R/E/P > Recording - Engineering & Production

Converters on low cost interfaces

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Jay Hills:
There are some new low cost audio interfaces currently available.  I was advised that there were good converters on Lynx Aurora line, but for me, it would be a large investment.  So I was just wondering if there are any acceptable converters on any of the interfaces priced around 10% of the Lynx gear.  If the converters are only 10% as good, then maybe I have to seek investment in my project to afford it, however if they are like, 80% as good, then maybe I can record a lot sooner.

Specifically, I've seen the Volt have a claim about their converters being, 'world class,' or something.  SSL has an affordable interface, there are others.  I have an old Roland Octacapture.  I also don't know where I'd find this info or know if I would be able to figure it out if there were specs available on the AD/DA.  So that's, 2 questions.  Maybe a 3rd question: Are R/E/P folks using the specs or ears to determine the answer to the converter quality question?

I didn't really care up to this point because I was only doing demos for myself but now I'm considering something to be sent for mastering and release.  I don't wan to send something out to be mastered only to have the guy say, wtf is this you are sending me? I can't do anything with it, go back, get better gear and redo it, try again later, newb.

tobiah:
I think any recent interface from a good name is going to be so
good that other things will be more weighty in deciding which
one to buy, like the feature set.

I have a Presonus 18/10 and I don't even think about the sound
any more.  Noise is nowhere to be found, and I'm more than
satisfied with the transparency.

I would guess that when compared to really pricey equipment,
this low cost interface would compare well above the 80% mark
you specified.  I just think the technology caught up.

I do a lot of recording of soft sounds at high gain, which demands
low noise mics and pre's, and I don't long for better equipment.
Are you doing something particularly demanding that would
warrant a large expenditure to squeeze out a couple more percent?

Timtape:
I agree Tobiah. These days even  mid range converters are excellent. I suspect many people, often musicians with musicians' skills, hope that  an expensive top of the line converter, or some other piece of gear will somehow magically compensate for their inexperience in audio production. But it will just faithfully capture everything we have recorded, both good and bad.

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