Profire Lightbridge DA quality?

el-folie · 17th February 2007, 12:37 PM

I´m thinking about the lightbridge to get rid of a digi001 dongle. For the last years I´ve been using an RME Multiface as AD/DA frontend and for monitoring. Now what I would like to know is how good are the balanced analog outputs on the lightbridge. Are they as good as the Multiface is or is there a significant loss in quality? If not I would then maybe like to monitor through the lightbridge.

projuice · 17th February 2007, 01:14 PM

Can't help you with the awnser as I would like to know that myself. I'm thinking of getting one next week. The only thing that can go wrong is indeed where I hookup my monitors!

el-folie · 17th February 2007, 01:41 PM

Well I can only say that the Multiface has served very well for monitoring due to it´s pristine sound. But things change over the years so maybe there are better alternatives for that purpose now and before I´d sell the RME I have to know if the lightbridge would be okay or similar in quality as it´s a brand new unit.

I guess we both will have to wait for some owners of the lightbridge to tell us the truth...

warhead · 17th February 2007, 05:45 PM

The Lightbridge has a nice sounding D/A section, the volume pot is also strangely solid feeling (like, really nice).

War

el-folie · 17th February 2007, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warhead

The Lightbridge has a nice sounding D/A section, the volume pot is also strangely solid feeling (like, really nice).

War

Sounds good...I always like solid pots!

Could you maybe tell something about the difference in sound to an RME Interface D/A section? Are there clearly noticeable differences or maybe some subtleties to be aware of?

warhead · 17th February 2007, 11:13 PM

Without doing any direct comparisons I would say if you are doing project or home studio recording the Profire is doing just fine. If you're a high end studio charging $80 an hour I'd likely look elsewhere. The Profire's D/A section isn't going to stop you from making records, I have found it to be a surprisingly full and detailed sound period.

War

severe · 17th February 2007, 11:20 PM

Wouldn't you have to go M-Powered as well? It's only compatibale with PT 7.3, right?

BTW.. this isnt a loaded question. I had thrown around the idea of upgrading from an 001 as well. I put it off because I was under the impression that I'd have to run PT M-Powered. Consequently, I've decided to wait it out.

warhead · 17th February 2007, 11:22 PM

M-Powered is the only way to run ProTools with this box.

Of course it is compatible with virtually everything ELSE.

War

severe · 17th February 2007, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warhead

M-Powered is the only way to run ProTools with this box.

Of course it is compatible with virtually everything ELSE.

War

Thought so, Warren, thanks. Gota love that. Would have been nice in a few ways, otherwise. Still holding out here.

Rev. Robb · 18th February 2007, 02:04 AM

Can you get 16 channels of ADAT I/O with PTMP and the Profire? 18 with SPDIF?

drumkideric · 18th February 2007, 06:07 AM

Yep, you can get 18 channels into PT-MP with the lightbridge. It works great.

el-folie · 18th February 2007, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warhead

Without doing any direct comparisons I would say if you are doing project or home studio recording the Profire is doing just fine. If you're a high end studio charging $80 an hour I'd likely look elsewhere. The Profire's D/A section isn't going to stop you from making records, I have found it to be a surprisingly full and detailed sound period.

War

Ah okay, I see...Well for the last years I did something like a "last controlling instance by ear" and if needed in some cases mastering for professional studios I´m connected to. Since now I always were right with my "hearing findings" for them. I´m using the multiface in conjunction with it´s inbuilt software analyzer which is fairly good. I thought of the lightbrigde as an option to exchange the digi001/PTLE 6.4 and the multiface as the lightbridge seems to be something like a swiss knife: Use PT 7, connect more digital converters only if needed (and if you have to you can go high end), and monitor through it - if it´s good enough for that purpose. As my multiface is getting old and the lightbridge is brand new I thought it may be up to or better than the multiface in terms of sound. Well I guess I´ll have to check it out by myself, it´s alwys best to let your own ears judge. But thanks anyway, I always appreciate some input.

Regards

SL_ · 19th March 2007, 04:21 PM

Just get the Benchmark DAC1 and connect it to SPDIF out on the lightbridge if you not satisfied with the onboard DAC. At least that's exactly what I'm going to do soon, make my own "kinda-of-HD" system by buying Benchmark DAC1 as a monitor converter and controller and a bunch of Apogge 16xs (AD+DA) plus hooking up some DSPs like UAD,Dunede and Powercore sould get me really close to the HD sound.Don't you think? Plus 32 I/O will let me use some great outboard in case I'l need it.

drumkideric · 19th March 2007, 05:13 PM

You can get close to HD, except for the nice features HD has like ADC.

MicSlut666 · 11th November 2007, 01:59 AM

Mossberg · 11th November 2007, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SL_

Just get the Benchmark DAC1 and connect it to SPDIF out on the lightbridge if you not satisfied with the onboard DAC. At least that's exactly what I'm going to do soon, make my own "kinda-of-HD" system by buying Benchmark DAC1 as a monitor converter and controller and a bunch of Apogge 16xs (AD+DA) plus hooking up some DSPs like UAD,Dunede and Powercore sould get me really close to the HD sound.Don't you think? Plus 32 I/O will let me use some great outboard in case I'l need it.

I think you would still be limited to 18 max inputs at a time due to the MPowered software limitation, unless something has changed.

warhead · 11th November 2007, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mossberg

I think you would still be limited to 18 max inputs at a time due to the MPowered software limitation, unless something has changed.

According to M-Audio's site the limitation is still in place:

M-AUDIO - ProFire Lightbridge - 34-in/36-out FireWire Lightpipe Interface

I haven't heard differently but maybe I'm missing something.

War

subspace · 11th November 2007, 04:30 PM

Had a session last night that was tracked with 24 channels of Sydec A/D > Profire Lightbridge > PT M-Powered. At mix, all tracks were assigned to the Profire's built-in D/A, which fed a 2 track return on the desk. A post fader aux send at unity was added to each track feeding the 24 Sydec D/As, which fed the desk's inputs. With the desk's faders at unity, we could flip between monitoring the ITB mix on the 2 track return, and the analog summed version on the mix bus. The Profire's D/A sounded alright, I hadn't used it before, but it was quite a bit lower in level than other +4 gear on the 2 track returns.
I'm using PT MP 7.3.1cs1, the release that allowed 34in/36out. The current version only supports 18i/o.

K8L-64 · 13th November 2007, 08:53 AM

I am not able to make my analogue out from Lightbridge to sound in Protools 7.3.1

I can have it sound in Sonar, but in protools, that output seems to be disabled in PT.

I have reset and reset the I/O menu in PT for so many time.
Can anyone help me with some tricks?

Thx~

subspace · 13th November 2007, 02:26 PM

In the Lightbridge control panel set the analog out to mirror the SPDIF output, then select SPDIF channels before adat channels so that that i/o falls within the first 18 in the crippled version of PT MP. HTH

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17th February 2007, 12:37 PM	#1
el-folie Gear Head Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: European Union Posts: 32	Profire Lightbridge DA quality? I´m thinking about the lightbridge to get rid of a digi001 dongle. For the last years I´ve been using an RME Multiface as AD/DA frontend and for monitoring. Now what I would like to know is how good are the balanced analog outputs on the lightbridge. Are they as good as the Multiface is or is there a significant loss in quality? If not I would then maybe like to monitor through the lightbridge.

17th February 2007, 05:45 PM	#4
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 8,270	The Lightbridge has a nice sounding D/A section, the volume pot is also strangely solid feeling (like, really nice). War __________________ Warren Dent Email: warren (at) frontendaudio (dot) com Front End Audio Sells Gear Tuesday Testers: Hear the Gear Shootouts Product Videos on YouTube: Overviews of Gear

17th February 2007, 11:13 PM	#6
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 8,270	Without doing any direct comparisons I would say if you are doing project or home studio recording the Profire is doing just fine. If you're a high end studio charging $80 an hour I'd likely look elsewhere. The Profire's D/A section isn't going to stop you from making records, I have found it to be a surprisingly full and detailed sound period. War __________________ Warren Dent Email: warren (at) frontendaudio (dot) com Front End Audio Sells Gear Tuesday Testers: Hear the Gear Shootouts Product Videos on YouTube: Overviews of Gear

17th February 2007, 11:20 PM	#7
severe Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,150	Wouldn't you have to go M-Powered as well? It's only compatibale with PT 7.3, right? BTW.. this isnt a loaded question. I had thrown around the idea of upgrading from an 001 as well. I put it off because I was under the impression that I'd have to run PT M-Powered. Consequently, I've decided to wait it out. __________________ "Some of you people just plain don't know s---. No offense." -theblue1 "Tell us if it looks like it will sound good." -RKrizman "The many truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view." -Obi-Wan Kenobi

17th February 2007, 01:14 PM	#2
projuice Gear nut Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 83	Can't help you with the awnser as I would like to know that myself. I'm thinking of getting one next week. The only thing that can go wrong is indeed where I hookup my monitors!

17th February 2007, 01:41 PM	#3
el-folie Gear Head Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: European Union Posts: 32	Well I can only say that the Multiface has served very well for monitoring due to it´s pristine sound. But things change over the years so maybe there are better alternatives for that purpose now and before I´d sell the RME I have to know if the lightbridge would be okay or similar in quality as it´s a brand new unit. I guess we both will have to wait for some owners of the lightbridge to tell us the truth...

17th February 2007, 11:22 PM	#8
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 8,270	M-Powered is the only way to run ProTools with this box. Of course it is compatible with virtually everything ELSE. War __________________ Warren Dent Email: warren (at) frontendaudio (dot) com Front End Audio Sells Gear Tuesday Testers: Hear the Gear Shootouts Product Videos on YouTube: Overviews of Gear

18th February 2007, 02:04 AM	#10
Rev. Robb Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 383	Can you get 16 channels of ADAT I/O with PTMP and the Profire? 18 with SPDIF? __________________ Respectfully, Robb

18th February 2007, 06:07 AM	#11
drumkideric Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Nashville Posts: 539	Yep, you can get 18 channels into PT-MP with the lightbridge. It works great.

19th March 2007, 04:21 PM	#13
SL_ Gear interested Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 26	Just get the Benchmark DAC1 and connect it to SPDIF out on the lightbridge if you not satisfied with the onboard DAC. At least that's exactly what I'm going to do soon, make my own "kinda-of-HD" system by buying Benchmark DAC1 as a monitor converter and controller and a bunch of Apogge 16xs (AD+DA) plus hooking up some DSPs like UAD,Dunede and Powercore sould get me really close to the HD sound.Don't you think? Plus 32 I/O will let me use some great outboard in case I'l need it.

19th March 2007, 05:13 PM	#14
drumkideric Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Nashville Posts: 539	You can get close to HD, except for the nice features HD has like ADC. __________________ Eric Green www.myspace.com/plaidnomad

11th November 2007, 01:59 AM	#15
MicSlut666 Gear maniac Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 181	bump

11th November 2007, 04:30 PM	#18
subspace Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Too sun Posts: 556	Had a session last night that was tracked with 24 channels of Sydec A/D > Profire Lightbridge > PT M-Powered. At mix, all tracks were assigned to the Profire's built-in D/A, which fed a 2 track return on the desk. A post fader aux send at unity was added to each track feeding the 24 Sydec D/As, which fed the desk's inputs. With the desk's faders at unity, we could flip between monitoring the ITB mix on the 2 track return, and the analog summed version on the mix bus. The Profire's D/A sounded alright, I hadn't used it before, but it was quite a bit lower in level than other +4 gear on the 2 track returns. I'm using PT MP 7.3.1cs1, the release that allowed 34in/36out. The current version only supports 18i/o. __________________ "If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good."

13th November 2007, 08:53 AM	#19
K8L-64 Gear interested Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: HK Posts: 19	I am not able to make my analogue out from Lightbridge to sound in Protools 7.3.1 I can have it sound in Sonar, but in protools, that output seems to be disabled in PT. I have reset and reset the I/O menu in PT for so many time. Can anyone help me with some tricks? Thx~

13th November 2007, 02:26 PM	#20
subspace Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Too sun Posts: 556	In the Lightbridge control panel set the analog out to mirror the SPDIF output, then select SPDIF channels before adat channels so that that i/o falls within the first 18 in the crippled version of PT MP. HTH __________________ "If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good."

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