I wanted to start a new thread about this. In the thread about Black Lion upgrades, something was mentioned about the 002's clock detection circuit being pretty bunk.

For almost a year I've been threatening to switch to SX3 and get an X-Firewire card for my Rosetta 800.

So what I guess I'm wondering: if I'm using external conversion, does the crappy detection circuit in the 002 negate part of the benefit of using the Rosetta 800 when I'm going in thru the Rosetta's A/D or does it just get in the way when I'm using the internal converters in the 002 clocked to the Apogee?

I know this sounds ike splitting hairs, but isn't that what we're doing here? Every upgrade I've made has paid for itself in sound quality so far.

In short, if what I'm guessing is correct, and assuming PTLE and SX3 sound the same (not saying they do, just hypothetically) SX3 would have the edge because of the X-Firewire card over the 002rack unit.

does that make sense?

Can you hear a difference between the Rosetta and the 002? Is that difference worth the money you laid out? Do you think you will get an improvement in you sound that justifies the cost?

These are the important questions.

Big difference between the 002 and the Rosetta. I'm just trying to find out if the 002 may be dragging the Rosetta down at all. Since the X-Firewire card (that I don't have yet) will allow me to bin the 002, I'm thinking it might sound better.

But will it sound so much better as to justify the cost? That upgrade will cost you alot of money. Not only what you will have to invest in SX + hardware, but also the depreciation of your 002.

My guess the sound quality is not worth the 2k or so you will spend before its over.

Actually, I'm not gonna ditch the 002.

I was thinking of adding an X-Firewire card and SX3. Maybe $750 or $800. I already have the Rosetta 800.

There are other benefits to the switch; for one, my two UAD cards are a PITA with PTLE> but not to turn this into a PTLE vs SX3 thread; I don't giva krapp - they're both tools. I'd also kind of like to know cubase since I don't know a damn thing about using it now.

sounds like we are in the same kinda boat. I spent a couple years and did a few albums in Cubase SX2. with first an aardvark q10 and then a presonus firepod. loved the sound of cubase over protools but then again the firepod had a very sharp high end compared to the 002 being a little "cloudy" since i'm now using that and a fully loaded pt le setup.

Why the switch? well being trained and brainwashed at an audio school into PT, every class I learned some new tricks that I could never get SX to do. And I'm freakin fast in PT (though the layout and color scheme with all the whites still makes my eyes hurt and get tired)

Anyways I'm looking at ways to improve my signal chain of my 002. I want to go either aurora or apogee with either an 8 or 16 channel setup but not sure how to go all about it or to get a Bigben as well. I know its going to cost but I need to be able to have PT to tranfer files between my home studio to work on and to track and mix at pro studios.

I'm going to build some seventh circle pres first and then tackle then converter issue.

How the heck do I record 16 tracks at 88.2 or 96k with my 002!? what about that new maudio lightpipe or lightbridge device?