A/D converters...

[MichaelAlan]

I spent a good deal of time lately trying to understand A/D conversion so as to be able to intelligently pick a converter out. It seems to be the thing that makes the biggest impact on clarity in digital recordings... If this is wrong let me know. But it still seems impossible really without listening to a whole bunch of them from cheapo grade to pro. What I want to know is, what is the difference in quality between something like the MOTU 896 and a similar Appogee piece (if there is one...) or even a Symphony system? What about the HD sytem? Would your average home engineer type be able to hear the difference between those converters and the Mbox? I have been in studios of varying sizes over the years, but how can I tell whether the quality of sound is related to the converters or the pre's or room or whatever...?

[Al_Huero]

The way I'd think about it is the best a good converter do is very accurately and cleanly translate the signal running through it. If that signal is garbage or muddy due to imperfections in the room, source, or singal chain before it gets there, it won't really make much difference. Ultimately, the answer is pretty subjective and not that cut and dry as far as I'm concerned. It comes down to identifying your weakest link or links and targeting improvements where you'll get the most bang for the buck. High end conversion gets expensive in a hurry; but so do high end microphones, preamps, and sound/room treatments.

[rwc]

It's hard to compete in the converter market because every six months something new comes out. By the time you've got your product out to market, something else has made you obsolete.

The apogee symphony stuff is like five years old now. Good analog stages and power supplies never go out of style, but the converter chips do.

[Dakota]

It seems to be the thing that makes the biggest impact on clarity in digital recordings... If this is wrong let me know.

Well, every link in the chain matters and can kiss or kill your tone.

But your converters... *everything* has to go through them (other than sequenced tracks). So it is potentially the most bottlenecky of bottlenecks.

What is your price point?

[dgrieser]

This average home engineer can hear a difference between my Apogee Duet and my Presonus FireStudio 26x26. I think you could too. I have no experience with the others you mentioned.

[Waltz Mastering]

Some of the best converters out there imo:

Lavry
Mytek
Prism
Weiss
Pacific Microsonics
Benchmark

A great stereo AD from mytek or lavry cost about $850.

TW

[themagicmanmdt]

to me, what I hear in converters is 'pixellation' of the audio.

i know that's a horribly unscientific (and innacurate) description of the difference between good and bad here, but I hear visually, and it's akin, but different, from the .wav to .mp3 comparison. instead, it mostly comes through as a lack of realism and a blurry, harsh, un-musical 'top end'.

i don't feel the EQ or levels change - just the way they're percieved.

(i'm talking about comparing different converters at the same sample + bit rate for now)

the big difference I hear is between anything and the 002. i've made audio with more depth than apogee converted things through my echo layla. then again, the studio has had 002's doing the work, and most everyone has noticed the difference on 'playback' (since we listened and flipped back and forth between 'to computer' and 'back through and out of computer' at matching gain levels)

the quality is related to everything.

i can't solve all the weak links at once.

but a bad converter goes out the door with bad mics -

right away.

just identify what's giving you the problem - there's a way to tell what the complaint is coming from - and honestly, it's a way that comes from experience and listening to *everything*.