Is IT worth buying a proper CD recorder

[miroslav]

A real step up in conversion starts close to $1000 for stereo conversion. Any piece of hardware made in the last 4-5 years under $1000 for 2 channels is going to have pretty much the same quality of conversion, all other things being equal.

Jay

What are your choices for 2-channel A/D/A?
I've been wanting to get one higher-end set of coverters just for the mix/master step.

While I would love something like a Lavry box ...I was looking to spend a bit less than that.

Mytek...Lucid...Apogee...?

Oh shit! Now we're talking digital converters in the analog forum!

 

[briank]

Jay

What are your choices for 2-channel A/D/A?
I've been wanting to get one higher-end set of coverters just for the mix/master step.

While I would love something like a Lavry box ...I was looking to spend a bit less than that.

Mytek...Lucid...Apogee...?

Oh shit! Now we're talking digital converters in the analog forum!

I prefer the conversion of my RME ADI-2 (think I paid about 600 bucks for it) to those built into my HHB CDR-830+...smoother cleaner sound, better apparent resolution. My opinion, the RME is a good value--it's the one to look at for under 1k. The next step up is the Lavry/Apogee type stuff, much more money. We also use RME ADI-8DSs on our digital recorders (ProTools HD and Alesis HD24)...sure, I'd rather have the snappier, punchier sound of Apogee especially since we're doing lots of rock, but again it's diminished returns--you pay a thousand dollar premium but you don't get a thousand dollars better sound, if you know what I mean. The RMEs are clean, smooth, natural sounding as far as 24 bit digital goes.

Regarding CDRWs...I tried to make those work for test mixes/checks...but found that CD players are too fussy about reading and playing CDRWs.

 

[Farview]

Jay

What are your choices for 2-channel A/D/A?
I've been wanting to get one higher-end set of coverters just for the mix/master step.

While I would love something like a Lavry box ...I was looking to spend a bit less than that.

Mytek...Lucid...Apogee...?

Oh shit! Now we're talking digital converters in the analog forum!

I'm not really the guy to ask. John over at Massive Mastering has checked them all out.

I and running 32 channels of Black Lion modded Motu PCI boxes. I don't mix through the board anymore because:

1. No one seems to have the budget to go through the hassle.
2. I have a lot of projects that go on forever and get pieced together over many months. Trying to get consistency out of what's left of my analog setup is almost impossible.
3. My mixer needs to be refurbished, too many scratchy switches,etc...
4. Many of the outside producers that come through here like to rethink the entire project about once a month, then change their mind and want me to put it back. Complete and total recall is a godsend.

It turns out that (most of) the conversion chips used in the really expensive stuff are the same ones used in the cheap stuff. The difference is the analog path leading up to the converters, the quietness of the power supply, and the stability of the clock. Great converters are many times more expensive than cheap converters for the same reasons that a Neve preamp sounds better than a Mackie preamp