Recommend me a 2 channel AD/DA

[tempe]

Hey all, due to some restructuring I've ended up just mixing and editing and since I'm 100% ITB I'm in the market for a quality converter. I really don't need more than 2 channels either way as I'm only going to be tracking DI guitar and Bass for my own fiddling around and mixing. My budget is around $2000 Australian, and I'm not even remotely fussed buying used.

Any ideas?

 

[Derykus]

Do you really need AD if your only doing guitar and bass DI? I wouldn't if I was only tracking DI. I'd go for a really solid DA, like Benchmark DAC1, and keep whatever you have currently for DI.

But honestly, anything RME level and up is going to be very respectable and usable.

 

[tempe]

I was actually thinking of selling my fireface800 to help fund the purchase! I was looking at the Benchmark, but I'm finding it difficult to find something at a respectable price. If I hadn't recently sold my Mac Pro, I would have probably just waited and saved and made the move to HD Native with the Omni :\

 

[OneDaySky]

Have you checked out the 'Apogee Duet 2?'

 

[tempe]

I actually completely forgot about that! I'm going to have a look now.

 

[OneDaySky]

I actually completely forgot about that! I'm going to have a look now.

Sweet I hear they great

 

[amarshism]

API a2d? Brian uses one and could possible chime in.

 

[gabriel g.]

if you are on a mac go buy a metric halo uln2 .
Its more then just an awsome converter it also brings you 2 worldclass preamps (millenia style) and the option to hook up 8 channels with adat. plus a small monitor controller.

Quality wise, I and my studio mate made a little shootout .
We used my metric halo 2882 and his Cranesong HEDD and switched the clocks while listening to music.
Neither were better or worse, it was just a question of taste.

 

[tempe]

API a2d? Brian uses one and could possible chime in.

I need the DA as well, in fact the DA is much more important since work wise I'm just mixing. I might just get something like a Benchmark DAC1 and hook it up to the firefaces digitial outs. It's just unfortunate because that will mean I'll have to wait longer since I was planning on selling my fireface to give me a little more buying power.

I like the look of the Duet, but honestly I absolutely hate the breakout box system. I'm not fussed about portability at all, its not going anywhere.

That being said, I think this might be a case of "if it ain't broke don't fix it," I'm not noticing my DA affecting my mixes. I don't go into other studios and suddenly notice how amazing the conversion sounds. It's usually the sound of the control room coupled with fantastic acoustic treatment. I think I'm having a giant stress over the last 0.0000025%.

I think if I were mixing with outboard and dealing with a lot of loopbacks I'd be noticing the difference.

I think what might be a smarter decision for me is just to keep saving and move to something that will actually improve my workflow, like moving to a HD system on a better computer, and if my studio doesn't get to that stage it doesn't get there.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

The FF800 converters are more than decent. If you're set on getting something different, though, maybe a Lavry Blue setup?

 

[crillemannen]

conversion is highly overrated and hyped. You already have decent converters, it wont make a night and day difference probably no different at all

 

[TofNazareth]

Who runs a lavry blue setup?
I'm looking to upgrade from my focusrite 56 setup. Would like to hear if it's a solid step up for 1,650. a/d,d/a and a word.