2 Channel Preamp w/ spdif out?

[noncon]

Does anyone know of any of these offhand. I've only heard of the Apogee Trak 2, anything out there more affordable than $3000? Thanks.

[wheelema]

I believe that the Roland MMP-2 had S/PDIF out. Good luck finding one! You might also look at getting two M-Audio Tampa, provided that you have two S/PDIF ins.

[fraserhutch]

http://www.zzounds.com/item--EMU1820M

[Track Rat]

DBX 386. AES/EBU and S/PDIF outputs as well as +4 and -10 analog outputs. They can be had around $400 or so.

[touchstone001]

The JoeMeek Twin Q looks the goods and has a whole host of digital outs - AES/EBU, SPDIF coax and optical.

http://www.joemeek.com/twinq.html

[SonicAlbert]

Anotehr option is to buy whatever preamp you really want, and then put a AD converter after it. That way you aren't limited in choices to only the preamps that have converters built in.

I think Aphex makes a two channel preamp with converter, 1100 is the model number as I remember. Grace Designs makes the Lunatec.

[justharold]

Originally Posted by SonicAlbert

Anotehr option is to buy whatever preamp you really want, and then put a AD converter after it. That way you aren't limited in choices to only the preamps that have converters built in.

I think Aphex makes a two channel preamp with converter, 1100 is the model number as I remember. Grace Designs makes the Lunatec.

I second the seperate preamp/converter recommendation. It gives you WAY more flexibility and choices.

Also, if I'm not mistaken, the Aphex 1100 does not have S/PDIF.

[vestast]

ART DPS II. 2 Channels with analog and digital out.

Might not be the best, but it works...

[DigitMus]

At about $1200 the Apogee MiniMe is a dang good 2 channel preamp/converter package. It also has some useful compression & limiting, USB (firewire upgrade supposedly imminent) and a headphone out. I use mine for mobile recording and get a lot of milage out of the multiple outs - USB to my laptop, and AES or S/PDIF to the Masterlink - you can even have the USB at a different bit depth/sample rate than the other outs.

[Teacher]

AMS Neve reissues have aes/spdif out.

Just forget about the downpayment on your new car and get one of those

[lumbago]

I have a Roland MMP-2 and I've never really bothered with it. It's a brain-dead orphaned product from Roland. They havent released any firmware (internal modelling software) for it since they floated the product. I bought it as an ADC for my older keys.

I prefer using two Focusrite Trakmasters, ganged together (Analog out from one into the analog rear-panel ADC input of the second) and then one of the Focusrite stereo digital cards in the second unit converts the analog signal from both units to stereo SP/DIF output.

The Focusrite stuff is pretty quiet and good value for money.

Another option would be to find the pre-amp you like, and then opt for a converter - the Behringer ADA8000 is an 8 channel converter for US$300, and there are other devices which will work in this context. There was a "Flying Cow" Analog-Digital converter

Another trick would be use (say) a RNP (or preamp of choice) into a Lexicon MPX-110 or 220 or 500 or 550 (even in effects bypass mode), then use the SP/DIF output

[Richard Monroe]

If you need a basic 2 channel pre with S/PDIF out, I've got a DBX386 you can have for $200 plus shipping. Feel free to email or PM me. For rather nice, read my ongoing review of the new Joemeek twinQ. It's a seriously impressive bang-for-buck piece, but the street price is more like $800.-Richie

[SonicAlbert]

The Apogee Mini-Me is a great suggestion. That, along with the Grace and Aphex I mentioned earlier, would be the few units where you can get quality preamps combined with quality conversion. Anything less is really not worth it, and you are better off putting together separate units, in my opinion.

[xstatic]

Can't you get a 4 channel Focusrite (Blue series, I don't remember which model) with digital outs for less than $2000?