Re: [ARSCLIST] External A/D converter with AES/EBU output

[David Seubert <seubert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Richard, Andy and the list,

We use the CardDelux in both of our DAWs and we are very pleased with them.
As I indicated in my last post, I think the DAL converters sound fine. In
addition to high-quality converters, they have balanced I/O as well as
digital I/O. This is something that is hard to find in a simple,
inexpensive two channel card with high-quality converters. I would never
use a card with unbalanced analog I/O. However, DAL is wrong if they say
their cards are not affected by machine noise. Our machines run on balanced
AC power from an isolation transformer, so our power is very clean, but we
still got noise induced into the signal from the computer's power supply,
fans or something. I don't know where the noise came from, but it was
there, so we switched to external converters. I don't think there is an
inherent problem with using an internal card for some types of work, as
long as you are aware that there could be noise from the computer. If I had
spent $6K on Prism converters, I'd probably poo-poo anybody that used a
$500 sound card, but that is not as much an issue or sound quality, but of
attitude.

David Seubert
UCSB

At 10:07 AM 1/21/2004 -0800, you wrote:
> Hi, Andy,
>
> I think there is a missing piece here:
>
> Why are you bypassing the converters in the DAL CardDeluxe? They are rather
> competent as I understand it (it was on my short list--I ended up with an RME
> Multiface). Even Bruel and Kjaer have used it in the acoustics PC-based
> instrumentation, as I understand it. Http://www.pcavtech.com who actually
> tests
> cards in depth gives it an excellent rating.
>
> While you're asking for AES/EBU output and the DAL CardDeluxe is SPDIF in
> natively, DAL sells an AES/EBU and TOSLINK input adapter for $92.
> http://www.digitalaudio.com/DIGITALAUDIO/myarticles.asp?P=5216&S=75&PubID=4401
>
> I'd be curious if the other responders to this feel that the CardDeluxe
> converters are inferior, and in what way.
>
> I can see applications where you'd rather route/run AES/EBU data than analog
> audio, but I'd like to understand the application. Many transfer suites are
> compact enough that the runs aren't long.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard
>
> --
>
> Richard L. Hess
> http://www.richardhess.com/tape/
>
>
> Quoting andy kolovos <akolovos@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>
> > Folks,
> >
> > Since we're on a product-suggestion line right now, I'm looking for
> > recommendations for an external 24/96 A/D converter with AES/EBU output.
> > Not interested in USB.
> >
> > Price range is $200-$2,000 or so, but leaning toward the middle of that
> > range.  Would be going into a PC via a DAL CardDeluxe.
> >
> > Any thoughts?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > andy
> > *********************************
> > Andy Kolovos
> > Archivist/Folklorist
> > Vermont Folklife Center
> > P.O. Box 442
> > Middlebury, VT 05753
> > (802) 388-4964
> > akolovos@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org
> >