Post by: Bob Boyd on January 19, 2006, 03:58:42 PM
What are you using as the DAC to your monitors? And why?
I'm not using this poll for any purchasing decisions. I'm just curious and I didn't know if we'd looked at this as a single item. I imagine our opinions could almost be as varied as they are with any other studio equipment.
(I may have missed some brands - especially any hardware that's PC specific. If so, forgive me - I just listed what came to mind.)
Post by: bblackwood on January 19, 2006, 04:27:12 PM
Post by: Bob Boyd on January 19, 2006, 04:40:49 PM
Post by: carlsaff on January 19, 2006, 05:10:28 PM
Why?
The sound, the price-point, the feature set (in/out options), and (my favorite) the passive volume knob for direct amp driving.
Post by: jdg on January 19, 2006, 05:49:11 PM
Post by: Bill B on January 19, 2006, 06:09:53 PM
Same reasons as above. Great quality for the money.
Post by: Roland Storch on January 19, 2006, 06:26:45 PM
http://www.gracedesign.com/products/906_904/m906_m904.htm
Another unit often not mentioned is the MI-DAC from Lake People with 4 switchable digital inputs an a probably better volume control for low levels than the Benchmark.
http://www.lake-people.de/Home_English/home_english.html
I use the Benchmark in one studio and will take a Grace, Lake People or Meitner for the other one. I heard them all but not in a direct comparison. The Grace has definitely the best features and I guess the converter is in the same league as the Meitner.
Post by: Bob Boyd on January 19, 2006, 07:26:56 PM
Post by: lagerfeldt on January 19, 2006, 08:42:51 PM
I'm checking out the Benchmark DAC and soon the ADC too. Looking forward to hearing the,
Post by: Bodyslam on January 19, 2006, 10:15:52 PM
Post by: Bob Boyd on January 19, 2006, 11:17:54 PM
| Bodyslam wrote on Thu, 19 January 2006 21:15 |
Pacific Microsonics Model 2 in both rooms. |
I started wondering if that one was going to show up.
Post by: indraq on January 20, 2006, 01:48:07 AM
192KHz, flexible i/o routing (I can parallel sum my Vari-mu), 4 stereo adda
Best regards,
Post by: mastermind on January 20, 2006, 02:33:08 AM
Lavry... rock, rock, rock !!!! Whoooo !!!!!!
best,
t
Post by: sui-city on January 20, 2006, 05:55:52 AM
| mastermind wrote on Fri, 20 January 2006 09:33 |
Lavry Blue. Lavry... rock, rock, rock !!!! Whoooo !!!!!! best, t |
what he said.
Post by: Viitalahde on January 20, 2006, 06:11:04 AM
Post by: ammitsboel on January 20, 2006, 08:39:04 AM
Post by: jazzius on January 20, 2006, 09:45:40 AM
Post by: zetterstroem on January 20, 2006, 10:47:20 AM
it's the holy grail !!!
Post by: zetterstroem on January 20, 2006, 10:50:04 AM
| ammitsboel wrote on Fri, 20 January 2006 14:39 |
Right now I'm using nothing and it's quite relieving |
Post by: David Glasser on January 20, 2006, 11:03:44 AM
| Bob Boyd wrote on Thu, 19 January 2006 21:17 | ||
I started wondering if that one was going to show up. |
Pacific Microsonics here also - Model 2 in my room, Model 1s in two rooms. Prism in the other. Also in use - Prism ADA8, Lavry Blue, Meitner DSD DA & some Apogee stuff.
Post by: TotalSonic on January 20, 2006, 05:42:28 PM
As far as sound comparisons with other DAC's - for me the fast transients just speak a lot less smeared with the Blue as soon as you click it over to "Crystal Lock" mode. Sharp percussive elements just seem truer to life and a little more "3d" through the Lavry than other things I listened to.
Best regards,
Steve Berson
Post by: PookyNMR on January 20, 2006, 06:26:12 PM
Post by: bobkatz on January 20, 2006, 08:06:51 PM
I'm not in a rush to "upgrade", but if I get the money I'll re-audition the Lavry Gold and the Weiss. I can't see any other candidates if trying to push the stratosphere.
BK (who just bought a Pro Tools LE system and is also planning on getting Samplitude and upgrading my SADiE CPU to higher speed and upgrading 3 other computers in the place BEFORE I go for a new DAC)
BK
Post by: MT Groove on January 20, 2006, 08:42:38 PM
| bobkatz wrote on Sat, 21 January 2006 01:06 |
BK (who just bought a Pro Tools LE system |
Oh no! He gave in!
Post by: mike chafee on January 20, 2006, 11:59:53 PM
Benchmark Dac-1
Mike Chafee
Post by: Homero on January 22, 2006, 10:36:00 AM
Post by: Catalin Truta on January 22, 2006, 01:21:33 PM
| PookyNMR wrote on Sat, 21 January 2006 01:26 |
Lavry blue & Meric Halo. Apogees went bye bye. |
What's wrong with Apogee? It seems that many people around here have a bad oppinion about their convertors.
Post by: zetterstroem on January 22, 2006, 02:37:26 PM
they boost lows and highs and seems a bit "distant" in the midrange etc.....
Post by: Thomas W. Bethel on January 23, 2006, 08:44:37 AM
Quality, Price and really good tech support.
Post by: PookyNMR on January 23, 2006, 12:22:04 PM
| zetterstroem wrote on Sun, 22 January 2006 12:37 |
they're too colored imo..... they boost lows and highs and seems a bit "distant" in the midrange etc..... |
I'd agree. I didn't care for the sound. I did not find them transparent. I also had some functionality issues with my unit often losing digital sync. In all fairness though, Fletcher gave me his word that in his experience Apogee does have good quality control.
Post by: Bob Boyd on January 23, 2006, 02:39:32 PM
| zetterstroem wrote on Sun, 22 January 2006 13:37 |
they boost lows and highs and seems a bit "distant" in the midrange etc..... |
I would say as a general comment, that this is true.
I have been using a Rosetta 200 for a while with good results but after spending some time with a Lavry Blue system, I'm switching to that. I love how much much more responsive mids are.
To be fair, if I could keep both, I probably would. It wouldn't be a bad color to have around for some material. On the whole though, I decided the Lavry would be a better way to go.
Post by: Roland Storch on January 25, 2006, 05:11:44 AM
There are some with variable analogue output you could use for monitoring.
Post by: Bob Boyd on January 25, 2006, 02:01:56 PM
The "pro" market converters are definitely more studio-friendly from a connectivity standpoint - balanced analog and AES digital.
Post by: Roland Storch on January 25, 2006, 03:27:51 PM
A lot of features which are also useful for studios.
http://burmester.de/english/components/pre-amp-808-mk5.html
Just an example. I used Wadia in the nineties. It was one of the best 20 bit DA converter - strange that I don?t remember the name.
Post by: masterlab on January 25, 2006, 05:12:59 PM
We're waiting for the new Mytek8x192 with DSD board to arrive.
Also just on demo, Dangerous Monitor with Troisi and I hope to demo a Crookwood Monitor (I'm not sure about a DAC being in there)next week