2-Channel D/A Converter

[j.welch]

Afternoon Tape Op-ers,

I've been wanting to get a 2-channel d/a converter to plug into the s/pdif output of my Digi002r for ages now. I use my my Digi002r it with the Furman HDS-16 headphone system and I want to be able to use all 16 outputs with the furman and then use the s/pdif output from the digi to monitor from. I know people use the Dangerous D-Box (and it looks great) but I use my Amek desk to monitor through so all I want is a simple, great converter. Any ideas?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[mrc]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 602_263622

[qball]

http://www.blacklionaudio.com/content.php?p=2

Black Lion Audio has very high quality gear at affordable prices.

[Sean Sullivan]

Consider the Lavry DA-10. It has a headphone jack and level control for the analog and digital outputs (which is nice; no need for a monitor controller!) Of course you'd probably use the 2 track input on your Amek desk, but considering it's just a half rack unit it has the added bonus of being portable.

[palinilap]

http://www.blacklionaudio.com/content.php?p=2

Black Lion Audio has very high quality gear at affordable prices.

The Sparrow's great, but only does a/d. They're developing a lot of new stuff though, so I'm sure d/a is in the works.

[j.welch]

Thanks for all your input guys. I've been informed that the Benchmark DAC1 is also a damn good unit. Anyone use one of these?

Best regards,

[Jim Williams]

FWIW, I have a few evaluation pcb DAC's here I can sell. They are either Crystal 4898 DACs and I have an Analog Devices 1853 DAC board too. They are complete with a power supply but not mounted.
jwilliams3@earthlink.net
if you want one.

[leigh]

...all I want is a simple, great converter. Any ideas?

I've been using a Lucid ADA 1000 for a very similar application. I picked one up for $50 a few years back, and nobody wants them because they are 20 bit. It does D/A as well as A/D, but I just use it for 2-track playback. In that application, I'm not worrying too much about having only 20 bits out instead of 24.

This one on Ebay just recently failed to sell with a starting price of $70, so I imagine they are still out there and cheap!

cheers,
Leigh

[ott0bot]

Afternoon Tape Op-ers,

I've been wanting to get a 2-channel d/a converter to plug into the s/pdif output of my Digi002r for ages now. I use my my Digi002r it with the Furman HDS-16 headphone system and I want to be able to use all 16 outputs with the furman and then use the s/pdif output from the digi to monitor from. I know people use the Dangerous D-Box (and it looks great) but I use my Amek desk to monitor through so all I want is a simple, great converter. Any ideas?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

THe D-Box is only useful with an interface with a AES digital input, as there are no spdif inputs on that unit. So you'd be just distributing the 002r's converted signal....and that ain't any better than using your console.

THe Benchmark DAC1 sounds great....but it's only digital in is via adat or AES. With the adat....you can get a Midiman c02 and convert your 002r's spdif to optical adat and go that way.

THe Lavry stuff sounds great...and that has a spdif input...plus volume control. You may look into the Mytek 192 DAC. Also...if you have more cash to swing....the Burl B2 DAC or the Antelope Zodiac. THis is the kind of things you'd probably want to look for. DA with spdif, and a volume control. Otherwise you'll have to hook it back through your console or another volume attenuator. I use the tc electronic level pilot for my Lynx Aurora. But that is only adat so there is latency when using it to monitor with my 003r.

Good luck!

[Bro Shark]

THe D-Box is only useful with an interface with a AES digital input, as there are no spdif inputs on that unit. So you'd be just distributing the 002r's converted signal....and that ain't any better than using your console.

Not true. The dbox has AES in and the 002 has spdif out. This connection is made with a sinple $30 cable. I use the DAC in the dbox for all monitoring that I do instead of the digi DAC. It sounds fantastic and has garnered a lot of praise in reviews, etc.

[Jim Williams]

www.MCMelectronics.com
has a nice cheapo s/pdif input 24 bit converter based on the burrbrown PCM1715 dac chip. It sells for about $79 to $108 depending whether it's on sale.
There is a large thread over at gearslutz about it, it's titled:
The Seventy Nine Dollar converter

Mods for it are also posted, I used the ADA4898-1 chips and it sounds fantastic.

[ott0bot]

THe D-Box is only useful with an interface with a AES digital input, as there are no spdif inputs on that unit. So you'd be just distributing the 002r's converted signal....and that ain't any better than using your console.

Not true. The dbox has AES in and the 002 has spdif out. This connection is made with a sinple $30 cable. I use the DAC in the dbox for all monitoring that I do instead of the digi DAC. It sounds fantastic and has garnered a lot of praise in reviews, etc.

True, you can do that.....I guess I didn't illuminate because I was thinking it wasn't the best set up for what he was trying to acheive. Now...I'm not an expert or anything....but this is how I understand the workings of the process. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

If you do an spdif to AES cable, the length is super important with these conversion cables.

From gearslutz post by Dan Lavry:

....you can drive an AES input with SPDIF signal if the cable is short. Use a reasonable digital audio cable, not a cable aimed at analog audio signals. The shorter the better.

There is a reason for that: impedance matching to avoid signal reflections on the cables. When the cable is short, the signal propagation time is short (relative to the rise and fall times of the digital signal), and the reflection issue becomes insignificant. When the cable propagation is long (relative to rise and fall times), then impedance matching is in order.

SPDIF signals are weak, so if possible, use a real short cable (such as 3 feet is better then 6 feet). The shorter the better.

Regards
Dan Lavry

Also....because of the impedence mismatch, you may not be getting the best performance even though it technically works. I know canare makes a converter for this:

not sure if this is the exact right one....but it's something like this:
http://www.canare.com/ProductItemDispla ... ctItemID=4

In my experience....digital connections are finicky and they always seem to work best when done with the exact right cables and convertors. But.....heck, I don't know if your ears will know the difference.

If someone has a fool-proof way of connecting a spdif to and aes device, with the exact right procedure please elaborate.

[Jim Williams]

Pin 3 connects to the shell, pin 2 to the hot of the RCA. Then remove the 91 ohm terminating resistor and change it to 110 ohms.

[Bro Shark]

Jeez, I had no idea bout any of that. I've been monitoring both my 002R and my PC's audio spdif out through the D-Box using these for about a year now, and I've had zero problems.

[ott0bot]

Pin 3 connects to the shell, pin 2 to the hot of the RCA. Then remove the 91 ohm terminating resistor and change it to 110 ohms.

I know you are a super-wiz at this stuff, and I do appreciate the info. But I was looking more for a way using materials you can purchase.

I was thinking more like: AES cable, canare (or other brand) such and such convertor, spdif rca cable.

or.....at 6 ft or less the impedence mismatch is completely negligible, and you wouldn't hear an audible difference.

any thoughts in that dept?