Sound quality: HD I/O Digital vs. 192 Digital

[jbreher]

Might one expect an increase in sound quality in switching out a 192 Digital for a HD I/O Digital?

Or would it be a wash -- sound quality wise -- as the HD I/O's sonic benefits are in the A/D and D/A, which are external to either unit?

Latency difference?

[Darryl Ramm]

Both are *digital* so there is no conversion done... so no, no sound difference.

(and I'm just going to igore questions like if the digital jitter is different on each and what you are driving with them and if that could even matter... ).

Stop worrying and go make Music.

[YYR123]

Hey Dram what up? Long time

On the second question what Daryl is saying is that it is very little difference most likely

However I would go with a new one if it’s all the same just because it will have more shelf life....these things aren’t 60’s guitar amps they won’t mature with age.....and develop character all of a sudden.

I would expect a newer one to have a lower noise floor, but as Daryl implied it also has to do with a host of other variables

And yes I would also gather the HDio’s to have a cleaner AD/DA
But in reality get what you can afford and go at it......the better gear always shows up later

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by YYR123

better gear always shows up later

This is the truth that costs so much money to understand.

I bought an Apogee Symphony mkII almost the day it was out and have been happy ever since. I do not see a sound quality reason to "ever" change this AD/DA, and this box even has one expansion slot available should I need more I/O at home than this 2in 6out I currently have.

So what I'm trying to say once you go over the "good enough to not hear a difference in blind tests" you can stop wondering if there was something better available.

[jbreher]

Originally Posted by YYR123

I would expect a newer one to have a lower noise floor,

I don't think I understand this. The comparison is HD I/O _Digital_ vs 192 _Digital_. As the unit in question never sees analog, how would noise enter the signal?

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by jbreher

I don't think I understand this. The comparison is HD I/O _Digital_ vs 192 _Digital_. As the unit in question never sees analog, how would noise enter the signal?

That is the debate of digital jitter that nobody wants to touch

[YYR123]

Originally Posted by JFreak

This is the truth that costs so much money to understand.

I bought an Apogee Symphony mkII almost the day it was out and have been happy ever since. I do not see a sound quality reason to "ever" change this AD/DA.......So what I'm trying to say once you go over the "good enough to not hear a difference in blind tests" you can stop wondering if there was something better available.

I agree, what I was trying to say is that the OP should buy what he can afford right now and later the opportunity will come to upgrade the signal chain, should he decide to.

Originally Posted by jbreher

I don't think I understand this. The comparison is HD I/O _Digital_ vs 192 _Digital_. As the unit in question never sees analog, how would noise enter the signal?

Well what I am talking about is two fold.
1. The topic of what jfreak/dram are talking about. Jitter, noise, connections, quality ect.
2. The noise floor of the actual unit....that is all the parts that make up the device. Each audio device has one....so I would gather a newer device has a lower noise floor......
An audio device has a calculated and stated noise floor and as the device ages the floor will rise....no matter how much the OEM says it won't.

and yes your signal is digital, however it will eventually have to come out of that domain.....eventually.