kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 23, 2020 19:14:39 GMT -6
Maybe obvious to some but what are the relative merits of upgrading AD before DA or DA before AD ?
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Post by tkaitkai on Oct 23, 2020 19:57:43 GMT -6
If we're talking about swapping the D/A for monitoring purposes, that's one of the few things I'm reluctant to change. I've already spent years getting to know the sound of my monitoring setup, and while there's always room for improvement, adjusting to monitoring changes is a pain.
On the other hand, I'm always looking for whatever incremental improvements I can make on the front end. A/D is one of those. It wasn't a MASSIVE leap forward, but upgrading my A/D certainly made an appreciable difference to the sonics of my recordings. If you're looking at better D/A for hybrid mixing, I'd place that in the same category.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 24, 2020 11:33:04 GMT -6
This is sort of the audio version of the chicken or the egg. The more time that passes the more I’m a believer in the importance of the DA as part of the monitor chain, damn it I want to hear it all!!😁
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Post by Guitar on Oct 24, 2020 11:35:05 GMT -6
DA for monitor pair is critical, essential, to perfect as closely as you can.
AD is more rudimentary in my experience. As long as it doesn't suck, as long as it's pretty good or great, you can make it work with tiny mix moves that you would do during a mix anyway, by using your ears and mix techniques.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2020 12:16:02 GMT -6
DA always first so you can hear the better AD. If you want something nice and clean but not sterile and grainy, I still think the Lynx Hilo is the best thing around.
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Post by svart on Oct 24, 2020 12:57:25 GMT -6
Always DA first. If the DA is coloring the sound, you'll never hear the real sound of the AD.
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 24, 2020 13:07:58 GMT -6
Thx guys, I was thinking DA first, for the reasons you stated or conversely, if you don’t trust your DA, why put better AD in front of it ?
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Post by sozocaps on Oct 24, 2020 16:05:17 GMT -6
Maybe obvious to some but what are the relative merits of upgrading AD before DA or DA before AD ? So I've had experiences with both.... I had early RME then I got a Presonus Central Station for workflow and boy did it suck.... Got an Apogee Mini -DAC and was like wow that just sounds right. Now I just got the new RME ADI-2 DAC is waaay better then my old Apogee and I feel like I have new speakers. BUT the Apogee will still "work" but is way more colored/cloudy and just in the way so the super clean DA is a must. AD depends what you have now, I have Apogee AD 16x and I tried to upgrade, I'm sure there is better now but you need a complete workflow and system and it may not be worth it. I do ROCK so I'm always going to have some character coming in the front end (real great amps and instruments and mics and preamps and compressors etc...) , so with what I have now better AD for me is not the key, may be a bit better but If I did classical or super spacious acoustic then different story. John |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2020 17:06:23 GMT -6
I loved the Mini-DAC and Mini-Me. I was shocked how solid the RME ADI-2 Pro was because the Firefaces’ DA is so bad in mid and treble timbre.
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Post by mrholmes on Oct 27, 2020 10:34:55 GMT -6
I loved the Mini-DAC and Mini-Me. I was shocked how solid the RME ADI-2 Pro was because the Firefaces’ DA is so bad in mid and treble timbre.
Which FireFaces not the new ones....
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 27, 2020 11:05:38 GMT -6
I ordered a Topping DX7, based on price and a strong recommendation from someone who knows the design build well.
Got last one on on amazon, happy to try, can always return if it’s not doing it for me, as I do think X6 is very good sounding as is.
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Post by Guitar on Oct 27, 2020 11:11:46 GMT -6
I ordered a Topping DX7, based on price and a strong recommendation from someone who knows the design build well. Got last one on on amazon, happy to try, can always return if it’s not doing it for me, as I do think X6 is very good sounding as is. That's what I swear by right now, the DX7s. Let us know what you think after living with it for a few days. I'd like to try the Pro version of this DAC, since it's slightly newer. |
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 27, 2020 11:43:23 GMT -6
I am getting the pro. In the past, I have had 2192 and b2 here at same time with my bla modded sf Apollo. I find when mixing/mastering, I would like as much linear detailed soundstage as possible. Here in Canada, the topping dx7 pro is under $800 delivered, the rme adi-2 dac fs pro is like twice that, the convert 2 , 4-5xs that. I actually bought it accidentally trying to apply a discount code, but as it was the last one and to be here Friday, and ad I have all cables , thought what the hell: try it and see !  I am really liking the sound of Apollo X, think the symphony mkii has a bit of a soundstage edge, so am curious about the Topping dx7 pro too ! |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 28, 2020 8:53:16 GMT -6
Since buying the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ I’m all grins this thing just makes it fun to listen again. If your chasing an analogue like tone this isn’t it. If you want to know how good digital can sound this is it.
I would love to have the Manhattan for a week, I’m just afraid I would try to sell the kids kidney.
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 28, 2020 12:02:22 GMT -6
DX7 showed up, you got to hand it to Amazon !
First impression, seems well built nice finish and heft.
Set up was simple plugged in USB and coax.
Set Apollo x to mirror but only getting signal over USB for now, will sort that out.
Sonically, at first thought, not huge, but now realize dx7 is more linear, tighter bottom and a little more high end also with more revealing mids: hearing into the mix somewhat better.
High end may be a tad crispy, but I would remix a little too.
So, very good first impression, not big money but I can hear a difference , not huge, but it’s there.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2020 14:43:18 GMT -6
Since buying the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ I’m all grins this thing just makes it fun to listen again. If your chasing an analogue like tone this isn’t it. If you want to know how good digital can sound this is it. I would love to have the Manhattan for a week, I’m just afraid I would try to sell the kids kidney. Nice. I'm guessing it's like a better 8 channel 192? The 8 channel 192 was pretty good but not Lavry GOOD. The stereo 192 was the polar opposite and had some of the crispiest, crappiest treble I have ever heard. |
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Post by EmRR on Oct 28, 2020 15:38:07 GMT -6
I'm thinking opposite, AD first, as I'm in the old archives dealing with ancient source remixes. But....they sound better now because of advances in the DA.......they'd sound even better later with the best possible AD.....but this doesn't matter because it's an industry that eats itself every 3-5 years and nothing old is relevant, on average, toss out the old stock and in with the new hits......I'm confused.....I've never been in a position where I wasn't updating both at the same time.
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Post by mrholmes on Oct 28, 2020 15:55:57 GMT -6
Since buying the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ I’m all grins this thing just makes it fun to listen again. If your chasing an analogue like tone this isn’t it. If you want to know how good digital can sound this is it. I would love to have the Manhattan for a week, I’m just afraid I would try to sell the kids kidney.
LOL I love Black Humor....
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 28, 2020 18:19:03 GMT -6
I just thought the Apollo X AD are pretty good but I wanted to be able to hear more into the mix, so am experimenting with the DA first !
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Post by Johnkenn on Oct 28, 2020 22:30:38 GMT -6
This is sort of the audio version of the chicken or the egg. The more time that passes the more I’m a believer in the importance of the DA as part of the monitor chain, damn it I want to hear it all!!😁 I agree. You won’t be able to tell you have bad AD until you have great DA. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 29, 2020 14:54:25 GMT -6
Since buying the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ I’m all grins this thing just makes it fun to listen again. If your chasing an analogue like tone this isn’t it. If you want to know how good digital can sound this is it. I would love to have the Manhattan for a week, I’m just afraid I would try to sell the kids kidney. Nice. I'm guessing it's like a better 8 channel 192? The 8 channel 192 was pretty good but not Lavry GOOD. The stereo 192 was the polar opposite and had some of the crispiest, crappiest treble I have ever heard. It’s a 2ch that sort of crosses the consumer/ pro line. Lots of nice routing including an input that can be used for either line or Phono level. The phono stage is pretty good but I really wish it was 2 separate inputs so I could keep both the Ampex and the turntable plugged in. God I hate patching/ unpatching RCA plugs. |
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Post by Guitar on Oct 29, 2020 16:36:00 GMT -6
Nice. I'm guessing it's like a better 8 channel 192? The 8 channel 192 was pretty good but not Lavry GOOD. The stereo 192 was the polar opposite and had some of the crispiest, crappiest treble I have ever heard. It’s a 2ch that sort of crosses the consumer/ pro line. Lots of nice routing including an input that can be used for either line or Phono level. The phono stage is pretty good but I really wish it was 2 separate inputs so I could keep both the Ampex and the turntable plugged in. God I hate patching/ unpatching RCA plugs. There's these little four dollar chinese switchers I use for that, I have three of them here, pick them up on ebay from any of various vendors. Not sure if that would help you or not. Something like this: www.ebay.com/itm/4-Port-RCA-Composite-Video-Audio-AV-4-Way-Switch-Selector-Switcher-Splitter-Box/400975813700?hash=item5d5c055c44:g:SqAAAOSw9N1Vyiqv |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 29, 2020 17:26:11 GMT -6
Yeah I could do that, but no remote function, plus with phono plus switch grounding can get funky, while I’m not sure where another set of RCA’s would have fit it would just make things easy. |
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