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[Signal]

Im really getting into this high quality converter talk... now im wondering-

i have an M-audio Duo that i've been using for a project with a lot of single mic work.  Its enough of a pre, but would i benefit from using a different and separate A/D converter?  Who would you recommend for laptop studio use?

Whats the best d/a out there? why?

who makes a good economical d/a?

how do m-audios duo a/d compare?

thanks.!!!!

[Warhead]

Dude...just because I sunk a lot of work into this I'm going to suggest this one box. Apparently there's only one left in the whole USA...? I got one in to check out to become a dealer and the thing became discontinued.

This box is called the SEK'D 2496S and it's a pretty damn good box. Uses the same A/D chip as the Mytek stuff and the D/A chip is Crystal as well. Designed by a cat named Peter Kuhnle of Germany, and he builds them there also.

The test is:

Original track is an Alesis QS8 keys via lightpipe, so that there's NO conversion done in this process whatsoever.

Then I ran it out of my RME9652 card via SPDIF coaxial into the SEK'D box...XLR out and back into the SEK'D A/D then coaxial SPDIF back to the RME9652 card into Nuendo. I did this 20 times. Yup...when you listen to clip #20 you're actually hearing 210 A/D and D/A conversions.

And it's a useable clip.

 http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2079&a lid=1035

They didn't upload in order, but check out the original clip and then listen to conversions #1, #2, #3, #4, #8, #12 & #20.

It's .mp3 at 320k I know...and I hate that...but Nowhereradio won't allow .wav files to download. These clips are representative of the overall differences you hear between conversions. It starts to change after #4, but typically you would not A/D D/A convert something more than twice I would think in most record / mixdown situations. I had a very tough time discerning any differences between the original clip and conversion #1.

I was very careful to set the ins and outs of the box up the same using test tones...and #20 test still matches the original in volume etc. So yeah, I was pretty damn careful to do it right.

And now I'm pissed because it's a decent box for $799 and gets you 2 A/D and 2 D/A cheap. Then they discontinue the box while I'm checking it out.

So enjoy, and if you like I can tell you where to get the last box available. The sorry ass distributor for them does not deserve to benefit from this but I did spend hours on this freakin' test alone and figure someone should hear it.

War

[cjogo]

I second that SEK"d 2496---best for the $ --  'Bout $375 on EBAY

[Warhead]

I can't find them on eBay for that price...hell I'd buy one for that but even dealer cost was considerably higher and they acted like they didn't want to "deal" on it.

Good find if you got it for that.

War