Re: Lucid 9624 AD vs RME ADI 8 DS??

[Kurt Albershardt]

Jim Williams wrote:

> (Ty Ford) wrote in message >...
>
>
>> There are at least three versions of the ADI-8; the pro, the Anniversary and
>> the DS. I know they have different specs. Do you know if all three use the
>> same chip?
>
>
> Going from memory the ADI's I've worked on were the 48 k version.
> The converters were AKM, but not their best stuff.

AFAIK:

ADI-8Pro uses AK5392 (116 dB, 48k)
ADI-8DS uses AK5393 (117 dB, 96k)
ADI-8AE uses AK5383 (110 dB, 96k)


AK5393 was "their best stuff" several years back when the ADI-8DS was
designed.



> the Alesis HD24XR 96k. It uses the same A/D's as the $13k Radar
> 96, and I like the AKM 5393 D/A converters in there better than the
> rough sounding Analog Devices AD1855 dac's in the Radar. $2500 for 48
> channels of 96k converters, oh, and they throw in a hard drive
> recorder in for free!

Have you modded one yet?

[Ty Ford]

In Article >,
(Jim Williams) wrote:
>> Jim,
>>
>> There are at least three versions of the ADI-8; the pro, the Anniversary and
>> the DS. I know they have different specs. Do you know if all three use the
>> same chip?
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Ty Ford

> Going from memory the ADI's I've worked on were the 48 k version.
>The converters were AKM, but not their best stuff. The M-DAC's used
>for gain adjustment cloud the audio as well. I know the Myteks as I
>did some analog design for Michal, they are top notch, but expensive.
> If I were in the market for any of these, I would rent them all and
>line them up. If you're looking for good quality converters in mass, I
>like the Alesis HD24XR 96k. It uses the same A/D's as the $13k Radar
>96, and I like the AKM 5393 D/A converters in there better than the
>rough sounding Analog Devices AD1855 dac's in the Radar. $2500 for 48
>channels of 96k converters, oh, and they throw in a hard drive
>recorder in for free!
>
>Jim Williams
>Audio Upgrades

So that means you haven't seen or heard the ADI-8 DS?

Regards,

Ty Ford

**Until the worm goes away, I have put "not" in front of my email address.
Please remove it if you want to email me directly.
For Ty Ford V/O demos, audio services and equipment reviews,
click on http://www.jagunet.com/~tford

[Barry]

Jim,

Simply using the AK5394A converter chip won't cut it. A significant
impact on the sound quality comes from the clock as well as the
quality of the surrounding analog components which can be quite pricy.
Also, RADAR is designed to double as an external converter with two
simultaneous 24 channel digital I/O and digital pass through mode.
Many of our customers buy RADAR for its sound quality and only used it
as an external converter for Pro Tools or other DAWs.

(Jim Williams) wrote in message >...
> (Ty Ford) wrote in message >...
> > In Article >,
> > (Jim Williams) wrote:
> > >That RME uses run of the mill 24 bit AKM stuff, ok, but not steller.
> > >The Lucid 2 channel AD 9624 uses the Crystal CS5396, still the best
> > >sounding A/D chip that includes very cool noise shaping options. This
> > >is the top-o-line converter chip used by Apogee, Mytek, etc. I also
> > >mod the lucid as well as the RME, the lucid offers higher performance,
> > >best for critical acoustic work.
> > >
> > >Jim Williams
> > >Audio Upgrades
> > >http://www.audioupgrades.com
> >
> > Jim,
> >
> > There are at least three versions of the ADI-8; the pro, the Anniversary and
> > the DS. I know they have different specs. Do you know if all three use the
> > same chip?
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Ty Ford
> >
> > **Until the worm goes away, I have put "not" in front of my email address.
> > Please remove it if you want to email me directly.
> > For Ty Ford V/O demos, audio services and equipment reviews,
> > click on http://www.jagunet.com/~tford
>
> Going from memory the ADI's I've worked on were the 48 k version.
> The converters were AKM, but not their best stuff. The M-DAC's used
> for gain adjustment cloud the audio as well. I know the Myteks as I
> did some analog design for Michal, they are top notch, but expensive.
> If I were in the market for any of these, I would rent them all and
> line them up. If you're looking for good quality converters in mass, I
> like the Alesis HD24XR 96k. It uses the same A/D's as the $13k Radar
> 96, and I like the AKM 5393 D/A converters in there better than the
> rough sounding Analog Devices AD1855 dac's in the Radar. $2500 for 48
> channels of 96k converters, oh, and they throw in a hard drive
> recorder in for free!
>
> Jim Williams
> Audio Upgrades

[Jim Williams]

Kurt Albershardt > wrote in message >...
> Jim Williams wrote:
>
> > (Ty Ford) wrote in message >...
> >
> >
> >> There are at least three versions of the ADI-8; the pro, the Anniversary and
> >> the DS. I know they have different specs. Do you know if all three use the
> >> same chip?
> >
> >
> > Going from memory the ADI's I've worked on were the 48 k version.
> > The converters were AKM, but not their best stuff.
>
> AFAIK:
>
> ADI-8Pro uses AK5392 (116 dB, 48k)
> ADI-8DS uses AK5393 (117 dB, 96k)
> ADI-8AE uses AK5383 (110 dB, 96k)
>
>
> AK5393 was "their best stuff" several years back when the ADI-8DS was
> designed.
>
>
>
> > the Alesis HD24XR 96k. It uses the same A/D's as the $13k Radar
> > 96, and I like the AKM 5393 D/A converters in there better than the
> > rough sounding Analog Devices AD1855 dac's in the Radar. $2500 for 48
> > channels of 96k converters, oh, and they throw in a hard drive
> > recorder in for free!
>
> Have you modded one yet?

Yes, as I own one. It has the 33079 opamps replaced with the best 14
pin sm quad opamp, the BurrBrown OPA4134. The coupling caps are
replaced, high voltage film caps are installed in the switching psu, a
low noise fan and filter foam was installed.
I ran it up against a stock Radar 96 recording a Drum Workshop kit
with modified AKG mics, Kimber silver wire and Audio Upgrades High
Speed Mic Preamps. The Radar sounds fine, but the Alesis had better
top end detail and microharmonics, and the low end killed the radar
for depth.
Enjoying the $10,500 I saved.... Used it to buy Nuendo 2.1 so I
won't miss anything about the Radar's editing capabilities.

Jim Williams
http://www.audioupgrades.com

[Kurt Albershardt]

Ty Ford wrote:

> In Article >,
> (Jim Williams) wrote:
>
>
>> Going from memory the ADI's I've worked on were the 48 k version.
>> The converters were AKM, but not their best stuff. The M-DAC's used
>> for gain adjustment cloud the audio as well.
>
>
> So that means you haven't seen or heard the ADI-8 DS?


TTBOMK, my ADI-8 DS was the first RME mod Jim did. I had him modify two
channels and then send it back for listening--the difference in sound on
HF transients was quite obvious to my ears, so I sent it back to have
the rest of the channels done.

[Kurt Albershardt]

Jim Williams wrote:

> Kurt Albershardt > wrote in message >...
>
>> Jim Williams wrote:
>>
>>> the Alesis HD24XR 96k. It uses the same A/D's as the $13k Radar
>>> 96, and I like the AKM 5393 D/A converters in there better than the
>>> rough sounding Analog Devices AD1855 dac's in the Radar. $2500 for 48
>>> channels of 96k converters, oh, and they throw in a hard drive
>>> recorder in for free!
>>
>> Have you modded one yet?
>
>
> Yes, as I own one. It has the 33079 opamps replaced with the best 14
> pin sm quad opamp, the BurrBrown OPA4134. The coupling caps are
> replaced, high voltage film caps are installed in the switching psu, a
> low noise fan and filter foam was installed.
> I ran it up against a stock Radar 96 recording a Drum Workshop kit
> with modified AKG mics, Kimber silver wire and Audio Upgrades High
> Speed Mic Preamps. The Radar sounds fine, but the Alesis had better
> top end detail and microharmonics, and the low end killed the radar
> for depth.


Thanks...

[Dudleys100]

I am wondering if the Alesis AI-3 has similar quality converters?
This would be nice because you don't have to pay for a hard disk
recorder.

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> I am wondering if the Alesis AI-3 has similar quality converters?

Fill in the blanks.

1. What year did the AI-3 come out? _______________
Hint - it was before 2000

2. What year did the HD24XR come out? _____________
Hint - it was after 2000

Any more questions?



--
I'm really Mike Rivers - )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Dudleys100]

Nope that should do it. Thanks Mike.

[5016]

(Jim Williams) wrote in message >...
> Kurt Albershardt > wrote in message >...
> > Jim Williams wrote:
> >
> > > (Ty Ford) wrote in message >...
> > >
> > >
> > >> There are at least three versions of the ADI-8; the pro, the Anniversary and
> > >> the DS. I know they have different specs. Do you know if all three use the
> > >> same chip?
> > >
> > >
> > > Going from memory the ADI's I've worked on were the 48 k version.
> > > The converters were AKM, but not their best stuff.
> >
> > AFAIK:
> >
> > ADI-8Pro uses AK5392 (116 dB, 48k)
> > ADI-8DS uses AK5393 (117 dB, 96k)
> > ADI-8AE uses AK5383 (110 dB, 96k)
> >
> >
> > AK5393 was "their best stuff" several years back when the ADI-8DS was
> > designed.
> >
> >
> >
> > > the Alesis HD24XR 96k. It uses the same A/D's as the $13k Radar
> > > 96, and I like the AKM 5393 D/A converters in there better than the
> > > rough sounding Analog Devices AD1855 dac's in the Radar. $2500 for 48
> > > channels of 96k converters, oh, and they throw in a hard drive
> > > recorder in for free!
> >
> > Have you modded one yet?
>
> Yes, as I own one. It has the 33079 opamps replaced with the best 14
> pin sm quad opamp, the BurrBrown OPA4134. The coupling caps are
> replaced, high voltage film caps are installed in the switching psu, a
> low noise fan and filter foam was installed.
> I ran it up against a stock Radar 96 recording a Drum Workshop kit
> with modified AKG mics, Kimber silver wire and Audio Upgrades High
> Speed Mic Preamps. The Radar sounds fine, but the Alesis had better
> top end detail and microharmonics, and the low end killed the radar
> for depth.
> Enjoying the $10,500 I saved.... Used it to buy Nuendo 2.1 so I
> won't miss anything about the Radar's editing capabilities.
>
> Jim Williams
> http://www.audioupgrades.com

Can the HD24 operate as a converter set? That is, can you route the
analog inputs to the digital outputs and the digital inputs to the
analog outputs at the same time? This would allow us to use it as a
front end for, say, Nuendo.

[Figher]

Is the only difference between the normal HD24 and the HD24XR the
addition of the EC-2 I/O upgrade?

[Ty Ford]

In Article >,
(Barry) wrote:
>Jim,
>
>Simply using the AK5394A converter chip won't cut it. A significant
>impact on the sound quality comes from the clock as well as the
>quality of the surrounding analog components which can be quite pricy.
> Also, RADAR is designed to double as an external converter with two
>simultaneous 24 channel digital I/O and digital pass through mode.
>Many of our customers buy RADAR for its sound quality and only used it
>as an external converter for Pro Tools or other DAWs.

I greatly enjoyed my time with the RADAR24. The RME ADI-8 DS which I now
have may also be used as an external clock master or slave.

Regards,

Ty Ford

**Until the worm goes away, I have put "not" in front of my email address.
Please remove it if you want to email me directly.
For Ty Ford V/O demos, audio services and equipment reviews,
click on http://www.jagunet.com/~tford