Digi001 vs. LynxTwo card: Hold on to your hats!!

[funkyd]

I purchased a LynxTwo ADA card, with LS-ADAT option card to basically upgrade the converters in my Digi001 by clocking the Digi001 via ADAT to the LynxTwo.

I'm finding out that the Digi001'a AD converters are not bad at all. They hold their own against the LynxTwo- one of the better converters out there. I did a test: I recorded two identical stereo tracks(24bit, 44.1): one to the Digi001 clocked to 'internal' and one through the LynxTwo into Sonar. Levels were matched- and identical cabling was used. The (Joe Sample) CD track had acoustic piano, drums, percussion, and electric bass.

I then imported both files into Sonar to hear through the (much better)LynxTwo DA converters. They sounded very, very close! I was surprised and amazed! Maybe a little more high end on the Lynx- but my ears may have been playing tricks on me- it was that close. I listened through Sony headphones and Event PS5 monitors.

FYI- I've also done a comparison test with Digi001 clocked internal vs. clocked to ADAT(Lynx) with the same results.

I thought for sure that I would hear more of an audible difference on the AD side.

I've concluded that the Digi001's AD converters are very good and that the Digi001's DA converters are very bad.

Maybe I should have just gotten a DAC-1?

Any thoughts, input, or experience is encouraged. What's your experience?


-Chris

[MDog]

Not exactly the same thing, but I will mix club mixes of acts recorded with a Tascam 2488 Porta Studio and then transfered on my TDM rig. A rough mix from the Tascam will sound like what it is; a recording done on a PortaStudio. After I export/import the tracks as Wav files in to ProTools there is a dramtic difference in quality. No more two dimensional mix, more seperation, less smearing and distortion. I'm pretty sure the A/D converters on the Tascam are probably worse than the 001, though I haven't any hard data. Anyhow, as far as final quality, it appears that the D/A converters will have a more obvious effect.

[funkyd]

You're talking about listening through the Tascam's headphone/monitor out, right?

So is their DA lame, or does importing the file into Protools "enhance" it in some way(make it sound better)?

This is interesting...how much money did these guys save by putting crappy DA converters in their units? Perhaps I'm oversimplifying, or maybe this is by design because they want their "premium" units to sound noticably better?

I'm hoping for more responses.

[Bob Legs]

digi 001 outputs 3-8 are unbalanced if this means anything.

something like an apogee psx-100, rosetta, mine-me, would obviously be much better.

I recorded a set of drums on a motu 896 into the old cubase 5, and it sounded great imported into PT.. much better than the 001, better overall dynamics, and less digital harshness. but now I have the 002r and its much better again..

2 cents.

[MDog]

You're talking about listening through the Tascam's headphone/monitor out, right?

So is their DA lame, or does importing the file into Protools "enhance" it in some way(make it sound better)?

This is interesting...how much money did these guys save by putting crappy DA converters in their units? Perhaps I'm oversimplifying, or maybe this is by design because they want their "premium" units to sound noticably better?

I'm hoping for more responses.

Yes. Doing a mix on the Tascam built-in mixer while listening through the Tascam monitor outputs. I would guess that their D/A is lame. Take the raw tracks, no EQ or effects and compare them side by side with a 192 and anyone could hear a dramatic difference. Then again, I could buy two and a half Tascams for the price of one 192. Doh!

My point was that perhaps the D/A conversion has more effect on final output quality than the A/D. Not sure, pure speculation based on incomplete and unscientific experiments. Of course having a good A/D and then a good D/A would be optimal.

Comparisons were performed with Genelec 1031a monitors.