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USB ADC recommendations? (asynchronous??)


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Sorry but your question is really lacking in any detail for anyone to give any helpful advice.

 

What is your budget?

What are you trying to connect?

Are you using Mac or PC?

If ADC do you want 24/192 or just 16/44.1?

What purpose are you wanting to use the device for - professional recording in studio, live recording, archiving vinyl to digital, etc.?

 

Are you looking for an ADC (Analogue to Digital) or DAC (Digital to Analogue). I assume it is an ADC as you then talk about balanced inputs. If this is the case your best bet is looking at the professional / studio equipment - M-Audio; RME; Weiss; Motu; etc. You might be advised to check out some of the Computer Recording magazines. I'm not sure how much jitter can affect AD conversion.

 

If you're are looking for a DAC, a lot of USB DACs try to deal with jitter issues. Again depends on how much you are prepared to spend. Also depends on your other equipment how important jitter issues are. There are lots of comments and reviews of suitable devices throughout this site so I'm not going to start repeating them ...

 

Just a few helpful pointers ...

Eloise

 

Eloise

---

...in my opinion / experience...

While I agree "Everything may matter" working out what actually affects the sound is a trickier thing.

And I agree "Trust your ears" but equally don't allow them to fool you - trust them with a bit of skepticism.

keep your mind open... But mind your brain doesn't fall out.

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Kind of funny that you criticise my question, and then spend half your answer assuming I am idiot enough to confuse ADC and DAC. (I thought this the best place, as there is no ADC forum.)

 

The main use will be transferring LPs and cassettes. Perhaps also live recording.

 

And I left the question relatively open because I am interested in what the range of things available is. I would be interested to hear about any devices from beer-budget to professional. What I am interested in is to hear what the cutting edge is.

 

My mention of Asynchronous might suggest that I will only consider devices which are at the forefront of current thinking (i.e. I am buying an Ayre QB-9, not an Audio Research...).

 

Does anyone have any actual suggestions, or should I move my search elsewhere?

 

best

Nic

 

 

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couple of suggestions for you.

 

1) don't limit your search to USB.

Pro audio will be the source of devices with high quality ADCs, and these devices in general have every connection imaginable, except USB.

 

2) check Gearslutz or other pro audio sites if you're really interested in the best available pres/ADCs.

 

My personal choice for pre/ADC/DAC was Metric Halo ULN-2. The just released ULN-8 would be my choice for money no object.

 

Other brands to consider, Apogee, Sound Devices, Benchmark, Lavry, etc.

 

enjoy

 

 

 

 

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Sorry if this sounds like a bit of a rant...

 

What is a forum? A forum is a place where people come to engage in conversation. To ask peoples specific experience or find solutions to problems they may not have thought of. Too often though we see questions (not so much on this forum) where the answer is simply RTFM - read the fine (other words may be substetuted) manual - or in these days "go and google it"

 

Some asks a very basic question that (IMO) was abiguious mixing terms to confuse the reader. And all I get was a moan that I hadn't answered an open ends question with specifics.

 

A forum doesn't mean you can be lazy and not use other sources of info. A web search would have shown a whole list of suitable devices to choose from. Then if confused come and ask why device A is better than device B for your intended task.

 

I'm not ranting at the OP alone. But there has been a big increase in basic questions that has their answers found easily by searching.

 

Just my thoughts

Eloise

 

Eloise

---

...in my opinion / experience...

While I agree "Everything may matter" working out what actually affects the sound is a trickier thing.

And I agree "Trust your ears" but equally don't allow them to fool you - trust them with a bit of skepticism.

keep your mind open... But mind your brain doesn't fall out.

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A/D conversion is simpler than D/A. There is one clock in the A/D and that is the important one. It is the jitter of this clock that matters. Most pro gear, unless it is really expensive uses cheap clocks IME. It can only run asynchronously. The transfer of data to the computer from the A/D is data only, not real-time. Cable from the A/D to the PC is not important for instance.

 

Steve N.

 

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