Bryston BDA-1 DAC

[Dreadhead]

I would start looking in the professional forums. M-Audio is just the entry level device for that.

Apogee Rosetta would be a good choice.

Heard very favorable things about this:

Aurora 8

I heard the good things here:

Prism ADA-8XR multi-channel modular AD/DA converter - How prism ADA 8XR compare with new DAD AX24 DAC in term of soud quality? I'm looking for the best 2 chanel DAC? (do a search on Aurora to find the post)

[luvdunhill]

The Duet probably is good enough but it tops out at 96kHz and the 192kHz needledrop idea seems quite interesting. I know JP has recorded ours at 96 but I have heard them to compare with the 16/44 versions.

Voltron: if you stumble across anything with a DIY slant, I'd be interested in giving something like this a try as well.

[Voltron]

Well if you want AX24 goodness. I just got a quote for a DAC only with the highest end cards in it for $5990. Figure another 2k or so for 2 channels of DSD/DXD/384/192/etc... AD.

Damn you Telarc... that review makes this look pretty attractive considering the "savings" compared to the Lavry Gold or even the Weiss.

I am pretty far down this rabbit hole but trying to take my time with the decisions, but the DAD unit combines both AD/DA and has amazingly good mic preamps with analog gain for doing the needledrops direct to digital. Pricing isn't terrible compared to other options like a Weiss stack or a Weiss ADC2/Alpha dac combo, and the DAD certainly had the highest sample rates imaginable at 384 or their own DXD 352.8.

There is one question I have about the Weiss ADC2 with the firewire option. It says it is bidirectional so I am wondering if I can go firewire from the computer for audio output, into the ADC2 and then out by AES to the DAC1 mk2 or to the Alpha Dac or whatever. This would avoid the need for a Mac Pro/card combo or an intermediary firewire-to-AES converter. Anyone know whether I could do that?

[Dusty Chalk]

Can't confirm, but I would think so:

It supports bidirectional transmission:

- analog or digital in from the ADC2 to the computer

- from the computer to the ADC2, out on the S/PDIF connector on the back.

from this page. And then in the manual (PDF), Fig. 1 appears to show that the two are paralleled. Add to that the fact that on Page 6 of 6, it describes in detail the dithering on the two digital outputs. I would have to say yes.

[Voltron]

But is that output limited to s/pdif on the coax cable as opposed to AES/EBU output?

[Dusty Chalk]

Did you read the entire post?

Or maybe I'm not understanding your question.

Edited March 26, 2009 by Dusty Chalk

[grawk]

I used the minidac that way.

[Pars]

Anyone played around with these guys stuff:

Grimm Audio

Just curious...

[Voltron]

Can't confirm, but I would think so:from this page. And then in the manual (PDF), Fig. 1 appears to show that the two are paralleled. Add to that the fact that on Page 6 of 6, it describes in detail the dithering on the two digital outputs. I would have to say yes.

Do you have PMS? I appreciate the attempt to help, but I don't understand your attitude in that second post.

I did not have time to look at the manual reference after reading your post, although I read the brochure and most of the manual before posting my initial question. I don't see how fig. 1 clarifies whether Firewire input can be output on the AES rather than/in addition to the s/pdif RCA output. The quote you posted would seem to limit it to s/pdif RCA: "from the computer to the ADC2, out on the S/PDIF connector on the back." Your comment that "the two are paralleled" was not clear to me, but maybe you were referring to the very last paragraph of page 6 of 6 which may be the best evidence that maybe it would work. I guess it talks about the digital input being dithered differently on the RCA output than the AES output when some DIP switch is flipped.

The manual gives short shrift to firewire and just says that it is available as an optional kit. Maybe that kit has better info, but I plan to call Dreadhead's favorite shot -- Vintage King -- and see what they can tell me.

And thanks Dan. I think it could work even on the Duet but I have not messed with that issue.

[grawk]

The two way firewire feature sounds like a good one, it is what sold me on the minidac. It's very handy.

[Voltron]

Anyone played around with these guys stuff:

Grimm Audio

Just curious...

Nope, never heard of them.

[Dusty Chalk]

Do you have PMS?

Do you have dipshit disease?

I appreciate the attempt to help...

No, you don't, and next time I won't.

I did not have time to look at the manual reference after reading your post...

Even though I told you the exact two places to look?

I give up. Someone else help this asshole.

Edited March 26, 2009 by Dusty Chalk

[Dreadhead]

I am currently wavering between the DAD and the Weiss. I hope to give them both a listen and buy one of the two after my return home.

The lavry gold intrigues me with it's fully discrete R-2R with automatic calibration but I'm not sure it's worth the 2 grand over the others and the prism is even more than that though it does have the best specs written down (the phase response is insanely accurate). My big question arises because it is possible that the others are just as accurate they just don't state the phase accuracy.

I don't need anything above 24/96 so I should be fine with any of them.

[Voltron]

Fuck you Dusty. I wonder just how many people think I am the asshole in this exchange.

[Dreadhead]

But is that output limited to s/pdif on the coax cable as opposed to AES/EBU output?

Well the DAC1 takes in S/pdif anyway so I wouldn't worry since you can still hook it through. For what you're talking about though the AX24 seems a whole lot more cost effective and general.

[Voltron]

Well the DAC1 takes in S/pdif anyway so I wouldn't worry since you can still hook it through. For what you're talking about though the AX24 seems a whole lot more cost effective and general.

Any thoughts on operation of the AX24 though? It seems like you have to everything from the computer so one goal of making this an easy way for my wife to be able to play something on the big rig may be defeated by that.

[grawk]

If you're using itunes as the controlling software, you can get an ipod touch and remote software, and make it easy for her to control itunes. Or there are some other options that are also fairly easy, once they're configured.

[Voltron]

Yeah, I was assuming that the playback could be simplified assuming I can get it all set up and configured properly but the needle-dropping angle still has me trying to figure out how to set levels and such. I am assuming the DADMan software is where it would happen and that is probably not bad, but the Weiss gear is more self-contained and has nice meters on the front, etc.

[Dreadhead]

Any thoughts on operation of the AX24 though? It seems like you have to everything from the computer so one goal of making this an easy way for my wife to be able to play something on the big rig may be defeated by that.

Ah. well I think once you have the AX24 setup you can likely it to automatically monitor it's anlog inputs to the dac outputs etc (ie no computer required). I think what you should do is sit down and draw out a flowchart of what you want to do (if you haven't already) I think it will make it a whole lot easier for us fellow hc'ers to understand where you're coming from.

All this talk of AD has me thinking of looking into how much 2 channels of AD would cost extra on the AX24 and then be able to make "master" level recordings too which would be pretty cool.

[Dreadhead]

Yeah, I was assuming that the playback could be simplified assuming I can get it all set up and configured properly but the needle-dropping angle still has me trying to figure out how to set levels and such. I am assuming the DADMan software is where it would happen and that is probably not bad, but the Weiss gear is more self-contained and has nice meters on the front, etc.

I can totally see that. If you got the two weiss's plus their stand alone firewire interface (or the integrated one) you'd definitely be all set.

[grawk]

There are a couple of companies that make pretty slick aes and spdif monitoring units, as an alternative.

[Dusty Chalk]

what's up, dude?

Well, I spoon-fed him the answer and then when he didn't have it spelled out exactly the way he wanted it to, he got rude with the PMS comment -- you know, when a noob expects answers to be spoon-fed to them and are rude when they aren't, we treat them like shit, I don't see why this is any different.

Al -- I'm sorry you took it the wrong way, but the initial response (the one you called PMS-y) was just me giving you a hard time for not reading carefully enough -- you should know me well enough by now that I can be brusque. When you got rude, I got rude back. I mean, I went out of my way to help you -- I googled that stuff for you, when I could have just posted a "here-let-me-google-that-for-you" link, downloaded the manual and searched for the information in the manual, because it was familiar territory for me. I didn't have to do any of that.

Stuff.

Edited March 26, 2009 by Dusty Chalk

[laxx]

I side with Dusty on this one. I saw nothing wrong with his posts.

[Voltron]

I am currently wavering between the DAD and the Weiss. I hope to give them both a listen and buy one of the two after my return home.

The lavry gold intrigues me with it's fully discrete R-2R with automatic calibration but I'm not sure it's worth the 2 grand over the others and the prism is even more than that though it does have the best specs written down (the phase response is insanely accurate). My big question arises because it is possible that the others are just as accurate they just don't state the phase accuracy.

I don't need anything above 24/96 so I should be fine with any of them.

I spoke to your friends at Vintage King today and will likely be getting some demos of the DAD and Weiss gear myself.

[AlanY]

though it does have the best specs written down (the phase response is insanely accurate). My big question arises because it is possible that the others are just as accurate they just don't state the phase accuracy.

What do you consider phase accurate? Linear phase? Minimum phase? Low group delay? Some form of apodizing filter?