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Post by indiehouse on Sept 4, 2015 17:36:50 GMT -6
So, I get having a quality AD converter on the tracking chain. I also understand the importance of quality DA conversion to monitor through. But what about the 2 bus chain? Are people sinking money into dedicated converters for their mix bus chain (assuming you're running through some kind of outboard)?
There seems a lot of discussion and effort with regard to monitoring through dedicated, high quality DA conversion, but what about running mixes through the same stock conversion that wasn't good enough to monitor through in the first place? Seems a little self defeating, doesn't it?
For what it's worth, my front end will soon be a BLA modded Motu 16a. I have 2 channels of dedicated AD for tracking, and 2 channels of dedicated DA for monitoring. Are people investing in an additional pair of AD/DA for the mix bus as well?
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Sept 4, 2015 18:03:23 GMT -6
Ideally all conversion would be top quality , that gets expensive fast and converters are boring so it's more to buy other gear.
Something has to give and often it's the utility Converters.
You have to weigh the choice of you want do and where you want to put your money like so many things there's no right or wrong answer .
Just what works for you.
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Post by b1 on Sept 4, 2015 18:23:51 GMT -6
I've been going hybrid, multi-setup, and modular; overall. I am looking for converters to break out of the analog console from groups or master at higher sample rates and hopefully better conversion in the summing or grouping processes. That way I can use the workhorse channel strips at higher quality or stick with the built-in converters at 24/48k/22 channels, for whatever a project would call for. I like as many options as I can get! This is just the point that I've evolved to - in desire to change at several points along the line and not be locked into one workflow.
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Sept 4, 2015 18:26:53 GMT -6
On the cheap the BLA modded Behringer is pretty damn good!
Used Lucid are a bargain!
Buy used if you don't like it sell it!
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Post by svart on Sept 4, 2015 18:34:58 GMT -6
So, I get having a quality AD converter on the tracking chain. I also understand the importance of quality DA conversion to monitor through. But what about the 2 bus chain? Are people sinking money into dedicated converters for their mix bus chain (assuming you're running through some kind of outboard)? There seems a lot of discussion and effort with regard to monitoring through dedicated, high quality DA conversion, but what about running mixes through the same stock conversion that wasn't good enough to monitor through in the first place? Seems a little self defeating, doesn't it? For what it's worth, my front end will soon be a BLA modded Motu 16a. I have 2 channels of dedicated AD for tracking, and 2 channels of dedicated DA for monitoring. Are people investing in an additional pair of AD/DA for the mix bus as well? I would also bet that some folks think the mixdown/2bus A/D should be the best simply because of the complexity of the signal it's digitizing. |
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Post by b1 on Sept 4, 2015 18:46:31 GMT -6
On the cheap the BLA modded Behringer is pretty damn good! Used Lucid are a bargain! Buy used if you don't like it sell it! hehe, I don't sell anything. I go for what I want to keep. I did sell a guitar & amp that I still regret.  |
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Sept 4, 2015 18:52:21 GMT -6
On the cheap the BLA modded Behringer is pretty damn good! Used Lucid are a bargain! Buy used if you don't like it sell it! hehe, I don't sell anything. I go for what I want to keep. I did sell a guitar & amp that I still regret. I wish I could say that ! |
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Post by mulmany on Sept 5, 2015 10:50:43 GMT -6
I would say that your master buss Da/ad and your monitor DA should be atleast equal quality wise. If it's not, the preference should go to monitors.
What good is a high quality Master DA/AD if you can't hear the changes on the monitors?
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Post by jcoutu1 on Sept 5, 2015 11:12:23 GMT -6
This is my use case for the SvartBox.
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Post by Guitar on Sept 5, 2015 12:32:14 GMT -6
Ideally all conversion would be top quality , that gets expensive fast and converters are boring so it's more to buy other gear. Something has to give and often it's the utility Converters. You have to weigh the choice of you want do and where you want to put your money like so many things there's no right or wrong answer . Just what works for you. I couldn't have said it better. I tried and I ended up deleting my BS post, hahaha. Hopefully your new interface will be in the category of an all around winner. |
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Post by rickcarson on Sept 6, 2015 10:59:27 GMT -6
Good DA is very critical if your mixing in the box in my opinion.
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Post by mrholmes on Sept 6, 2015 11:26:34 GMT -6
Everybody knows I was about to upgrade.
In the end I stayed with good midrange conversion by RME.
Everything else would have cost a lot of money.
I can live with this decision, and I am happy about it.
My guesswork is a lot of my favorite records have been tracked with converters in a lower quality.
This point of view reminds me that the content of the file is way more important,
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Post by Guitar on Sept 6, 2015 12:50:14 GMT -6
My guesswork is a lot of my favorite records have been tracked with converters in a lower quality. This point of view reminds me that the content of the file is way more important, I can guarantee that what you said is true. But for some reason it still haunts me. I guess because I know how accessible really good conversion is right now, if you can just save up that extra few hundred bucks or whatever. It's a difference worth making if you can manage. Up to a certain point, of course. Back when I was 17 and music was blowing my mind every day, the thought never so much as crossed my mind what conversion was being used. I guess things are different now that I'm neck deep in production gear, and can afford decent stuff. I can tell you with some certainty that battling the audio quality of the Echo Audiofire was something I dealt with for years. Sometimes I felt like I was banging my head on a wall. I've upgraded to more modern units and there is just no turning back for me, and much fewer headaches with sound quality. Some of them were the same price as the Echo used to be, just happen to be miles ahead in sound quality. |
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Post by mrholmes on Sept 6, 2015 15:32:09 GMT -6
Know your tools and work with them.
I have the impression some people change tools like clothes and they ask the next day on Gearslutz "What to buy next".....
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Post by noah shain on Sept 7, 2015 1:03:03 GMT -6
Well...I spent a damned fortune on a 2 channel A/D/A unit. JCF audio Latte. I had a gear budget on a project and we had this idea about using some sexy outboard on this EDM based project. As some of you know, I'm an AMPEX lover and the amps in the latte are based on the 440 amps.
It's a pretty dang great sounding converter. I use it tracking overdubs and as a "mastering loop" to get some sauce on the 2 bus of an ITB mix.
Also to capture 2 track full blown console/outboard/tape mixes.
I probably would not have bought it out of pocket cause it's spendy but I am stoked to have it. When I'm forced through circumstance to not use it I for sure miss it. It's a pleasure to listen to and solid transparent capture.
It does a lot of other stuff but that's how I use it.
I guess I'm spoiled but I'm happy!
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Post by jdc on Sept 7, 2015 11:07:55 GMT -6
Know your tools and work with them. I have the impression some people change tools like clothes and they ask the next day on Gearslutz "What to buy next"..... Ha! Silly sheep, i usually just come here to ask that  |
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Post by drsax on Sept 7, 2015 23:13:01 GMT -6
Well...I spent a damned fortune on a 2 channel A/D/A unit. JCF audio Latte. I had a gear budget on a project and we had this idea about using some sexy outboard on this EDM based project. As some of you know, I'm an AMPEX lover and the amps in the latte are based on the 440 amps. It's a pretty dang great sounding converter. I use it tracking overdubs and as a "mastering loop" to get some sauce on the 2 bus of an ITB mix. Also to capture 2 track full blown console/outboard/tape mixes. I probably would not have bought it out of pocket cause it's spendy but I am stoked to have it. When I'm forced through circumstance to not use it I for sure miss it. It's a pleasure to listen to and solid transparent capture. It does a lot of other stuff but that's how I use it. I guess I'm spoiled but I'm happy! Sweet! I've been jonesin' for a JCF Latte for a while... Maybe someday!! |
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Post by jimwilliams on Sept 8, 2015 9:37:33 GMT -6
Due to high finished product pricing and or the lack of quality components used (including low quality surface mount components in the analog sections), I elected due to limited funds and an excess of experience to roll my own.
I spent $149 on a BurrBrown EVM4222 ADC converter "demo' board from Texas Instruments. It's the approved layout/implimentation of the revered PCM/DSD4222 ADC chipset. It comes complete with everything on-board. It has XLR balanced inputs, dual S/PDIF and AES outputs with all the selections available on dip switches. Add a + - 15 and a + 5 power supply and go. Yes, I did rip out the Burrbrown INA input amp and rolled an opamp buffer with ADA 4898-2 opamps. Now it's first rate for less $$$.
It's used to track to my Alesis HD24XR and to mix from my Soundcraft analog console. I've had it for nearly 10 years now and have not found/heard a better ADC chipset including the ESS Sabres.
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Post by b1 on Sept 8, 2015 10:21:33 GMT -6
Due to high finished product pricing and or the lack of quality components used (including low quality surface mount components in the analog sections), I elected due to limited funds and an excess of experience to roll my own. I spent $149 on a BurrBrown EVM4222 ADC converter "demo' board from Texas Instruments. It's the approved layout/implimentation of the revered PCM/DSD4222 ADC chipset. It comes complete with everything on-board. It has XLR balanced inputs, dual S/PDIF and AES outputs with all the selections available on dip switches. Add a + - 15 and a + 5 power supply and go. Yes, I did rip out the Burrbrown INA input amp and rolled an opamp buffer with ADA 4898-2 opamps. Now it's first rate for less $$$. It's used to track to my Alesis HD24XR and to mix from my Soundcraft analog console. I've had it for nearly 10 years now and have not found/heard a better ADC chipset including the ESS Sabres. Why is this not available ?!?! |
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Post by svart on Sept 8, 2015 13:09:43 GMT -6
Due to high finished product pricing and or the lack of quality components used (including low quality surface mount components in the analog sections), I elected due to limited funds and an excess of experience to roll my own. I spent $149 on a BurrBrown EVM4222 ADC converter "demo' board from Texas Instruments. It's the approved layout/implimentation of the revered PCM/DSD4222 ADC chipset. It comes complete with everything on-board. It has XLR balanced inputs, dual S/PDIF and AES outputs with all the selections available on dip switches. Add a + - 15 and a + 5 power supply and go. Yes, I did rip out the Burrbrown INA input amp and rolled an opamp buffer with ADA 4898-2 opamps. Now it's first rate for less $$$. It's used to track to my Alesis HD24XR and to mix from my Soundcraft analog console. I've had it for nearly 10 years now and have not found/heard a better ADC chipset including the ESS Sabres. Why is this not available ?!?! It is. In my adc converter. |
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Post by jdc on Sept 8, 2015 13:16:10 GMT -6
I'l take 30!
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Post by b1 on Sept 8, 2015 13:31:31 GMT -6
Why is this not available ?!?! It is. In my adc converter. If I had your specs available, I would have compared it. I may have them, as I did read the entire threads, but wouldn't know where they are by now. You should make a new thread to keep all pertinent info at the top of the first page. That would get rid of some confusion in assembling the details (revisions too). |
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Post by svart on Sept 8, 2015 13:35:47 GMT -6
It is. In my adc converter. If I had your specs available, I would have compared it. I may have them, as I did read the entire threads, but wouldn't know where they are by now. You should make a new thread to keep all pertinent info at the top of the first page. That would get rid of some confusion in assembling the details (revisions too). Specs are in the first post of the list thread.. |
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