Puzzled by digital quality

[Markk]

Ok - this might be a silly post - but for an edit room I purchased an MBox for single track editing. I bypass the D/A with a presonus Central station. Now when I listen to the SPIDF out from the MBOX to the Presonus it sounds just as bad as when I listen directly to the headphone out from the MBOX - I would think that if I was just passing digital information and then using a better D/A it would sound ok. Why is it still terrible?

[Stuart P.]

You're editing Britney Spears vocal tracks?

Well, it's one possible explanation.

[Markk]

No - actually just simple vo, and a lot of it, but how can the digital out of the mbox be altered and sound so bad? It's very puzzling - this project does not justify a full blown HD system but my poor editor has to listen to hours and hours of tinny c**p. I don't want to invest in another system till things settle a little - I thought that this would be an easy way to have a system for single track editing, but it just sounds so bad. Could it be the unit? I don't think so. Could it be the USB? I don't think so, for one track - and no plugins.

[Sound Guy Andy]

No - actually just simple vo, and a lot of it, but how can the digital out of the mbox be altered and sound so bad? It's very puzzling - this project does not justify a full blown HD system but my poor editor has to listen to hours and hours of tinny c**p. I don't want to invest in another system till things settle a little - I thought that this would be an easy way to have a system for single track editing, but it just sounds so bad. Could it be the unit? I don't think so. Could it be the USB? I don't think so, for one track - and no plugins.

How are you verifying that your source material isn't the culprit? If it sounds thin and nasty to start with, then no DA's going to make it sound better.

Also, the Central Station's DA is considered its worst point; most who've heard it have stated that it's acceptable, but not pristine by any means. I haven't compared it with the Mbox myself, but that could be part of your problem as well.


Andre

[Markk]

Source is fine - and it sounds great through my HD system and when burned to a cd. When I listen through the MBOx the sound is terrible. I know I have a top of the line chain in my A room, but I thought that one track should be fine through the mBox and the presonus. I thought I heard that the D/A on the presounus was pretty good - should be good enough for VO. It's very very strange.

[Markk]

D'OH!!!!! It was the headphones :-P Now I feel foolish. I plugged in my MDS 7509's and everything was a lot better.

Sorry for the silly post.