TC Finalizer Plus as AD/DA?

[Chris Lago]

Hey,

I have a question regarding this piece of gear. I know someone who is selling it for 280us and I was wondering how good the AD/DA was on the unit. I want to use this unit mainly as an AD box via SPDIF for my preamp. How is the AD/DA quality on this unit? Is the Finalizer 96k significantly better? I only need 24bits/44.1 when I record.

Any advice is appreciated. (I posted it here because you guys probably have more experience with this unit than in the other sections of the forum.)

[Chris Lago]

Anyone? I'd really like to know.

[PeeWeeGee]

Chris,

As always, hearing is believing. Give the guy $50 deposit, take it home and test it. Anything info that you get here (beyond the actual technical specifications) will be 100% subjective.

In a nutshell, though, I wouldn't trust it to be my principal AD until you can TRUST the coloration it might add to your sound.

Peace,
PWG

[PeeWeeGee]

BTW - If you are looking for a low-cost but great sounding solution, you should check out the guys at Black Lion Audio. I'm a first hand witness as to how these guys can turn chicken sh!t into chicken salad on some interfaces!

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by PeeWeeGee

Chris,

As always, hearing is believing. Give the guy $50 deposit, take it home and test it. Anything info that you get here (beyond the actual technical specifications) will be 100% subjective.

In a nutshell, though, I wouldn't trust it to be my principal AD until you can TRUST the coloration it might add to your sound.

Peace,
PWG

That's a very good answer, I will see if I can work something with him, he lives 45 minutes from my house, and I don't know him personally, so I don't know if he would be up for it.

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by PeeWeeGee

BTW - If you are looking for a low-cost but great sounding solution, you should check out the guys at Black Lion Audio. I'm a first hand witness as to how these guys can turn chicken sh!t into chicken salad on some interfaces!

I was looking at the Sparrow for 600 in the classifieds actually, but it seems a bit high for a used unit. I'd like an Apogee Mini-me but they are very hard to find.

[Chris Lago]

I guess I'm not buying the Finalizer Plus after all, because no one on here seem to recommend it.

[dietrich10]

price is low enough to try it for yourself. but i do not think you would like it for what you are looking for.
they do sell for more than 280 on epay so its not huge risk on your part

[Brent Hahn]

Hi -

I've got one that I've used with PT for many years. To me, the conversion (both ways) was a lot nicer than the old Digi 888's, and I used it all the time for that. Since the 192's came along, they're now my first choice, but I still use the Finalizer if I run out of i/o and it still sounds great.

[engmix]

+1 for Black Lion.

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

Hi -

I've got one that I've used with PT for many years. To me, the conversion (both ways) was a lot nicer than the old Digi 888's, and I used it all the time for that. Since the 192's came along, they're now my first choice, but I still use the Finalizer if I run out of i/o and it still sounds great.

Good to know. Hmmm, I wonder now if I should just buy it and try it out. is the 96k version a lot better? Or is the sample rate higher and that's it?

[Brent Hahn]

I had mine factory upgraded to 96k. Didn't seem to make any difference in the sound at 44.1/48.

And don't forget, besides the convertors you're also getting -- duh -- a limiter. A really useful and versatile one, if you put the time in to learn it.

The Finalizer has a lot of detractors on GS. Most of them, I suspect, have spent little or no time with one.

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

I had mine factory upgraded to 96k. Didn't seem to make any difference in the sound at 44.1/48.

And don't forget, besides the convertors you're also getting -- duh -- a limiter. A really useful and versatile one, if you put the time in to learn it.

The Finalizer has a lot of detractors on GS. Most of them, I suspect, have spent little or no time with one.

That's good, well I'll get it then and if I really don't like it, I'll just sell it.

[Chris Lago]

The unit is mint, I just don't know if I'd use it for dynamics since i like my Focusrite Liquid Mix for this function. I'm mainly looking for decent AD/DA and for that price, it seems to be a bargain.

[Tweaker]

Finalizers tend to hold their value so I'd definitely buy it and try it.

I've got a Finalizer Plus myself and although I do sometimes get urges to put it on Ebay (I too have a Liquid Mix), it's just too convenient a rack to get rid of.

It's my mix glue at the end of a hardware chain; the simplicity of recalling one of my saved banks, tweaking it, and outputing to an external recorder. The exciter is nicely unique too, and subtle enough to the extent that I tend to use it on all tracks. Less obtrusive than my Vitalizer.

Personally, I find that I get better results with a line output to my recorder, rather than using digital optical. Noticeably more punch... might be my recorder? (Any rack recorder recommendations??)

The multi-band compression is worth experimenting with as I've got some very nice results. With over-compression you get unpleasant smearing, but you're probably used to that with your Liquid Mix ;-)

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by Tweaker

Personally, I find that I get better results with a line output to my recorder, rather than using digital optical.

By "line output" you mean analog? It sounds better after it's gone through a couple of extra conversions? Could you post clips?

[Tweaker]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

By "line output" you mean analog? It sounds better after it's gone through a couple of extra conversions? Could you post clips?

Yeah, analog(ue!). As I say, it could be the way my recorder interpretates the Finalizer's output. I'll gladly post some clips, maybe as soon as today.

Silly one this, but I'm always wary of publishing any tunes that I'm working on, in case the idea gets nicked. I'm very protective of my chord sequences at the moment, as I'm unsigned and unknown! Will just need to sequence some basic cheesy riffs for the demonstration.

For a few weeks this year, I spent far too many hours experimenting with digital and analogue combinations(!). I also find that I get extra punch when sampling with my Akai S5000 using line input.

[Tweaker]

Here's a loop. Not the best of examples as I quickly put it together for the sake of demo. The extra punch and vitality varies mix by mix, but hopefully you'll hear the difference here.

The download is at the very bottom right of the box where it says 'Save file to your PC'. Optical recording is first.

2shared - download optical-linein.mp3

If you look at the waveforms (optical - left, line-in - right), you'll see the how the line-in recording seems more 'controlled'..

[Chris Lago]

Thanks a lot!

[Tweaker]

EDIT------------------------------------

Hmmm, you know. I'm not getting the same results here as I did in the past. They're sounding very alike!

Optical.. then line-in...
2shared - download optical-linein3b.mp3
------------------------------------------




Here's another version which I think matches the volumes better..

2shared - download optical-linein2.mp3

The difference is pretty subtle on these examples, but other mixes the variation has been greater (I don't have the files at hand though, sorry).

[Chris Lago]

I can definitely hear it, I hear the limiter function on it. I know someone selling a TC Electronics Gold Channel as well, and I think it might be a better option for me though. I need a good pre badly!

[Tweaker]

Just to make clear, the Finalizer was used for both of those clips, I was using its optical and line outputs.

I tend to use a Platinum Compounder as a pre-amp nowadays. Barely any compression, and no bass boost. It can make things bounce nicely.

[Chris Lago]

The only thing about the Platinum Compounder... No optical, too bad.

[Tweaker]

Originally Posted by chrislago

The only thing about the Platinum Compounder... No optical, too bad.

Yeah, I'm guaranteed to have at least one buzzing lead 70% of the time!