Jules' ProControl / Control 24 monitor upgrade tip

[Jules]

Have I got a tip for you guys!

http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/digital/dac1/default.asp

Here's how to hook it up, use it & a review!
Use AES or SPDIF output from Pro Tools into AES or SPDIF inputs on DAC-1
Use other remaining 2 digital inputs for CD & DAT / Masterlink / minidisk - whatever...(the DAC-1 switches over between sample rates 96 - 48 / 44.1 quickly and silently with no danger to speakers) Just toggle through 3 inputs.
Patch the outputs of the DAC-1 into your Control24 or ProControl
Turn main monitor & alt monitor pot FULL UP. (goodbye steped monitor pot!)
Control volume with great volume knob on DAC-1

It sounds AWESOME!

Or AZ-TOUNDING!

See, in this configuration it allows your consoles;
Mono
Alt & Main
Dim
Talkback / dim
Mute
Headphones (mute desk & listen via DAC-1 headphone outs)
monitoring functions to work!

All that gets a little 'weird' is that Mix to Cues is governed by the control room monitor level (no real hardship) and you really need to disable CD/DAT etc returns or they will come blasting out at full volume (instead hook em up digitally) to the DAC-1)

I may even get in and mod my ProControl to bypass Alt & main monitor pots altogether.. Pure path man!

OK! Mixdown mode? No need for DIM, Mute, Talkback etc?? Just hook it DIRECTLY to your main monitors for a totally pure signal path.

Anyhow, I am deliriously happy with mine, it's a low cost AWESOME upgrade..
It's under $800 A golden eared chum told me he checked it out with a in a mastering suite. He said in tests, only the studios Pasificmicrosonics $20,000 D/A performed better but only SLIGHTLY better and both converters were MILES ahead other very well known brands the had there...

The bass end is SO tight.
It's unbelievably good for A/B'ing between sources.

A very special unit....

Check it out!

[Jules]

Digidesign controller or not I recomend the DAC-1 !!!

Excelent to monitor a DAW with!

Anyone with a 001 or Motu 2408 or any DAW with an Spdif, AES or optical out would be very happy with one!

Cheers

Jules

[littledog]

Jules,

Are you evaluating the improvement in sound (by adding the Benchmark) by comparing it to the 888/24 converters or the HD192 converters?

If the former, does anyone feel that the Benchmark would still be a noticeable upgrade over the 192?

[atticus]

Originally posted by littledog
Jules,


If the former, does anyone feel that the Benchmark would still be a noticeable upgrade over the 192?

Yes, but that's just me

[5down1up]

i bet it is !

what else do i need to have a " full " monitor section .
the dac can handle different sources ...

what to use to switch speakers ...
how to check mono compatibility ...
can i hooke up a meter ...
do i record the dac-1 outputs back to the daw ...
needs the dac to be clocked as well ( if theres a external clocking source ? ) ...



i asked that before , no answer

atticus ? your help is recommended !

THX

[littledog]

5d:

I'm just wrestling with those exact same questions on another thread titled: "Dangerous Monitor" in this same "So Much Gear..." room.

Working on ways to accomplish exactly what you are asking about. Please check it out and give me your thoughts. I'd love it if Atticus would weigh in as well!

[5down1up]

right littledog

i am really interrested in questions bout " daw only " . i havent get much response yet . so thats why i am probably repeating .

thx

[5down1up]

basically i am looking for the same solution you do littledog .
i have some genelecs 1032 , ns 10m + 1092 and another pair of " tiny " speakers . i wanna replace my whackie 32 board and go protools + logic only . i dont have hd , my converters are the 888s . i was thinking bout adding a clocking device and a monitoring unit . i have not a lot of experience with digital only , but of course i can hear the " highzzzzzz " which i may get rid of using a better clock and a killer da . the dac would be on my budget , something like the hedd is out of reach . i need my money for some dsp and a new mac . i wanna hook up keys to my system as well ( 1622 ??? ) . in fact of money is short , i cant add another 2track recording device like a masterdisk , so thats why i wanna know if you guys record the dac outs back to protools for keeping that sound ???

right now i have checked out the monitoring units from :
coleman , furman and the dac-1 . the dangerous stuff and the gear thrills talking bout is out of reach .

[atticus]

We have suggested that the engineers that need switchable monitoring basically should build or have built for them a passive switching box. Since you will obviously need seperate power amps for each of the different monitors you can calibrate the inputs of the amps so that when you swich monitors you can keep the same basic levels. Digitally that DAC1 can accept either S/PDIF or AES signals over either a XLR, BNC (with RCA adapter) or toslink jack. There is a small switch on the front to allow you to toggle between the sources and the DAC1 will automatically lock to any incoming PCM signal. What you do with the analog output of the DAC1 is up to you, but when you're using it in a "bounce to Disk" scenario you are basically using the DAC1 as a device to help you make better decisions. I wouldn't re-digitize the output of the DAC1 unless you need to put analog processing somewhere in the signal path. If you all have any other questions please feel free to ask. Thanks.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by 5down1up
basically i am looking for the same solution you do littledog .
i have some genelecs 1032 , ns 10m + 1092 and another pair of " tiny " speakers . i wanna replace my whackie 32 board and go protools + logic only . i dont have hd , my converters are the 888s . i was thinking bout adding a clocking device and a monitoring unit . i have not a lot of experience with digital only , but of course i can hear the " highzzzzzz " which i may get rid of using a better clock and a killer da . the dac would be on my budget , something like the hedd is out of reach . i need my money for some dsp and a new mac . i wanna hook up keys to my system as well ( 1622 ??? ) . in fact of money is short , i cant add another 2track recording device like a masterdisk , so thats why i wanna know if you guys record the dac outs back to protools for keeping that sound ???

right now i have checked out the monitoring units from :
coleman , furman and the dac-1 . the dangerous stuff and the gear thrills talking bout is out of reach .

Hey if money is an object than check out either the Coleman or the Furman.

The Coleman(depending on which model) has all of the things you are looking for.

The Furman also works, but only has one main input. It also has a meter(which the Coleman does not).

I think MartinSound also has a monitoring box.


Even though I am not crazy about my Coleman, none the less I can definitely recommend that it does what it is setup to do. For the money its hard to beat.

[Jules]

"so thats why i wanna know if you guys record the dac outs back to protools for keeping that sound ???"

NO!

The DAC-1 is letting you know what you got, it's already there, in digital form, why mess with it?

[atticus]

Originally posted by Jules
"so thats why i wanna know if you guys record the dac outs back to protools for keeping that sound ???"

NO!

The DAC-1 is letting you know what you got, it's already there, in digital form, why mess with it?

Exactly

[5down1up]

888 -> dac -> speakers = good sound
888 -> speakers = not that good

why not track the good sound back on disk ???
otherwise the only one who will hear the good d/a is me ???
( sure better listening comfort appoves the soundquality of the mixes anyway ) .

if you have f.ex a masterlink dont you hook up the dac to it as well ??? or is the dac improving " LISTENING " only ???



tell me

[atticus]

It's not that good sound is no already on disk, but if you are using thge 888's you won't be able to hear the sound as well and therefore your mix decisions will be uninformed for lack of a better term. Now if you want to put some analog compression on the 2buss then by all means print back to digital. Otherwise it is unnecessary. Think of the DAC1 as a decision helper

[littledog]

Originally posted by atticus
If you all have any other questions please feel free to ask. Thanks.

I'm feeling very free right now, so, here goes...

Can you please tell me what it means when you say the Benchmark DAC-1 has 96 kHz D-to-A conversion, but also has 192kHz playback with a 48kHz analog bandwidth.

I guess the very fact that I'm asking this exposes me as a technical moron, but, hey, I'll sacrifice my pride in the cause of ignoramuses everywhere!

[Cluster]

Wow, digging up some oldies but goldies...Jules, is there a way to use the volume on the CT24 instead of the one in DAC-1?

[Jules]

Jules needs your help here

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/showt...284#post260284