_haze

sorry guys..
what's the ACDC?

A D C D ... ******//www.3daudioinc.com/catalog/in...f52685ab8e2793

27th March 2006	#1
kindkind Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 500 Thread Starter	No more opionions, please. lets listen. converter shootout. I am hoping to find out for myself which converter really is worthwhile. I need 8 channels, and also i need d/a. I have been searching the posts here and it is just indecipherable as to apogee v mytek v aurora etc..... Im sure you all know how hard it is to choose based on others posts. I think if someone can post some samples of different converters in some kind of a scientific manner the community would benefit. Whoever you are, if you have the means to do this or if it has been done and i have missed it please show me the way. Thank you c

28th March 2006	#5
Matthew Murray Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,661	There are also a lot of converters absent from that test from what I can tell -- no AD-16x's (only AD-16) and no Aurora's ... i was going to pick it up but then realized that the two converters i was most interested in weren't on there. Guess that's what happens in the ever changing market.... __________________ -Matthew

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27th March 2006	#2
zkaudio Gear addict Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 357	to add to your question... is the db rating they give... i.e. 100 or 112, a direct indication of signal depth/quality? Or can some units around 100db range give better performance than a 112 rated unit.

28th March 2006	#4
raal Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2004 Location: mexico Posts: 4,959	just ordered the ADCD (thanks thrill) and am eager to hear it. i'm sure it'll be very educational, but i don't have the original source, so how will i know which coverter sounds most like it? i'm pretty sure i'll be able to see which i think sounds 'better', but that may not be = to which is closer to the original source. so i for one, would like to hear some opinions!

28th March 2006	#6
vernier Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 6,130	Studying the ADCD made me relax about converters ...almost completely.

28th March 2006	#7
Kiwiburger Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,075	It's strange. In another thread, I was a leper for suggesting that it isn't ultra-important to upgrade D/A for the purpose of monitoring. Especially considering ITB mixes which will never run through the D/A. I still stand by my view that - in the great scheme of purchasing priorities - D/A is lower down the list than acoustics, monitors, mics, preamps, A/D etc. Apparantly i'm a fool for believing this. Although other people seem to also have difficulty hearing huge, extreme, mix-altering differences in converters. BUT - signal to noise is measurable and easy to hear - especially if you follow with compression or high gain. So in my opinion, a converter with an EIN of 114dB is far more desirable than one with 100dB. Paper specs are hardly ever truthful - and the cheaper the stuff, the more likely they are going to say that everthing is flat from DC to Light etc. But 14dB of hiss is 14dB of hiss you don't really need.

28th March 2006	#8
mata_haze Gear Head Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Sante Marize Posts: 36	sorry guys.. what's the ACDC?