Help with selecting converters: AVIO, BURL, IZ, MYTEK

I'm going to say go Avid 16x16 buy a 2 ch Burl and or Mytek for flavor.
If later you go summing And want Larger Burl and or Mytek do it then, you will have decided which you want to build a system and you can sell the AVid.

Oh - I had the B2

Heya Jan,

This might wind up being the configuration:

A Mytek 8x192, the AVID 16x16....and both the Bomber ADC and DAC.

The Mytek will be a bit more clean/neutral than the AVID, though the AVID will be fantastic for tracking. So the Mytek would be more for transfers, additional inserts, and headphone mixes.

I would probably monitor off the Bomber DAC to help reduce ear fatigue, and the ADC to do most over dubs/vocals/bass/and guitars. Drums would wind up being cut with the AVID

The Mytek would also give me an extra port for DSD conversion...so there's potential added flexibility there.


The other thing I'm considering at this time is a Burl Mothership with 8 or 16 I/O to start...which I would upgrade later, and either the 16x16 or Omni. This opens things up to expansion I wouldn't have otherwise.


I think...as of this morning I've ruled the IZ out.

Hey guys,

I'm building a new home studio, which is where I'll work while I save towards a house over the next few years. I am leaning towards upgrading to Pro Tools HD Native, for ease of use with professional work (*I have a new job lined up, and I'll be working pretty steady for the next three years for a corporate client.) It took me a long time to get the stars to align for this, and times were lean most of the previous year. To my surprise, I have money in hand to build things out concerning gear, and a decent amount of room treatment that can be transferred to a house when the time comes. I can't build a studio proper until then, so any tracking will be overdubs in the control room, however...my budget is higher than expected (not limitless or anything, but way more flexible than I thought it would be.)

I just want to talk DAW and converter combinations. But for this setup I'm not interested in Apogee products since I'm on a PC platform, and I'm going to rule out things like the Lynx Aurora, MOTU, RME, and Antelope converters. I've tried many, if not most of these products out over the years, and I'm going to go with the pros and cons of things I've tried which managed to impress me. I'd like to have enough conversion for at least a 16 track studio which can handle mixing and mastering, headphone mixes, and some analog inserts, etc.


So my questions are going to more in nuanced realms of technical details, rather than simply "what sounds better".


01. AVID 16x16/Omni: I've only heard the 16x16 out of these two, but it was great sounding. Clean, but with a bottom end that felt defined and tight. I have not gotten to test it out as a mastering AD/DA however, and I'm not sure how it's internal clcok stands up.

02. BURL Mothership: The Mothership really blew me away when I heard it, though I've been told that clocking it to something external (IE: Antelope 10M) can improve things. It's modular however and for limited quantities of conversion not unobtainable to start, despite it's price.

03. IZ ADA: This is a great middle ground between the others on the list. Clean, but not sterile, and I've been partners in a small studio which had a Radar unit. I know what this stuff sounds like under heavy usage, however...it's an investment since it's harder to get these upgraded in a modular fashion than the Burl, and better to figure out how to max out as a 24 I/O unit to start. Though I never hear anyone talk about using external clocks with these.

04. Mytek 8x192: I love this unit. Some people feel it's too clean, but it's fantastic for mastering. I feel it has the best clock out of all of these choices, though I've never been able to do clock comparisons with the AVID stuff. Or a direct shootout with their converters in the same space (though I did use the same test material on both of them for a reference point.)

05. System Stability: Is it just better in the long run to stick with AVID products for the most part in terms of stability?


CONCERNING DAWS:

I'm most likely to stick with Pro Tools HD, since I've been using Pro Tools Native for my home rig since version 9, and it does help with major label client work/name recognition. However my first setup was a Cubase system (which I still own the license to), and Cubase/Nuendo aren't out of the realm of possibility. However, I'd like to grow clientele outside of my main job, and I'm not interested in expanding to Surround/Film Post work at this time (I'd much prefer music clients to give me something "fun" to do when I'm not working for a company doing audio lab work.)


BUDGET/QUESTIONS:

I can afford ten to fifteen grand in this direction, however...I'm trying not to overspend....so here's my questions....

01. Has anyone used a Mytek to clock the BURL? Was this a significant step up?

02. Has anyone used a Mytek to clock either of the new AVID units? Was that a step up?

03. Has anyone tried clocking the Burl with an AVID unit? Or visa versa? Which did you prefer?

O4. Has anyone managed to possibly hear all of these clocking combinations?

05. Is the new AVID clock used in the 16x16/Omni competitive to the Mytek's?


NOTES:

I'd like to potentially have some Burl converters paired with something clean like the Mytek or an avid unit (I've been lusting after the burl for years.) However...I'm fairly certain I can't afford anything like the 10M at this time, and I'm not certain it would be a huge step up from the Mytek internal clock to act as the master. Clocking the Burl with the Mytek is probably the most cost effective solution, however if the AVID clock can get comparable results to the Mytek...I'd rather buy a PT HD Native rig and be done with it as far as the clean converters go.

I can always get a Bomber AD later...but with PT HD with 24 I/O (16x16 AND an Omni), or a 16x16 system with a Mytek to get the track count up...things start getting into IZ ADA territory.

So...any thoughtful opinions on the matter would help...I'm having a new custom desk made and otherwise I seem to know what I want for once, this is kind of my last hurdle when it comes to design.

Hope you guys had a great holiday.

- Cary

Really? I must have missed John's comment but that surprises me. The top end on my B2 is so smooth. It's a very round sounding converter that I've never thought of or heard referred to as "bright". Not to criticize your experience of it it just surprised me.

I don't know if I would be concerned about the clock in the Burl stuff.

Did the B2 generate alot of heat? Just wondering if spacing is truly important.

I would think with those transformers...at least with the mothership, this would be an issue to consider.

Haha.  Yeah, Ragan, anytime I think I can sell my Burl and just be ok with Apogee or UA, I track something with it and kick myself in the ass for even thinking such craziness.

BUT, I can't afford anymore than 2 channels.  At 1k a channel, it's pricey.