Keala, post: 379401 wrote: I have a Sonar V-Studio 100 as my interface/control surface which has a sampling rate of 24bit/96kHz.
Planning on adding an A/D D/A converter (RME ADI-2) to my chain. The RME has a sampling rate of 24bit/196 kHz.

Since the V-100 can only max at 96kHz, will I be losing out sonically here?

No! However I'm sure someone will want to argue the case....

Keala, post: 379401 wrote: Would I have to upgrade my interface to support RME's sampling rate of 196kHz?

I'm certain you could find much better things to spend your money on.

You'll have to choose one or the other for your interface unless you are on a Mac and are going to be using the aggregate audio device option. In which case you will have to choose a sample rate of no higher than 96kHz. As far as audio quality is concerned, the larger part of the equation is in your abilities as an engineer. Your recording, mixing skills will be the ultimate factor. Samplerate is negligible if you have good recording chops.

If you want to track at rates higher than 44.1/48 KHz, then 88.2/96 KHz is fine. You don't need to go to 192 KHz, so at 96 KHz you can relax in the knowledge that the conversion circuitry is capable of running at twice the rate you are using. Enjoy it!

Really, if you wanted the ultimate resolution, you'd want DSD. That's because 96 kHz & 192 kHz still sounds like PCM. And the difference in sound analogy is sort of like the artful, halogen lighting on a dimmer in a control room in comparison to the fluorescent overhead lighting at your local Wal-Mart. Besides, they generally still gets dummied down to 44.1 kHz 16 bit MP3s and the only definition I can hear in that is lousy. It's okay for listening through a mix it's just not okay to make a determination about definition.

Defining my role in the world
Mx. Remy Ann David

Thanks for your input everyone! :smile: