ADAT and A/D converter order

[doc_backmask]

Does anybody know what the order is on analog-digital conversion with respect to ADAT outs? Basically, I'm wondering if the ADAT outs are before any conversion. From what I've gathered on the Internets, this seems to be true, but I've been fed the wrong information before... so you're enlightened knowledge may be able to help me out.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Metaltastic]

Well ADAT is a digital format, so if I understand your question correctly, there has to be AD conversion before an ADAT output by definition

 

[AdamWathan]

Yeah, any analog signal fed into your interface that is coming out through ADAT has gone through the AD conversion. When the ADAT enters another unit, it bypasses the AD conversion in that unit since it's already a digital signal.

 

[Kazrog]

True, but if you're sending existing digital audio through your ADAT, you won't encounter any additional conversion. Just to be clear. That's why it's critical to have good converters going in when you record.

 

[AdamWathan]

Yeah that's exactly what I'm saying. Running the ADAT out of a Firestudio into a Lynx Aurora 16 isn't going to improve your signal at all because it's already digital when it leaves the Firestudio and isn't getting the benefit of the A/D in the Aurora.

 

[doc_backmask]

Yeah that's exactly what I'm saying. Running the ADAT out of a Firestudio into a Lynx Aurora 16 isn't going to improve your signal at all because it's already digital when it leaves the Firestudio and isn't getting the benefit of the A/D in the Aurora.

Precisely what I wanted to know. Looks like I'll have to start looking into a better front end... hmmmm, there are some nice pre's out there....

 

[Soundlurker]

What exactly is the goal? A good AD/DA converter will improve both the quality of what you are recording and the fidelity of what your monitors will reproduce and you can benefit from both in the same time as long as you've hooked everything up as you should.

 

[AdamWathan]

Yeah but having a good AD converter means precisely fuckall when you are only feeding it ADAT signals. ADAT is digital, so it doesn't go through the converters in the AD converter. The DA is nice yeah, but again, you are only improving sound coming out of your monitors, not the incoming signal being recorded, since your AD converters aren't even being used.

 

[Soundlurker]

Still, why would you only feed it ADAT and not anologue signal, unless you don't have preamps and neither does the AD/DA unit. Guess, I answered my own question