Thread: A/D conversion among outboard gear?

I think there is some confusion here carried over from the other thread.

The A/D conversion is done by the computer interface. For example, if you are using an audio interface that hooks into the computer via Firewire or some other digital connection, that interface is doing the analog to digital conversion.

Perhaps the problem was in the language that was used. These days ppl just call them an audio interface but they are basically the A/D converters that we were talking about in the other thread.

Check out my reply. Your explanation about outboard gear was correct and that's how it's done. The data is being converted from D to A when it comes out of the computer and then from A to D when it goes back into the computer.

Originally Posted by liquidstudios

it seems that a lot of people are confused on when exactly you use A/D conversion, myself partly included. my understanding was that it is really only necessary to use it during recording to analogue reel to reel, then transferring it over to your digital recorder/interface.

is A/D conversion used during tracking outboard gear for dynamic processing or recording, because i didn't think it was?

Hmmm....liquidstudios - by reading the other posts on AD conversion and this one, I'm afraid you are mightily confused about what AD conversion is, what's analog and what's digital.

First off, let's look at the name - AD conversion (or Analog to Digital Conversion). Anytime you have an analog signal (which is pretty much any sound which is run through electronics and is now represented as voltage - such as the output of a mixer, preamp, compressor, etc) and you need to record it onto a digital medium, such as a hard disc recorder, or a PC/Mac, or a Solid State Recorder, you need to convert that voltage into binary (or bit streams where 1's and 0's represent the voltage of the original analog signal).

Firewire devices, PCI devices, Soundcards, etc. all have Analog to Digital conversion built into them. However, most of the soundcards and Firewire devices on the market do not have *good* analog to digital conversion and that is why many choose to use external boxes for such tasks.

The devices you refer to - the liquid channel and some TC stuff - the liquid channel is analog. However, it can perform digital conversion as well. (If I'm not mistaken, the signal is brought in via analog, converted to digital, convoluted, then sent back to analog or left in the digital domain depending upon the application.) As far as TC stuff - things like their voice processors, etc. act in a similar manner. They bring the signal in analog and then convert it (using AD Conversion) to digital, convolute it and then pass it back (through a DA converter) into analog or allow you to keep it digital.

In any case, AD conversion is used anytime you record into the digital realm (Computer, HDR, SSR, etc) period - no exception. Sometimes you see the external converters (usually the mark of someone who cares about the sound of their converters and has the $$ to do something about it) sometimes you don't.

Does that clarify or does it muddify?

J 8-)

understand what is analogue

understand that built in converters are in interfaces

im talking about the really good ones, coould you reccomend any

also so basically just before the interface during tracking and mastering/processing just have an A/D converter before any of your outboard gear hits in the interface, am i right?

You've got the right idea now.

As for good AD and/or DA converters, I would recommend -

Lynx
Mytek
Lucid
Lavry Blue
Lavry Gold
Genex
Digital Audio Denmark (DAD)
DCS
Prism
Benchmark

J.

Hi All,

J, you forgot the Lexicon 20/20 compressor/converter. Awesome
piece of gear in my book. Actually, I 'm not sure - because of A/D
or because of compressor.

I personally have a Lucid 88192. It is a 8 channel in, 8 channel out, 192 khz convertor. It retails for $3199 but has a MAP of $2599.

My good buddy has a Crane Song Hedd which has only 2 in / 2 out for $3500 and he says my Lucid holds its own against his HEDD any day.

I luv my 88192! It is soo easy to route any input to any output... and just recently they upgraded it so now it also has a firewire card in it....so I don't even have to go spdif any more to get the recordings into my DAW.

Just a wicked product from a company that has been in the industry for almost 30 years.

And what do you think about the Rosetta 200?
Thanks,
Zaba

appogee's are way cool in my book... wouldn't have a problem with owning one of those...