Ok, so d/a conversion?? Help me here.

[xfinsterx]

so i run a native pro tools system.

And Im in the market to get some better conversion happening for my mixes.

Now i know that the Apogee stuff is pretty good from what ive read.

Are thier companies that rival Apogee in this field? and if so, who are they so i can do some research.

Also how does a converter physically get connected to a pro tools digi002 setup?

Is it simply in the path on the way to a cd burner or tape?

Im VERY green in understanding how that supposed to work.

And also can my "bounce to disk" function really be audibly improved upon with better conversion?

Im all ears. Teach me.

Any one care to explain?

 

[guhlenn]

well, the better the D/a the more accurate you'll be able to hear what is really there soundwise instead of having the color of the inferiour D/A .

you can hook it up to the digital ( Spdif? ADAT? not sure) out. I suspect the RME ADI-2 (also A/D) will be in the same league, but please, let someone else confirm that...

 

[reshp1]

The Digi002 can output digital on the ADAT lightpipe out and SPDIF out, either of which can be hooked up to a D/A convertor.

 

[masteringhouse]

guhlenn is right, the better D/A converter will allow you to hear what's going on more accurately.

Unless you are going through a D/A conversion and then back through to an A/D process into Pro Tools (via an insert or other route) I don't see how the converter isn't going to improve your mixes on a bounce to disk though. As I understand it, the bounce to disk function streams the audio data directly to the hard disk, the D/A would just be used for monitoring the audio and would not actually be used as part of the data stream.

Another use for the converter may be as a master clock, which can also help in regards to hearing more accurately by reducing jitter. The main reason to use an external converter for PT is for A/D processing and getting audio into Pro Tools, not out.

As far as hook-up, I would need to know the specifics on the external converter and type of Pro Tools system. Options are SPDIF, AES, and ADAT lightpipe.

 

[xfinsterx]

guhlenn is right, the better D/A converter will allow you to hear what's going on more accurately.

Unless you are going through a D/A conversion and then back through to an A/D process into Pro Tools (via an insert or other route) I don't see how the converter isn't going to improve your mixes on a bounce to disk though. As I understand it, the bounce to disk function streams the audio data directly to the hard disk, the D/A would just be used for monitoring the audio and would not actually be used as part of the data stream.

Another use for the converter may be as a master clock, which can also help in regards to hearing more accurately by reducing jitter. The main reason to use an external converter for PT is for A/D processing and getting audio into Pro Tools, not out.

As far as hook-up, I would need to know the specifics on the external converter and type of Pro Tools system. Options are SPDIF, AES, and ADAT lightpipe.

Awesome! Thanks man, that makes good sense.

 

[Farview]

D/A will not help when bouncing to disk. If you go digitally out to your CD burner, you avoid the D/A. If you are going to tape, it will help. But it will only give you a more accurate representation of what you put in it. Getting good A/D conversion would be money better spent.