RME vs. 'real' pro converters?

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4schler

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I'd like to know if anyone has any opinions on how RME A-D converters stack up to 'real' pro options, like UA 2192's and Apogee converters, or even Digidesign HD converters, etc. for high-end recording gear

That's not to say that RME converters aren't really 'real' pro-quality, but I haven't been in a whole lot of professional studios where they use any conversion gear that doesn't cost thousands of dollars, and I was wondering if those thousands spent were really worth it, or if very similar quality conversion can be had for an RME price and even in Firewire form (a la FireFace) as opposed to PCI and the like.

To my ears, and maybe it just has to do with the skill levels of the engineers I've worked with in local studios, I don't hear much difference at all in the quality between the protools HD converters, which seem to be standard studio fare in my area, and the RME sound quality that I've heard so far. Again, could just be my personal experience and the (lack of) engineering skill I've witnessed.

thoughts?
 
In the long run, I'd say it's worth it. I searched high and low on converters - Apogee, the UAD 2192, Mytek, so may more...

I wound up with Lavry and Crane Song (with an Apogee only as a backup). Lavry's "Blue" series (LE4496) is amazingly transparent. And Crane Song's HEDD... That thing would still be a bargain at twice the price.

But RME's converters aren't anything to sneeze at... And their interfaces in general are great units. They're certainly a BIG step up from most of the more "budget friendly" offerings out there. For the money, I don't think you're going to find much better.

But converters - at least when you step up from the mediocre stuff, is the wax job on the paint - And a point of diminishing returns. A $1 step up in sound costs an extra $100 (just like almost anything else once you reach a certain level). And like other aspects (such as recording too hot) you probably won't notice the converters with a track or two. But when you stack a whole mix together, that tiny "edge" turns a bit more sharp.
 
MASSIVE Mastering said:
In the long run, I'd say it's worth it. I searched high and low on converters - Apogee, the UAD 2192, Mytek, so may more...

I wound up with Lavry and Crane Song (with an Apogee only as a backup). Lavry's "Blue" series (LE4496) is amazingly transparent. And Crane Song's HEDD... That thing would still be a bargain at twice the price.

But RME's converters aren't anything to sneeze at... And their interfaces in general are great units. They're certainly a BIG step up from most of the more "budget friendly" offerings out there. For the money, I don't think you're going to find much better.

But converters - at least when you step up from the mediocre stuff, is the wax job on the paint - And a point of diminishing returns. A $1 step up in sound costs an extra $100 (just like almost anything else once you reach a certain level). And like other aspects (such as recording too hot) you probably won't notice the converters with a track or two. But when you stack a whole mix together, that tiny "edge" turns a bit more sharp.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the sound (pun intended!) and reasonable advice~!
 
Here's a good post that moses dropped in one of my threads that answers this question:

https://www.futureproducers.com/for.../do-converters-really-do-393673/#post49300195

"... there is still a relevant difference between the RME "level" and high end converters. I can compare 3 professional DAs with a simple switch with my setup: the RME fireface, the crane song's hedd DA (which usually builds my analogue mastering "loop") and my main DA, a benchmark HDR (which is an exotic fixed rate DA). Differences are perfectly audible. In that combination, the RME sounds harsh and "brute", the hedd DA very clean, tight and crispy, the benchmark sounds similar top the hedd, but even more controlled and smoother (I love it!).

For example, the RME makes me want to reduce the highs, because they seem too harsh (maybe because the RME introduces a little too much aliasing?). Both other DAs tell me something totally different, they say the highs are fine and want me to increase the upper mids instead. On the other hand, the final results of the latter EQ approach sounds great on all my DAs. These small decisions are the whole point of using "better" DAs (in the sense of more accurate/less distorted) in audio production. But it's hard to generalize. This is just MY impression.

It's a good idea to put a high quality reference track through 2-4 DA/AD loops and listen to the results. This gives you a nice impression about the kind of degradation introduced by the your converter. Definitely one of the most objective method to compare converters."
 
Great post, thank you! It's nice to read grounded and rational explanations on the very hotly debated topic of where different converters take us and where they don't.
 
Wow this is 5 years old. lol.

Converters do make a difference when all your other monitoring arrangements and acoustics are in place.

SafeandSound Mastering
mastering dance music
 
I believe that RME converters will get most project Studios along perfectly fine. We use RME ADI and Apogee converters, and we're always getting compliments on our quality, even with having a setup in a spare bedroom lol. I know the thread is 5 yrs old but I think that all too often converters get overlooked in project studios, with more attention on mics and monitors.
 
Wow, what a misleading topic this is ( not you John). How can anyone make such a blanket statement comparing a FF800 to a Hedd and then putting RME down with a statement suggesting they are a home/ project studio level but missing other gear they make. Have you heard of the ADI-8 QS. It eats many convertors on the market including having a very advanced gain staging settings. Its so well designed making it a choice high end hybrid ADDA setup.

The FF800 is an excellent firewire converter well suited for the home, mobile and pro level. Its not a Hedd but it also costs a few grand less.


regards,
 
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Obviously, tone and musicality are important, subjective criteria when talking conversion. For me, I also care about driver reliability and very, very low latency. I cannot be bothered with figuring out glitchy drivers or stumbling over latency issues. The RME have these two down as well as (and sometimes better) than anyone.

In an ever expanding project studio, I have found that multiple RME units play wonderfully together. I have also found the RME forums and technical support to be increibly prompt and informative with any and all questions..due, I am sure in no small part because they deal with many of the same questions from "us" over and over and over :hello:.

---------- Post added at 01:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:26 AM ----------

PLUS...the RME TotalMix routing software is about as deep and flexible as it gets:cheers:.
 
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