Stereo Pre Amp with Digital out

[timboZ]

Help me decide on a 2 channel preamp with digital outs (optical).

This is only going to be used for my portable recording rig. Used mainly for room recording of orchestra music.

I currently have an ADA-8000 and want something cleaner sounding. I also have 2 PreSonus TubePres and a PreSonus BlueTube Stereo which I do not use that often.

I was looking at the ATR DPS II for around $250. Also looked at a DBX 386.
I would like to keep it under $300.

 

[ssscientist]

I currently have an ADA-8000 and want something cleaner sounding.

You are not going to get much of an improvement until you climb into the next price bracket. In the $500 - $600 range you'd be in a position to get a good sounding piece if you choose carefully, but the price bracket you're looking at would just be a sideways move.

 

[Halion]

Try to find a used Mindprint DI-port. The preamps are said to be pretty good and it has a stereo 24 bit 44.1 khz optical output. It's cheap too.

 

[SonicAlbert]

I was going to say Apogee Mini-Me until I read your budget of $300. I'm not sure how much of an improvement you'll get without spending more.

It would be of benefit to you to save up and get something a bit better. Otherwise, you'll end up spending a lot of money and never get anywhere.

For example, you have an ADA8000 that you are not happy with, a couple TubePRE's and a Blue Tube you don't use. The ADA8000 was around $200, the TubePRe's are $99 each and the Blue Tube was probably at least $129. Assuming you bought this stuff new, that's a total of over $500 spent so far on gear you aren't happy with. Add to that another $300+ for yet another preamp/converter and you are up over $800. At over $800 you are in the area of a used Apogee Mini-Me, which you *would* be happy with.

I suggest you sell all the preamps and converters you currently own (along with any other gear you aren't using), add that to the $300 plus any other spare change you can muster up, and get a real preamp/converter. Otherwise, you will just continue to throw away money on gear that doesn't do it for you.