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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 23, 2015 15:55:45 GMT -6
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Post by sopwith on Apr 23, 2015 16:07:10 GMT -6
Man that white PCB is classy. Looking forward to hearing the results.
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 23, 2015 16:38:09 GMT -6
It's well documented that white sounds best !
What does the i/o look like on the SB, can you record the SB DA ?
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,107 
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Post by ericn on Apr 23, 2015 16:46:09 GMT -6
It's well documented that white sounds best ! What does the i/o look like on the SB, can you record the SB DA ? No that was blue, many years ago the guys from Turbosound had to identical rigs set up one Black and one Blue The majority said the Blue one was waaaaayyyyy better! |
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Post by ragan on Apr 23, 2015 17:31:19 GMT -6
Damn, is that why I like Rev A 1176s so much?
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Post by carymiller on Apr 23, 2015 17:52:24 GMT -6
Is this 8 In and 8 Out with SPDIF connections? I've been thinking about his box a lot since he wrote me back about it. Looks great. Very neat and simple. |
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Post by svart on Apr 23, 2015 18:05:22 GMT -6
Is this 8 In and 8 Out with SPDIF connections? I've been thinking about his box a lot since he wrote me back about it. Looks great. Very neat and simple. This is the stereo version, i haven't started the 8 channel idea yet until i see how these sell. |
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Post by jdc on Apr 23, 2015 18:39:07 GMT -6
and this officially beat my RM unit to the market
svart are you still taking orders?
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Post by svart on Apr 23, 2015 18:45:15 GMT -6
and this officially beat my RM unit to the market svart are you still taking orders? I'll have 10 within about 3 weeks, then can have another 10 within another 3 weeks or so depending on parts and such. So I'll fulfill the list in the other thread first and then I'll have stock for open orders. |
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 23, 2015 18:55:36 GMT -6
oh I had forgotten about the 8 channel svartbox !
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Post by guitfiddler on Apr 23, 2015 20:54:33 GMT -6
I can't wait to hear the JK report
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Post by donr on Apr 23, 2015 21:17:30 GMT -6
Nice!
svart, John's photo is blurry, how do you set it up? Are those buttons on the right of the display screen? Is this just a/D?
John, why not give us 8 vocal bars of "If You Don't Know Me By Now," that we're already familiar with, with your mic and pre of choice, maybe use a pop filter you're kissing so the distance to the mic is reliable. Then make a pass to DAW with the Apollo, the Burl and svart's box, and let us hear it.
Then how about a familiar commercial stereo recording snippet you feed analog into the same combo of a/D boxes?
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Post by dandeurloo on Apr 23, 2015 21:18:22 GMT -6
Is this the DA?
I would open a few mixes you know and play them back through it. See what your impressions are. Listen for 3d, honest bass, reverb tails and other fx, stereo width, things like that.
I would love to compare it to my modded RM.
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Post by svart on Apr 23, 2015 21:49:24 GMT -6
Nice! svart, John's photo is blurry, how do you set it up? Are those buttons on the right of the display screen? Is this just a/D? John, why not give us 8 vocal bars of "If You Don't Know Me By Now," that we're already familiar with, with your mic and pre of choice, maybe use a pop filter you're kissing so the distance to the mic is reliable. Then make a pass to DAW with the Apollo, the Burl and svart's box, and let us hear it. Then how about a familiar commercial stereo recording snippet you feed analog into the same combo of a/D boxes? This is both the AD and DA in one box. John already did one set of tests with the AD portion, but he's welcome to do more! There are two buttons beside the LCD that are used for setup. Just hit the button to scroll through the settings, that's it! |
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Post by svart on Apr 23, 2015 21:50:18 GMT -6
Is this the DA? I would open a few mixes you know and play them back through it. See what your impressions are. Listen for 3d, honest bass, reverb tails and other fx, stereo width, things like that. I would love to compare it to my modded RM. It's both the AD and DA in the box that John has. |
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Post by sopwith on Apr 23, 2015 21:53:23 GMT -6
Sign me up for the 8 channel. What protocol would that use?
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Post by svart on Apr 23, 2015 21:55:42 GMT -6
Sign me up for the 8 channel. What protocol would that use? I haven't even started an 8 channel yet, it'd be quite some time! I'm thinking of doing a converter to hook 4 of these up to adat as an intermediate solution. |
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Post by sopwith on Apr 23, 2015 21:58:41 GMT -6
Sign me up for the 8 channel. What protocol would that use? I haven't even started an 8 channel yet, it'd be quite some time! I'm thinking of doing a converter to hook 4 of these up to adat as an intermediate solution. I wouldn't be ready until the end of the year anyway. This looks friggin great though, huge congrats on getting it over the finish line. |
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Post by svart on Apr 23, 2015 22:01:30 GMT -6
I haven't even started an 8 channel yet, it'd be quite some time! I'm thinking of doing a converter to hook 4 of these up to adat as an intermediate solution. I wouldn't be ready until the end of the year anyway. This looks friggin great though, huge congrats on getting it over the finish line. It's almost done. Trying to get the front bezel made currently, then silkscreen, and it'll be ready. |
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Post by carymiller on Apr 23, 2015 22:24:19 GMT -6
Is this 8 In and 8 Out with SPDIF connections? I've been thinking about his box a lot since he wrote me back about it. Looks great. Very neat and simple. This is the stereo version, i haven't started the 8 channel idea yet until i see how these sell. Would the 8 channel version essentially be the same in terms of components? It's on my list of things to try potentially =P |
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 23, 2015 22:25:08 GMT -6
So here are my initial reactions from 2 hours of going back and forth between this and the RM1794. This is obviously only for the DA side of the unit. Now, I've only been listening to HD Tracks wavs - Gregory Porter @ 24/96, same with Steely Dan...and the Eagles @ 24/196...I haven't delved into my own recordings. But here are my thoughts.
1. Both the Svartbox (SB) and Ross Martin (RM) sound great. If I have the extra time, I'll compare to the Apollo, but there's not really any need. The RM was MUCH better than the Apollo DA - haven't compared to the SB
2. The SB seems to have a slightly more detailed top end than the RM. I don't know which one is more true...but I know that it resulted in the songs seeming more detailed (without any hint of harshness) with the SB.
3. The RM seemed a bit more forward in the low mids (200-500) to my ear. Maybe that's why it felt a little less detailed. (That's being extremely picky)
4. IMO, the SB has a wider stereo field and more depth. The RM seemed less 3 dimensional. I know these are such incredible cliches - but I swear to you, that is the best way to explain what I heard. I could hear reverb tails, movement, a phaser on the beginning of Hotel California I'd never heard before, damper pedal releases - all seemed more clear on the SB. I actually found myself going, "hmm, the predelay is pretty high on that vocal..." WTF? Maybe that's more of a glowing endorsement for these high def recordings, but hey - something has to translate it.
5. For some reason - the RM is about 3-4db louder than the SB. Don't know why...the SB is 1/4' out...the RM is xlr?
6. The Eagles are America's answer to the Beatles. I love them both.
Now - I want this box to be good...but I have zero financial stake in it. If the results had been different, I probably would have just kinda gracefully bowed out of the conversation. But it's really great. Maybe I'll live with it for a while longer and hate it (doubt that)...but my initial thought is that it's even better than the already great RM box.
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Post by odyssey76 on Apr 24, 2015 4:18:48 GMT -6
Congrats svart. This is such a high achievement. I haven't thought about upgrading my converters for awhile but when I do I'll be sure to reach out.  |
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 24, 2015 4:41:20 GMT -6
Not only congrats but sincere thx for the commitment and hard work. I appreciate my Apollo but do struggle with its resolution. I had such high hopes for the SB and really respect svart for stepping up big time and getting this done. I put my name down on faith: good job !!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2015 5:43:34 GMT -6
John, your description of the difference between the RM1794 and the svartbox pretty much sums up pretty exactly what the difference in output opamps seems can do for the sound quality of pcm1794a converters.
When i posted my experiences comparing the same RM converter to the Superbeast, i used very similar words to describe it.
If the design is right, the ADA4898 seems to have better transfer of low mid and bass frequencies, resulting in a truer stereo image also.
So i pretty much assume, the difference you hear now is at least on par with the difference between RM1794 and superbeast.
Seems the svartbox does it's duty very well.
Would love to hear a shootout svartbox vs. superbeast. It may be possible, you can't even distinguish one from another when ABX listening. This said, the superbeast is the best DA conversion i heard so far, followed by the RM1794 you use, which is pretty on par with the Motu 24Ao...
As a complete stereo AD/DA....very tempting for everyone in need of a quality stereo box for adding high end stereo recording and monitoring conversion or an analog chain extension for a DAW....
Yummy.
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 24, 2015 5:51:33 GMT -6
I sold my dbox and my burl b2 preparing to buy the SB, hoping hoping hoping svart would hit it out of the ballpark !!
I have one set of monitors and 2 headphones outs on the apollo, the apollo has spdif and volume control in on the apollo, jk how do you have the i/0 set up to hear/monitor the sb ?
thx !
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