PTLE Upgrade Path... Ensemble or Rosetta 800???

yesac81 · 5th May 2008

Hi all,

I currently have a PTLE 003r based rig. I recently added a Rosetta 200 to it, and my goodness, what a difference!!! While the clock has changed the conversion on the 003r for the better, the AD improvement is most noticeable through the converters on the Rosetta itself...

Anyhoo, here's the toss up... I have a fully loaded SCA rack (8 pre's), the 003r comes with with 4 pre's and 4 line in's, and the current Rosetta 200 has two channels of AD. I am looking at either a Rosetta 800 or an Ensemble... In terms of the AD conversion (not taking into account the practicality of preamps) what's the difference between the Rosetta and the Ensemble? I am really impressed with the sound of the Rosetta, I guess I am asking if the conversion on the Ensemble sounds similar/the same, better, worse, etc...

I think y'all get the drift of what I am thinking, let me know what you think.

Cheers!
Casey

jeep · 10th May 2008

i second this!
i'd love to know the difference in sonic quality between the 2 converters

Stiff · 10th May 2008

Some said that the Rosetta is above the Ensemble when the Ensemble was released, but if I were you I'd try to talk to a store and give both a go.

jmarkham · 10th May 2008

While there's no doubt the Rosetta is a great converter with
an excellent clock, I have front-ended my 003 with the
Focusrite 828 with the ADC option. I like the Burr-Brown converter
chip and they've mated it with a very good clock.

IMHO, if you get a chance, take a listen to this box .. I think you'll
be pleasantly surprised, particularly the price-point. It's one of the
better deals in audio right now.

jeff

jeep · 11th May 2008

hey casey,

just wondering, during your time spent using the rosetta 200, did you notice an improvement in quality of conversion of the stock 003R converters whilst clocked to the 200?

thankss!

jeep · 11th May 2008

actually, nevermind
i just re-read your first post haha

thanks

yesac81 · 17th May 2008

hey jeep
all good!
fyi and the info of all the others listening... yes, it makes a big difference! there is still a considerable difference between the a>d of the 003 vs the rosetta, but the clock goes a fair way to deal with the "fog" of the 003's analogue stage and converters.

and so y'all know, my ensemble is on the way and the rosetta has been sold. i'll report back my findings :-)

can't keep a good gearslut down...

skybluerental · 17th May 2008

i use a rosetta 800 w/ a 002.
IMHO it sounds quite good!

when i talked to apogee about the difference between the rosetta and the ensemble, they said the analog circuitry was superior in the rosetta.

never heard them side by side, but you really cant go wrong with the rosetta stuff by apogee.

yesac81 · 19th May 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by skybluerental

i use a rosetta 800 w/ a 002.
IMHO it sounds quite good!

when i talked to apogee about the difference between the rosetta and the ensemble, they said the analog circuitry was superior in the rosetta.

never heard them side by side, but you really cant go wrong with the rosetta stuff by apogee.

eh... yeah. oh well, the ensemble will be worth a test anyway. if i don't like it, i can always sell it locally and get into an 800 or an ad8000...

5th May 2008	#1
yesac81 Gear maniac Joined: Apr 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 173 Thread Starter	PTLE Upgrade Path... Ensemble or Rosetta 800??? Hi all, I currently have a PTLE 003r based rig. I recently added a Rosetta 200 to it, and my goodness, what a difference!!! While the clock has changed the conversion on the 003r for the better, the AD improvement is most noticeable through the converters on the Rosetta itself... Anyhoo, here's the toss up... I have a fully loaded SCA rack (8 pre's), the 003r comes with with 4 pre's and 4 line in's, and the current Rosetta 200 has two channels of AD. I am looking at either a Rosetta 800 or an Ensemble... In terms of the AD conversion (not taking into account the practicality of preamps) what's the difference between the Rosetta and the Ensemble? I am really impressed with the sound of the Rosetta, I guess I am asking if the conversion on the Ensemble sounds similar/the same, better, worse, etc... I think y'all get the drift of what I am thinking, let me know what you think. Cheers! Casey __________________ thermos - someone told me its due to a low microferet value whatever thing, I don't know anything about that stuff

10th May 2008	#3
Stiff Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,794	Some said that the Rosetta is above the Ensemble when the Ensemble was released, but if I were you I'd try to talk to a store and give both a go. __________________ Daily news & reviews ProToolerBlog.com

10th May 2008	#4
jmarkham Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2006 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 2,240	While there's no doubt the Rosetta is a great converter with an excellent clock, I have front-ended my 003 with the Focusrite 828 with the ADC option. I like the Burr-Brown converter chip and they've mated it with a very good clock. IMHO, if you get a chance, take a listen to this box .. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, particularly the price-point. It's one of the better deals in audio right now. jeff __________________ Please donate to the American Red Cross Japanese Relief Effort Joe Barresi : Tracking Rock is now available!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Apogee Ensemble Converters compared to Rosetta 800	csiaudio	So much gear, so little time!	6	30th June 2008 11:19 PM
Apogee Ensemble, Fireface 800, or Rosetta Symphony?	harry_seldon	High end	12	21st August 2007 07:49 PM
Rosetta 800 VS Apogee Ensemble	Lefrançais	Music computers	1	4th November 2006 07:41 AM
Rosetta 800 w/firewire vs Ensemble	Tibbon	So much gear, so little time!	7	3rd June 2006 11:32 PM
need help, setting rosetta 800 with ptle 002	cannibalbritney	Low End Theory	3	25th February 2006 11:50 PM

10th May 2008	#2
jeep Gear addict Joined: Aug 2007 Location: Central Coast, NSW, AUSTRALIA! Posts: 347	i second this! i'd love to know the difference in sonic quality between the 2 converters

11th May 2008	#5
jeep Gear addict Joined: Aug 2007 Location: Central Coast, NSW, AUSTRALIA! Posts: 347	hey casey, just wondering, during your time spent using the rosetta 200, did you notice an improvement in quality of conversion of the stock 003R converters whilst clocked to the 200? thankss!

17th May 2008	#7
yesac81 Gear maniac Joined: Apr 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 173 Thread Starter	hey jeep all good! fyi and the info of all the others listening... yes, it makes a big difference! there is still a considerable difference between the a>d of the 003 vs the rosetta, but the clock goes a fair way to deal with the "fog" of the 003's analogue stage and converters. and so y'all know, my ensemble is on the way and the rosetta has been sold. i'll report back my findings :-) can't keep a good gearslut down...

17th May 2008	#8
skybluerental Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago, IL USA Posts: 1,259	i use a rosetta 800 w/ a 002. IMHO it sounds quite good! when i talked to apogee about the difference between the rosetta and the ensemble, they said the analog circuitry was superior in the rosetta. never heard them side by side, but you really cant go wrong with the rosetta stuff by apogee.