hey,

im at final decision about a new multichannel converter solution for going to my console. at least there should be 16 channels, ideal would be 20-24.

there are some interesting new converters launching:

antelope orion
ssl MX
rme adi-8 MK3

ans some old goodies still on market:

lynx aurora 16
apogee da16x/ad16x

wich system would you suggest?
is such a multichannel converter good enough for monitoring DA?

use of the AD side: most time i record only one source, mainly mono mic, some stereo mic... and the masterchannel (whole mix) from console back to DAW. then all synths are connected to AD...

The SSL AX or MX offer high channel counts, great sound (MX is the newest design) and are cost effective...all the while saying SSL on them and being built in Oxford. We've been using AX for years, MX are sonically superior in our internal testing.

It really depends on what you're after sonically, features you need, etc. And well of course the overall budget ;-) There are two schools of thought with converters: A) THE CONVERTER SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY TRANSPARENT and B) THE CONVERTER SHOULD ADD SOME LIFE TO THE SOUND. Neither is wrong, they are just different. What kind of music are you recording/mixing? What console are you mixing on and what converters are you using right now?

@warhead
i think the ssl MX is my favorite at the moment... but never heard some files from this converter. and the MADI only is a bit scaring because i cannot easily expand with e.g. a spdif high end monitor DA... if the SSL would have adat i would suddenly buy and connect with RME raydat.

@brad
im coming from RME (multiface, adi-8, adi-2) converters... the console was in cellar for some years and i was ITB all time. so the adi-8 was sold back then... now adi-2 is my monitor DA and critical recording AD, multiface my synth connection.
i love the RME hdsp system because its over ten years in nearly daily use and still rocking with all driver support ect.


i make ALL kind of music exept german folk music from film music, commercials till prog rock and electronic... so i reord all kind of instruments and a lot of vocals. the console (A&H system 8 1616) is for sure NOT high end its really old school 80s but i missed it more and more especially for rock and electronic stuff, music that need "balls" or color. on th other hand i like the analogue way of integration all my growing hardware stuff.
(for filmmusic and all the boring stuff i will stay ITB furthermore)

converterwise i prefer the 3D effect some converters deliver some not! sometimes its quite obvious to hear. from compasion files ive heard on GS i like the apogee 16X converters most. but i dont know if this "old" stuff is still a good choice today. and i dont want to buy a used system...

If you get those AD/DA16x's just make sure to do the power button bypass setup as soon as you install them. Those things really piss me off.

Depends on what level your after? High end right? How are you connecting this to the DAW and then what is the DAW?

Just some quick ideas...

Lynx Aurora 16
Apogee AD/DA16x
Apogee Rosetta 800
Antelope Orion 32

Cheaper but good... three used profire 2626's with an external clock. This can give you 24i/o at 44.1/48k and 16i/o at 88.2/96k via firewire.

You could always use an RME MADI card with other digital I/O if you really think you need higher end DA. The AD and DA in these MX units are excellent.

War