Interface advice

[tonyreed]

Hoping for some advice here. Using pt 12.4 on an Imac. with a focusrite 56 interface. I dont use the focusrite pres as i have my own dedicated pres. I am wondering if it possible to ditch the focusrite and use a half decent AD converter connected to the pres? Dont need any more than 8 ins and outs. Just dont want all the crap that comes with the focusrite and its poor pre amps. basically would like some better converters. Hope this makes some sense and i am not oversimpifying things. Does the converter also act as the interface?

[albee1952]

A>D is only half the package. You also need D>A. If you have 1-2 external preamps, I would look for a great 2 channel A>D with SPDIF and feed that into the Saffire(which would still act as D>A for output and monitor control). If you have more than 2 external pre's, maybe shop for a high-end lightpipe converter(if 48K is high enough for you). For a complete replacement of the LS56, maybe look at the RME stuff Or, since you have a thunderbolt port, maybe the UA Apollo that is all line inputs?(that would also allow you to track with UAD plugins, which are very good).

[JuanPC]

Some AD converters have USB with CoreAudio&ASIO drivers, some don't.
Some AD converters have FireWire CoreAudio&ASIO drivers, some don't.
Some AD converters have S/PDIF output, some don't.
Some AD converters have AES/EBU Output, some don't.
Some AD converters have Toslink "optical s/PDIF.", some don't.
Some AD converters have ADAT "multi.channel Toslink.", some don't.
Some AD converters have MADI "8x times more channels than ADAT.", some don't.
Some AD converters have DA, but can only be used one at a time.
Some AD converters have 2-channels, some have 8-channels, some have 16-channels, some have 32-channels.


Ad converter--->soundcard with drivers--->Da converter.

Ignoring all the interconnecting possibilities...
And talking only about Sound Quality...

Crane Song HEDD192 latest board rev.5 built since year 2009 or later.
Lavry Gold mk2 or MK3 or MX
Lavry AD11
Mytek
Forsell mada-2
Lynx Hilo
Burl Audio
ApI a2d
Apogee Symphony I/o
Antelope
Etc...
There are other high end converters with real tubes & transformers.

Personally I want to hear the Millenia Media AD converter for the 500's rack.
But Too bad They never released the DA version...
And
AES/EBU output has Tascam pin configuration, not Yamaha.
And don't have ADAT...
Bummer.
ADAT version would be awesome.

Only converters need interface.
Some converters have optional interface cards, with USB or FireWire, or ADAT or ProTools HD, etc...

[tonyreed]

I had meant ad and da on the same device. I have fairly good pres so I figured i just wanted a thunderbolt connected interface.
I use my desk for monitor control
cheers tony

[Wireline]

If all you need is ADDA with no pres, no effects, etc, and just an interface with a console, the MOTU 16A might be worth a look. Couple of higher end guys I know seem to be very pleased. Really all depends on how much you want to spend

[EGS]

Originally Posted by tonyreed

...Just dont want all the crap that comes with the focusrite and its poor pre amps. basically would like some better converters...

I think the Focusrite LS56 sounds/works great. What issues are you having with it?

[tonyreed]

It works OK - but I have better preamps which I use instead and really I have no need for the other controls on it. So I wanted to get a better rack mounted system that just does the converting.

[tonyreed]

Thanks for the Motu idea. That might be the go

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by tonyreed

Thanks for the Motu idea. That might be the go

MOTU stuff is good but instead of a dedicated application to control the interfaces they use a web browser based system. And the newer stuff like the 16A don't have direct hardware play-through which is important if you're trying to set up a no latency system for things like monitoring.

[tonyreed]

Thanks for that - doesn't sound ideal at all. Im thinking the RME stuff might be good option.