little help for ex-analogue and now digital A/D/A needs?

[brownplus]

Beat to death I know...but as much as I have read online I still don't know if I "need" an a/d/a converter?

My rig has always been humble but sounded good on tape...now that is gone and using digital (tascam dp-01) exlusively.
beyer m500-EV blue raven-Avant cond. through 7th circle and focusrite pres.

Will a converter make the final result better if (all being the same) mic placement, performance etc...?

Can I use an a/d/a converter with the tascam (has spdif on back)

OR CAN anyone point to a "dummies" a/d/a how to use place...i swear I have read 4 hours of this on line but have not found how you insert the pre to the converter to the tascam etc....

AND...tape is no longer an option unfortunately for reasons too long to list here..

SOrry!
THANKS?

[Al_Huero]

Not familiar with the Tascam. Does it have S/PDIF inputs and outputs? Going into the Tascam, you'll want an A-D converter. If you want to come back out, you'll need D-A; though in each case, the S/PDIF connectors are likely to only get you two channels. I could see wanting some better converters going in; but coming back out the better D-A conversion will only help you with monitoring or sending your 2-track mix somewhere else. In terms of signal flow on the way in, you'd get a converter box with some analog inputs (presumably two)--and you'd likely look for one with line inputs that you could hook the outputs of your preamps into; as well as a S/PDIF output. So you go mic/source-->preamp-->converter-->Tascam via the S/PDIF input. You're probably better off just sticking with the converters in the Tascam.

[brownplus]

thanks al....i guess i should have shortened question to...just use my spdif in?
appreciate your insight much.

cheers
martin