APOGEE ROSETTA -VS- LUCID 24/96 A/D Conv. which to buy?

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I'm looking at buying a decent A to D converter for my new mixing room. I
would like to get some thoughts on the Apogee Rosetta. I have a Lucid 24/96
now in the tracking studio it sounds good, but I thought that I might try
the Rosetta out, but is the Apogee going to be any better than the Lucid??
Thanks, Alex Gerst

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

> >I'm looking at buying a decent A to D converter for my new mixing room. I
> >would like to get some thoughts on the Apogee Rosetta. I have a Lucid
24/96
> >now in the tracking studio it sounds good, but I thought that I might try
> >the Rosetta out, but is the Apogee going to be any better than the
Lucid??
> > Thanks, Alex Gerst
>
> The Apogee is slightly better but I wouldn't count on the quality
> difference justifying the price difference. There's probably
> something else in your mixing room that would utilize your $$$ better
> (e.g. mastering software, plugins, microphones, monitors, a nice
> comfortable chair, etc.)

Agreed. The Lucid converter is the best at its pricepoint, which is
preceded by a big gap. There is no good converter in the $250-600 range, so
generally IMO most people with Lucid AD2496's have a better ADC than they
really need. ADC's are far less critical than mics, preamps, and monitors,
not because ADC's don't need to perform well, but because integrated ADC
chips have come a long way, offering very good performance at much a much
lower cost than discrete components, so inexpensive ones get the job done.

Unfortunately, no company seems inclined to put out a good chip-based ADC in
that vacant price range. All it would really take is a decent power supply,
word clock, and good connectors. But instead we're stuck upgrading entire
recorders and computer interfaces just to get reasonable A/D, and it's well
shy of a Lucid AD2496.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

ADC's are far less critical than mics, preamps, and monitors,


Not at all ... ADC is AT LEAST the same critical as mics, preamps and
monitors. I say at least. It is actually one of the most crucial
points in the chain. Even if you have the best possible mics and
preamps and just an average ADC (and you are recording into digital
domain), the result will be just average. Simply because all the fine
nuances created by a fine mic and preamp will not be accurately
converted to the digital domain by a mediocre ADC.
One realises that fully once he has an opportunity to try a really
GOOD ADC. Then he can never look back. I started with Digi 001. Apogee
Rosetta was a grand step from 001 convertors - only then I realised
how horribly these convertors sound. After I got Mytek AD, I realised
that Rosetta was actually sounding very dull .. ANd after getting
Lavry Blue AD, I understood what the ultimate conversion means ...
If you want to enjoy a nice, warm, beautiful sound, go for the best AD
you can afford (apart from mics and preamp, of course).


Ivo
www.savita.cz