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sshack 4 April 2008

All interfaces are/have converters, but not all converters are interfaces.

Feel free to elaborate.

Thanks.

Comments

Cucco Fri, 04/04/2008 - 07:43

Yes.

For example, I have the RME FF800. It has analog and digital inputs.

I also have a few outboard converters. If, for example I were using my Myteks outboard, I would take the ADAT cable from the output of the Mytek to the Input of the FF800 which would bypass the on-board AD converter.

The Mytek doesn't have a FW option (for the one I have) so, this is my only means of getting the digital into my computer.

sshack Fri, 04/04/2008 - 07:52

Ok, cool.

See, that's kind of where I'm going with all of this. I've researched interfaces like the Ensemble, RME, TC as well as converters and really am just trying to make some sense about the direction I want to go.

Right now I'm at 2 channels with my interface and I want to step up to more, the next step is 8 I suppose...I don't see anything in that 4 - 6 range.

The quality of the converters along with the compatibility and STAbility are more important to me than the quality of the preamps on said interface.

The RME seems to have little/no drawbacks, save external volume control (as I recall).
The Ensemble seems a bit buggy, but I can't tell if that's just with Leopard and/or MacBooks as opposed to Tiger/iMac.
I think the TC just has too many bells and whistles that I wouldn't use. Their stuff is great, but I really just want it simple.

I'm open for any other considerations.

Kapt.Krunch Fri, 04/04/2008 - 08:47

An interface is anything that connects two pieces of equipment together to communicate and interact. All interfaces do not have converters. A DB25 going to a DB25 is an interface, but not a converter (unless you want to split hairs and say that pin configurations on each end might be different so it's "converting" the signal).

A mic cable is an interface, but it, alone, does not change the signal. The mic does that, and the mic input device does that. A mic (and speaker) is a converter, because it changes acoustic properties to electrical, and vice-versa. A mic plug or socket can be an interface, because it's interfacing two devices.

A converter changes one signal to another for the purpose of one (or more) device to be able to interpret what the other device is sending/receiving, or matching levels, if the signals sent and recieved have different requirements. A converter can be considered an interface because, obviously, it interfaces one signal to another, converting as it does so.

So an interface can have converters, but doesn't need them. One wire (with both devices commonly grounded) can be an interface. Converters interface two pieces of equipment, and can be considered an interface, but that is taken for granted, and to lessen confusion, probably should be referred to as a "converter".

I bet I stepped in something, there, huh? :shock:

Kapt.Krunch

sshack Fri, 04/04/2008 - 14:14

*sniff sniff*

I think I did Kapt. Thanks for the expound. I should have been more specific, "computer audio interface" perhaps?
How about, "I want to record more than 2 tracks at a time and I think I want it to be an AD/DA converter too" interface?

:D

Crankitup - yes, I do have mic pres already.

Kev Fri, 04/04/2008 - 15:48

I think you want
A computer audio interface with more than
2 of channels of analog input. (for record)
and with at least
2 channels of analog output. (for monitoring)

the fact that it has analog i/o means that it has AD/DA conversion

a computer interface can be digital only
it may be
ADAT lightpipe
AES
SPDiF
TDIF
MADI
or combinations
and have no analog i/o

and to really complicate
audio is carried on SDI and HD streams in groups of 4 AES (2 channels) up to 4 groups (16 channels)
which can be DE-embedded

:)
confused yet ?

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