Alesis AI-3 a/d d/a converter opinions?

[Handywired]

These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of I/O for
my PTools LE system.

-jeff

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of I/O for
> my PTools LE system.

Someone recently compared one to the less expensive Behringer
8-channel A/D converter and reported that the Alesis sounded a little
better, but that the Behringer was good for what it is and what it
costs. Depends on how good or how cheap you want to go.

--
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

[Brian Allen]

Handywired wrote:
> These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of I/O for
> my PTools LE system.
>
> -jeff

Ive been using one for a few years now and I can tell you it works as
advertised, no problems. Sounds fine, heard better, heard worse.
Overall though, I'd say good band for the buck.

Brian

[Handywired]

>Someone recently compared one to the less expensive Behringer
>8-channel A/D converter and reported that the Alesis sounded a little
>better, but that the Behringer was good for what it is and what it
>costs. Depends on how good or how cheap you want to go.

Ick. No Behringer. I'd REALLY like to spend more/get more, frankly, but in
the converter market it seems like there's the cheapos and then it jumps to
$2000 or more. I'll spend $2k on a mic or mic pre or guitar but not on a
converter for Pro Tools LE!

If the AE-1 is half decent it'll work for me now... if I decide, based on my
experience with LE, to take the full 12K plunge into the "big" Pro Tools
system, I'll look at Apogee, Benchmark, on and on...

I'm just wondering if the AE-1 is half decent!

-jeff

[Handywired]

>Someone recently compared one to the less expensive Behringer
>8-channel A/D converter and reported that the Alesis sounded a little
>better, but that the Behringer was good for what it is and what it
>costs. Depends on how good or how cheap you want to go.

Ick. No Behringer. I'd REALLY like to spend more/get more, frankly, but in
the converter market it seems like there's the cheapos and then it jumps to
$2000 or more. I'll spend $2k on a mic or mic pre or guitar but not on a
converter for Pro Tools LE!

If the AE-1 is half decent it'll work for me now... if I decide, based on my
experience with LE, to take the full 12K plunge into the "big" Pro Tools
system, I'll look at Apogee, Benchmark, on and on...

I'm just wondering if the AE-1 is half decent!

-jeff

[Lorin David Schultz]

"Handywired" > wrote:
>
> [...] in the converter market it seems like there's the cheapos
> and then it jumps to $2000 or more.



More or less true, but you missed one real sleeper -- Frontier Designs
Tango

http://www.frontierdesign.com/products/tango24main.html

Less than $700 new, often $550 or so on HeeHawBay.

Suck it up and get that. It's a marked improvement over the Alesis
(that I wanted to believe would be good too, for exactly the same
reason!).

--
"It CAN'T be too loud... some of the red lights aren't even on yet!"
- Lorin David Schultz
in the control room
making even bad news sound good

(Remove spamblock to reply)

[Lorin David Schultz]

"Handywired" > wrote:
>
> [...] in the converter market it seems like there's the cheapos
> and then it jumps to $2000 or more.



More or less true, but you missed one real sleeper -- Frontier Designs
Tango

http://www.frontierdesign.com/products/tango24main.html

Less than $700 new, often $550 or so on HeeHawBay.

Suck it up and get that. It's a marked improvement over the Alesis
(that I wanted to believe would be good too, for exactly the same
reason!).

--
"It CAN'T be too loud... some of the red lights aren't even on yet!"
- Lorin David Schultz
in the control room
making even bad news sound good

(Remove spamblock to reply)

[Mike]

(Handywired) wrote in message >...
> These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of I/O for
> my PTools LE system.
>
> -jeff

Lucid might make some affordable ones.

Mike http://www.mmeproductions.com

[Mike]

(Handywired) wrote in message >...
> These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of I/O for
> my PTools LE system.
>
> -jeff

Lucid might make some affordable ones.

Mike http://www.mmeproductions.com

[JK]

Both units use the Alesis A/D converter chip...open it up, you'll see.

JK


"Mike Rivers" > wrote in message
news:znr1100093678k@trad...
>
> In article >
writes:
>
> > These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of
I/O for
> > my PTools LE system.
>
> Someone recently compared one to the less expensive Behringer
> 8-channel A/D converter and reported that the Alesis sounded a little
> better, but that the Behringer was good for what it is and what it
> costs. Depends on how good or how cheap you want to go.
>
> --
> 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

[JK]

Both units use the Alesis A/D converter chip...open it up, you'll see.

JK


"Mike Rivers" > wrote in message
news:znr1100093678k@trad...
>
> In article >
writes:
>
> > These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of
I/O for
> > my PTools LE system.
>
> Someone recently compared one to the less expensive Behringer
> 8-channel A/D converter and reported that the Alesis sounded a little
> better, but that the Behringer was good for what it is and what it
> costs. Depends on how good or how cheap you want to go.
>
> --
> 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

[Garth D. Wiebe]

JK wrote:
> Both units use the Alesis A/D converter chip...open it up, you'll see.
>
> JK

No. I have opened up the Alesis AI-3. It uses the Crystal
Semiconductor CS4220-KS chip.

http://www.cirrus.com/en/pubs/proDatasheet/cs4220-3.pdf

[Garth D. Wiebe]

JK wrote:
> Both units use the Alesis A/D converter chip...open it up, you'll see.
>
> JK

No. I have opened up the Alesis AI-3. It uses the Crystal
Semiconductor CS4220-KS chip.

http://www.cirrus.com/en/pubs/proDatasheet/cs4220-3.pdf

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> Both units use the Alesis A/D converter chip...open it up, you'll see.

If the chip was all there is to a useful A/D converter (that it, one
with a box, analog input connectors, and a power cord) then they'd all
be the same, wouldn't they?

It's what's outside the chip that counts when good A/D converter chips
are a buck a dozen.


--
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

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> Both units use the Alesis A/D converter chip...open it up, you'll see.

If the chip was all there is to a useful A/D converter (that it, one
with a box, analog input connectors, and a power cord) then they'd all
be the same, wouldn't they?

It's what's outside the chip that counts when good A/D converter chips
are a buck a dozen.


--
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

[jazzman]

>> In article >
>> > These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of
> I/O for
>> > my PTools LE system.
>>
> "Mike Rivers" > wrote in message
> news:znr1100093678k@trad...
>> Someone recently compared one to the less expensive Behringer
>> 8-channel A/D converter and reported that the Alesis sounded a little
>> better, but that the Behringer was good for what it is and what it
>> costs. Depends on how good or how cheap you want to go.
>
"JK" > wrote in message
...
> Both units use the Alesis A/D converter chip...open it up, you'll see.
>
> JK

The BEHRINGER ADA8000 uses Wavefront AL1401A/AL1402 a/d d/a chipsets. I'm
not sure what is in the Alesis AI3, but I bet it starts with "AL-xxxx".

Regards,

Jim Savery
Global Customer Support Manager
BEHRINGER The Americas
Tel: 1-425-672-0816 x 111
Fax: 1-425-673-7647

http://www.behringer.com

This email is intended exclusively for the addressee(s) named above and may
contain privileged and confidential information. If you are not among the
intended recipients, you may not copy, utilize or distribute any of the
information contained herein. If you have received this email in error,
please notify us immediately via return email and delete the original from
your mailbox. Thank you.

[jazzman]

>> In article >
>> > These things any good? An obvious cheap way to get 8 more channels of
> I/O for
>> > my PTools LE system.
>>
> "Mike Rivers" > wrote in message
> news:znr1100093678k@trad...
>> Someone recently compared one to the less expensive Behringer
>> 8-channel A/D converter and reported that the Alesis sounded a little
>> better, but that the Behringer was good for what it is and what it
>> costs. Depends on how good or how cheap you want to go.
>
"JK" > wrote in message
...
> Both units use the Alesis A/D converter chip...open it up, you'll see.
>
> JK

The BEHRINGER ADA8000 uses Wavefront AL1401A/AL1402 a/d d/a chipsets. I'm
not sure what is in the Alesis AI3, but I bet it starts with "AL-xxxx".

Regards,

Jim Savery
Global Customer Support Manager
BEHRINGER The Americas
Tel: 1-425-672-0816 x 111
Fax: 1-425-673-7647

http://www.behringer.com

This email is intended exclusively for the addressee(s) named above and may
contain privileged and confidential information. If you are not among the
intended recipients, you may not copy, utilize or distribute any of the
information contained herein. If you have received this email in error,
please notify us immediately via return email and delete the original from
your mailbox. Thank you.

[Mike Rivers]

In article <IxRkd.328107$wV.46783@attbi_s54> writes:

> The BEHRINGER ADA8000 uses Wavefront AL1401A/AL1402 a/d d/a chipsets. I'm
> not sure what is in the Alesis AI3, but I bet it starts with "AL-xxxx".

And Garth found one that starts with "CS . . . " in the AI-3 that he
opened up.

But I'm sure one is about as good as the other. It's what's outside
the chip that counts more.


--
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

[Mike Rivers]

In article <IxRkd.328107$wV.46783@attbi_s54> writes:

> The BEHRINGER ADA8000 uses Wavefront AL1401A/AL1402 a/d d/a chipsets. I'm
> not sure what is in the Alesis AI3, but I bet it starts with "AL-xxxx".

And Garth found one that starts with "CS . . . " in the AI-3 that he
opened up.

But I'm sure one is about as good as the other. It's what's outside
the chip that counts more.


--
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