A D/A does neither have nor need clock, it does not sync to anything!

Sorry, but I was just re-reading the last few posts, and the above statement doesn't make immediate sense to me... could someone kindly clarify? Doesn't a D/A converter need word clock just like anything else in the chain??

Hello sjoko. Didi you try the RME converters (ADI-PRO or ADI-DS)? If so, how did they stand out?

thanks

Originally posted by EJolson:
Sorry, but I was just re-reading the last few posts, and the above statement doesn't make immediate sense to me... could someone kindly clarify? Doesn't a D/A converter need word clock just like anything else in the chain??

The clock is derived from the incoming digital stream. The DAC can't add jitter to the chain, as there is nothing after it to add jitter to.

It is possible however to correct a jittery incoming signal by having the DAC buffer the data and apply it's own clock. For this, slaving to an external clock would be questionable, as it would likely introduce the same jitter that the incoming stream is suffering from, and getting the buffered playback in sync adds another step where even more jitter could result.

It is possible however to correct a jittery incoming signal by having the DAC buffer the data and apply it's own clock. For this, slaving to an external clock would be questionable, as it would likely introduce the same jitter that the incoming stream is suffering from, and getting the buffered playback in sync adds another step where even more jitter could result.

Hmmm... somehow I got the idea that EVERY digital audio device should have its own dedicated wordclock line whenever possible. Something about a separate dedicated W/C being superior to an "embedded" clock coming in on an AES or SPDIF or TDIF audio line (and in fact, dedicated W/C lines definitely seem to have helped clean up lots of those digital clicks/pops in our system here). Should this not apply to the DAC box as well?

Originally posted by EJolson:
Something about a separate dedicated W/C being superior to an "embedded" clock coming in on an AES or SPDIF or TDIF audio line (and in fact, dedicated W/C lines definitely seem to have helped clean up lots of those digital clicks/pops in our system here). Should this not apply to the DAC box as well?

Many DAC's employ jitter correction. What this means is, the incoming signal is buffered, a new clock is generated based on the average speed of the incoming clock, and the buffered data is spit out with the new clock applied. That is how it derives clock from the incoming signal without neccesarily being "tied" to the jitter. It is irrelevant that the incoming data is in exact sync with anything else in the chain, so there is no need to make this clock match exactly with the rest of the system. All it needs to do is be stable enough to eliminate the jitter. Seeing as the unit in question has no word clock input, it is presumable that this type of jitter correction is being employed.

I couldn't find confirmation of this type of jitter correction being employed in the DA9624 from their website. If anyone wants to give them a call, please let us know what you find out.

I never hear anyone mention it but I have a Benchmark Media 2404 A/D and I like it alot. I haven't had any other A/D unit to compare it to except the stock converters in my Tascam CD burner. I find the mixes are clearer, have more depth and stereo field with the Benchmark. Maybe because it costs $2600 for 4 channels of only A/D. The one I'm using only has AES so I haven't been able to use it for tracking yet. Has anyone else used this?

The Benchmark 2404 is a brilliant converter without any question

The creation of the Apogee D/A only 16 ch unit seems a smart move..

For example a chum who tracks into his moto 2408 via an Apogee Rosetta, could output enough sub mix channels to allow him to mix out on an analog board and be able to treat select indavidual tracks, adding old skool FX. He could then capture back into his rig the Mix at 24 bit, via the Rosetta...using UV22HR to get it down to 16 bit...

All that without paying for unused D/A...

Any other economic "Just D/A" units out there? (Genex??)

With 64 track sessions the norm now, sure as hell seems cheaper than a tonn of 888/24's or AD8000's.. being used for output only...(I presume you can hang them off cheap Digidesign ADAT bridge i/o units)

Thoughts?

Lucid D/A 2496?

If that Lucid is an 8ch unit accepting lightpipe, then I wonder how much 2 of them would compair to one Apogee Intelli DAC 16 ch unit...pricewise?

:)

PT rig example

Mac G4 (four slot version)
Mic 'cubed' package:
Mix core & 2 x Mix farms (3 slots)
3 x ADAT bridge I/O's = 48ch ADAT outs
2 x Hotswap Hard drive bays (the fourth slot = UW SCSI card)

Either 6 x Lucid D/A's
or 3 x Apogee D16 (less rack space)

Perhaps an ideal 'Mixer' set up for those doing it on large analog consols....

Or 2 x Radar
Or some Sony monster digital multitrack