What a/d do you use to preserve the pristine sound quality?

Jeff Gibbs · Post by **Jeff Gibbs** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:22 am

Question for everyone. For both my Oasys and now my Kronos I am always absolutely floored at the unbelievable sound quality when running them DIRECTLY into my monitor speakers using very high quality cables. I've tried several a/d converters but though the sound is very good always felt that there is a slight drop off. I've never felt this mattered as much with my other synths, but the Kronos/Oasys is so stunning I am imagining soon as you introduce a conversion and extra set of cables it loses a little something. This is especially apparent in detailed combinations and the pianos. Can those of you with professional recording rigs share recommendations for what the very best a/d converter to preserve the stunningly clear sound of your Kronos/Oasys might be?

CaptLego · Post by **CaptLego** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 12:01 pm

Why not just record the digital output of the Kronos directly, thus bypassing the DAC / ADC conversions completely?

Jeff Gibbs · Post by **Jeff Gibbs** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:26 pm

Yes you could do that. And you could use the USB. Or you can record internally and transfer via a drive. I am aware of all those options and have used them all. I am asking those who use a/d converters for whatever reason what sounds the best for their taste with the Kronos.

EddyDeegan · Post by **EddyDeegan** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:16 pm

I use an Apogee Ensemble. Review here. I absolutely love it. For me, the quality via the converters is close enough to the original as makes no practical difference. I could use the direct digital output, but I have a lot of keyboards and routing them into the 8 analogue inputs of the ensemble via a small high quality 16-input mixing desk (Mackie 1642 VLZ-3) is much more convenient than continually swapping audio interface settings around in my DAW.

I find the A/D conversion good enough that I don't even bother routing the digital output from the Kronos into the Ensemble (which in addition to the 8 channels of analogue I/O also has 8 channels of ADAT digital I/O and 2 channels of S/P DIF I/O), although that's an option should one want to do so.

Sadly the Ensemble is Mac only, although I'm sure there are Windows equivalents out there by other manufacturers if you look hard enough. Cheap, they aren't, but they sound absolutely superb.

Eddy

MartinHines · Post by **MartinHines** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:45 pm

I recently switched from a MOTU 896mk3 to an RME Fireface UFX.

Here is a review: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan11/a ... ce-ufx.htm

I may be subliminally justifying my purchase, but the sound from my UFX sounds better to my ears.

I also use a Kronos analog connection since I don't want to have to mess with digital clock syncronization.

Sina172 · Post by **Sina172** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:45 pm

Jeff Gibbs · Post by **Jeff Gibbs** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:16 pm

Wow, thanks for the input both of you. Alas I sold my Oasys so I cannot go that route. For me even the digital for whatever bizarre reason sounds far less stunning than right from the Kronos to the monitors. I used an Apogee briefly a while ago. I also used the Presonus Studio live and it was great but not ideal for me.
For those new to the Kronos/Oasys hidden within the beast is a sound so pure as to blow your mind and it does seem that anything in the way takes it down a notch back into the realm of mortal keyboards. Getting that pristine sound for not just recording but the pleasure of playback is a real treat. I compose mostly by improvising so I need the immediate positive feedback from the soundscape. Last summer I used the Kronos 61 to play at an outdoor venue in front of several thousand people and directly into the enormous PA it was just mind blowing.
I play multiple synths and record in Logic so the digital output where the master volume control is not used is a real problem. I swear that even with the digital outs my O was never as good as just directly outputting it to the monitors. Will check out the RME. If people have done comparison with direct to monitor than via a/d I would love to hear it.

Sina172 · Post by **Sina172** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:13 pm

jg:: · Post by **jg::** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:30 pm

Martin, digital recording using the S/PDIF output doesn't require any input digital clock sync - I've done it many times on the O especially, multiple tracks, never an issue.

It's such a pleasure to see the level on my DAW's input channel exactly correlating to the level that the Mastering Limiter on the O/K is giving me. I never have to worry about setting analog levels.

jg::

burningbusch · Post by **burningbusch** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:02 am

jg:: wrote:Martin, digital recording using the S/PDIF output doesn't require any input digital clock sync - I've done it many times on the O especially, multiple tracks, never an issue.

It's such a pleasure to see the level on my DAW's input channel exactly correlating to the level that the Mastering Limiter on the O/K is giving me. I never have to worry about setting analog levels.

jg::

If I forget to set clock on the Kronos to (S/PDIF) external on my Protools rig I get clicks. Random, but they're there.

Busch.