Quick question about ADA conversion.

[Barry Jive]

I read a user review of the Mackie 400F that said it's AD conversion was great but it's DA conversion was crappy. Now, AD conversion refers to the analog signal from your mic being turned into digital 0s and 1s the computer understands correct?

My question is this: What's DA conversion? It is, of course, Digital to Analog conversion, but what exactly does that mean? The digital mix from the computer being converted into an analog signal running to your monitors or headphones?

Thanks much, I've lurked for a long time, and registered in celebration TOMB's return. Yay!

[MASSIVE Mastering]

My question is this: What's DA conversion? It is, of course, Digital to Analog conversion, but what exactly does that mean? The digital mix from the computer being converted into an analog signal running to your monitors or headphones?

That's it in a nutshell, yeah. And it's true - Some D-A (or A-D for that matter) kind of suck. A lot of units that run the same actual chip sound completely different and have varying levels of quality. The chip is important, but it's only a part of the whole.

[Barry Jive]

That's interesting then. How would one know they have great AD conversion but bad DA conversion when you're hearing the signal out of your monitors? Switch to another interface for playback?

If you don't plan to mix in the box is DA conversion that big a deal? I guess you would have an inaccurate representation of the sound you're putting to disk, but in the end the inherent quality of the recording would not go down, right?

[I'm Painting Again]

Yeah..you can compare by just using different DA like you said..good DA is important if you go back to the analog world to procees and or mix..and also good DA gives you a better reference in the monitors to make decisions by..

DA is just the opposite of AD..the digital info gets converted back to an alnalog signal..like every cd player uses DA to make sound..there are ADDA on anything digital like a digital guitar pedal or pod or whatever..

[I'm Painting Again]

If you don't plan to mix in the box is DA conversion that big a deal? I guess you would have an inaccurate representation of the sound you're putting to disk, but in the end the inherent quality of the recording would not go down, right?

yeah bigger deal if your mixing out of the box..if your DA sucks and is "non musical" or grossly distorted or whatever if will have a large effect on what your doing..both in terms of the integrity of the signal and throwing off your judgement in monitoring..

[joel hamilton]

That's interesting then. How would one know they have great AD conversion but bad DA conversion when you're hearing the signal out of your monitors? Switch to another interface for playback?

If you don't plan to mix in the box is DA conversion that big a deal? I guess you would have an inaccurate representation of the sound you're putting to disk, but in the end the inherent quality of the recording would not go down, right?

Even a console used for monitoring off a 2" machine influences what you hear.

Every part of the chain influences what you hear. D/A is just one part of the whole process, though it is an important one of course.

Basically better converters cost more money, and give you better signal to work with both on the way in and the way out to other things in the chain.

Simply knowing that everything you do is influenced big or small by every piece of gear you use is the answer IMO.

[I'm Painting Again]

A good way to test ADDA is to record something through the AD and then come out the DA and back into the AD..Is there a difference to your ear? to the wave on the screen? on the meters? If yes then there is something "destructive" going on(this could be bad or good depending on what your hearing, if it sounds bad then its not good but if it sounds "musical" or "euphonic" but changed it could work for you that way)..if no then your fine and thats a sign of a quality converter as far as the transparency aspects of conversion are concearned..

and note that a converter system and a computer, etc. will yeild better results with properly grounded and treated ac power..