Current recommendation for instrumentation grade audio interface

[Rja4000]

The Cosmos ADC was designed for measuring DAC+Amp combo devices like the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro or E1DA 9038S. Those usually have a Zout of 0.1Ω.

"Manage expectations" is key for customer satisfaction.

 

[Rja4000]

I don't see a USB port anywhere on the ADI-2. Can this not be used as an interface?....

Well, not as such.
It has no USB port, indeed.

Now, adding a cheap SPDIF to USB should be easy.

 

[Raqs]

Well, not as such.
It has no USB port, indeed.

Now, adding a cheap SPDIF to USB should be easy.

More bad news for me and more kludgy-ness... Rather than this, I'm inclined to try the "Cosmos" route. Where can these devices be bought from? I only see the ADC available on the large retailer, but what about the APU?

 

[staticV3]

The APU will be released very soon. It's not available yet.

 

[Raqs]

The APU will be released very soon. It's not available yet.

Good to know, thanks.

ADI-2 + USB to SPDIF adapter. How can one control the ADI-2 via SPDIF? ASIO drivers possible? Can't wrap my head around this solution to try to figure out if useful for me.

Maybe I just need to get the device and try it out.

 

[Raqs]

I decided to get a Clarett+ 2Pre anyway (found it for... $340 new?!), and will just have to test all three and keep one.

It's really unfortunate Amir hasn't tested the Clarett+ 2Pre (any known measurements?...) or the other interface that raised my interest, the SSL2+. I personally got THD as low as 0.00057% with the regular SSL, but that's still pretty far from the lowest I got with the EMU0404, so I won't settle for it.

But I don't feel I have a very good sense of how these interfaces of interest perform relative to each other.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I decided to get a Clarett+ 2Pre anyway (found it for... $340 new?!), and will just have to test all three and keep one.

It's really unfortunate Amir hasn't tested the Clarett+ 2Pre (any known measurements?...) or the other interface that raised my interest, the SSL2+. I personally got THD as low as 0.00057% with the regular SSL, but that's still pretty far from the lowest I got with the EMU0404, so I won't settle for it.

But I don't feel I have a very good sense of how these interfaces of interest perform relative to each other.

Check those video reviews I linked above. They have measurements. About 10:10 in the video. The Clarrett may be close to the Emu.

 

[Raqs]

Check those video reviews I linked above. They have measurements. About 10:10 in the video. The Clarrett may be close to the Emu.

The video you posted was for the Clarett 2Pre, not Clarett+ 2Pre (while I specifically referred to the Clarett+ in all of my posts). Amir has no tests for either.

Per Focusrite, the Clarett+ should have distinct advantages over the old model in some of these core data points I'm interested in (and seemed to match my departed EMU). Which is why I got a very early Clarett+ a few months ago when it hit the market, but I decided to stick with the Lynx at the time, and I returned it before I even tested it in my environment. I paid $500 then, so if this $340 works out, I'll not be overly bummed.

That said, I did find JK's review for the Clarett+ 2Pre.

He doesn't find that much distinction between the two iterations, and those he found don't always advantage the "+" version. The differences are so slight though, I'd be inclined to put it on slight testing variations in his environment.

 

[Rja4000]

I decided to get a Clarett+ 2Pre anyway (found it for... $340 new?!), and will just have to test all three and keep one.

Given your budget, and if you want to go for a measured device, why not to go for the Motu Ultralight Mk 5 ?

MOTU UltraLite-mk5 Review (Audio Interface)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the MOTU UltraLite-mk5 Audio Interface (ADC, DAC and headphone amplifier). It was kindly purchased new by a member and drop shipped to me for testing. It costs US $595. I like that the UltraLite-mk5 comes in metal chassis but otherwise, it doesn't...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Blumlein 88]

Given your budget, and if you want to go for a measured device, why not go for the Motu Ultralight Mk 5 ?

MOTU UltraLite-mk5 Review (Audio Interface)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the MOTU UltraLite-mk5 Audio Interface (ADC, DAC and headphone amplifier). It was kindly purchased new by a member and drop shipped to me for testing. It costs US $595. I like that the UltraLite-mk5 comes in metal chassis but otherwise, it doesn't...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I'd thought about that one, but it is $95 over budget. Which may or may not matter to the OP.

 

[Rja4000]

I'd thought about that one, but it is $95 over budget. Which may or may not matter to the OP.

It's pretty commun, so finding a good used one should be easy.

 

[Rja4000]

By the way, checking Amir's ADC measurements, I think the ADC ranking is a bit confusing.

For ADC, there is a wider variety of maximum input levels, from one interface to another.

So you should try to guess, from available measurements (I think IMD vs level, specifically, which Amir usually measures in dBu) what will be the performance with the typical target level out of the System 1.

That would bring the cheap Focusrite closer to the Motu than we may think for lower input voltage: the more expensive interfaces have better SINAD because they allow a much higher input level (that is meaningless for you).

I whish Amir published systematically a plot of SINAD or THD+N vs level (in Vrms or dBu) for ADCs.
Hopefully, we have IMD vs level.

 

[Raqs]

By the way, checking Amir's ADC measurements, I think the ADC ranking is a bit confusing.



For ADC, there is a wider variety of maximum input levels, from one interface to another.



So you should try to guess, from available measurements (I think IMD vs level, specifically, which Amir usually measures in dBu) what will be the performance with the typical target level out of the System 1.



That would bring the cheap Focusrite closer to the Motu than we may think for lower input voltage: the more expensive interfaces have better SINAD because they allow a much higher input level (that is meaningless for you).



I whish Amir published systematically a plot of SINAD or THD+N vs level (in Vrms or dBu) for ADCs.

Hopefully, we have IMD vs level.

Interesting point, Rja4000. When you say "cheaper Focusrite," you mean the Clarett+? Or the Scarlett?

Interesting point, Rja4000. When you say "cheaper Focusrite," you mean the Clarett+? Or the Scarlett?

 

[Raqs]

Well, not as such.
It has no USB port, indeed.

Now, adding a cheap SPDIF to USB should be easy.

I am not sure I have a good handle on this. What exact type of device would be a fit for this duty?

I am only aware of DACs taking SPDIF in and "outputting" USB, but that can't be it.

SPDIF is completely missing from my universe, so I'm flying blind on this.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Interesting point, Rja4000. When you say "cheaper Focusrite," you mean the Clarett+? Or the Scarlett?

I think he means the Clarrett you are considering is cheaper than the Motu at $595. The Scarlett is a step down in most performance parameters.

 

[Raqs]

I think he means the Clarrett you are considering is cheaper than the Motu at $595. The Scarlett is a step down in most performance parameters.

Got it, and I agree. Thank you Blumlein 88.

As stunning as that is for both an AP S1 from the '90s and an EMU from the 2000s (?), it's so hard many decades later to find something fitting their high bar and not break the bank. I mean, surely, the AP wasn't selling for a buck new, but the EMU was pretty affordable.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I am not sure I have a good handle on this. What exact type of device would be a fit for this duty?

I am only aware of DACs taking SPDIF in and "outputting" USB, but that can't be it.

SPDIF is completely missing from my universe, so I'm flying blind on this.

Normally recording interfaces have ADAT, SPDIF inputs and often outputs and USB for in/out to the connected computer.

This one version of the ADI-2 FS has no USB connection.

RME ADI-2 FS 2-channel AD/DA Converter

2-channel Multi-format AD/DA Converter, 44.1kHz-192kHz, with Femtosecond Clock and Headphone Output

www.sweetwater.com

Here are the connections on the rear panel. The newer Pro FS versions have USB connections.

 

[Raqs]

Normally recording interfaces have ADAT, SPDIF inputs and often outputs and USB for in/out to the connected computer.

This one version of the ADI-2 FS has no USB connection.

RME ADI-2 FS 2-channel AD/DA Converter

2-channel Multi-format AD/DA Converter, 44.1kHz-192kHz, with Femtosecond Clock and Headphone Output

www.sweetwater.com

Here are the connections on the rear panel. The newer Pro FS versions have USB connections.
View attachment 207487

Yes, I am aware of this... NOW. I am not sure how this product makes sense the way it is, but I guess there were times when USB was not quite such a normative hookup for all peripherals (audio and the rest of it).
But why!?......

I am still looking for some direction on what type of SPDIF/USB interface I'm looking for. If I get an order tonight early enough with the big retailer here in the US, I'd be able to test out the RME weirdo (which I already received) tomorrow eve.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Yes, I am aware of this... NOW. I am not sure how this product makes sense the way it is, but I guess there were times when USB was not quite such a normative hookup for all peripherals (audio and the rest of it).
But why!?......

I am still looking for some direction on what type of SPDIF/USB interface I'm looking for. If I get an order tonight early enough with the big retailer here in the US, I'd be able to test out the RME weirdo (which I already received) tomorrow eve.

You have to remember RME is mainly a pro audio company. A device like this made plenty of sense in that context. If you have that RME (I think I understood that you did) you feed the digital output to another interface with USB via ADAT or into a soundcard with SPDIF in and you'll get the digital recording of it on the PC to work with. Doesn't your Lynx card have one of these digital inputs. Toslink/ADAT would be great as it would electrically isolate the PC from the RME.

 

[Rja4000]

Normally recording interfaces have ADAT, SPDIF inputs and often outputs and USB for in/out to the connected computer.

This one version of the ADI-2 FS has no USB connection.

RME ADI-2 FS 2-channel AD/DA Converter

2-channel Multi-format AD/DA Converter, 44.1kHz-192kHz, with Femtosecond Clock and Headphone Output

www.sweetwater.com

Here are the connections on the rear panel. The newer Pro FS versions have USB connection

This one is an upgrade of the original ADI-2 (non pro).
The pro is quite a different device: it has 2 stereo DAC, DSP which allows EQ, bass control and so on, USB interface, advanced display, remote control (for the "R" version), AES/EBU i/o,...
And better DAC and ADC.

Not the same price league, but not the same beast either.