a/d upgrade

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sathyan

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I'm currently using a Creative Labs Audigy2 NX sound card for recording on my laptop (connected to the mixer's REC OUT). I'm considering an upgrade as the Audigy. Problems are: shrinking the soundstage, smearing the image, bass extension, missing brass overtones. It does the same thing to LPs - worse because those were recorded properly - that I've digitized with it.

Which of these products (or others sub-$200 ) would you choose as an upgrade?


M-audio Audiophile USB
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...1048088/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/701386/


ART DI/O
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...2131048088/g=live/search/detail/base_id/45930


TC Electronics M300
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...31048088/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/241600/
 
The M-Audio is the only real choice. The TC Electronic item is a reverb unit and not a A/D unit. It uses converters internally for applying digital reverb to an analog signal.

SoMm
 
Actually the M300 does have an A/D option, according to its manual: "
M300 as A to D converter
The analog to digital converters in the M300 are superior to most converters used on
soundcards in the affordable price range. You can therefore most likely benefit from
using the M300 as an A to D converter when doing harddisk recordings. Feed the M300 with an analog Input e.g. from you mixer or Instrument line signal, and you are feeding a high quality digital signal to the harddisk.
If you wish you can of course add effects to the tracks while recording but the essence of this setup is to get best possible A to D conversion by skipping the A to D
converters on your soundcard."

I'm curious whether anyone has used it this way or compared it to a soundcard A/D?
 
Not true, SOM- the M300 accepts analog by balanced 1/4", or digital signals by S/PDIF, and puts out analog by balanced 1/4" jacks or digital by S/PDIF. Aside from being a fair reverb/FX box, it is probably the best available A-D/D-A convertor on the market for $200 or less. With the bypass switch engaged, it bypasses all reverb/FX circuitry and is simply a 24bit 96khz A-D convertor. Most of my first album went from an Avalon AD2022 or a Joemeek twinQcs to the M300, and then to a Roland VS1824CD, bypassing the Roland's pres, which suck, and it's A-D convertor, which isn't any better than the M300. The M300 was also found to be superior to the optional digital upgrade card on the twinQ. All of that, and a decent reverb for $200 is hard to beat. It is as quiet as a graveyard, with usable makeup gain and a fair rudimentary compressor. No wall wart. Best $200 box I own.-Richie
 
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