ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL CONVERTER COMPARISON
by Kostas Metaxas

Procedure:

In all cases except for the KORG MR-1000, SOUND DEVICES SD744T and METRIC HALO[used with an Apple Laptop], I fed the outputs of the Stellavox SM8 to the A-D converter inputs [using my ENOSIS cables in all cases], then the SPDIF output of the A-D's was fed into the BNC SPDIF input of the Sound Devices 744T.

Absolute Reference:

For those of you who aren't used to the sound of a "holographic" recording, I have included some short samples of the legendary work of Bob Fine [Mercury Recordings] who was using essentially an AB set up wiith a middle "mono" channel. He was using the Telefunken ELAM 251s [AKG C12's]. His contemporaries Lewis Leyton [RCA RED SEAL] and Ken Wilkinson [DECCA] achieved similar results using the legendary Neumann M50s.

http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/Mercury_Bob_Fine_Chabrier.wav [15Mb sample 16bit/44.1k]

http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/Mercury_Bob_Fine_Chabrier2.wav [20Mb sample 16bit/44.1k]

You can purchase the full recording here.

The Comparisons:

All these files are 180Mb 5min sample 24bit/96k. You will need to download them and listen in a WAV editor since most computers won't play these files natively.

Sound Devices 744T, using it's line level ins/ADCs

http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/SD744.wav

Metaxas - Wolfson ADC - SPDIF output to Sound Devices 744T SPDIF in

http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/Metaxas_WOLFSON.wav

METRIC HALO with latest Apple Laptop

http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/Metric_Halo.wav

PRISM DREAM ADC - SPDIF output to Sound Devices 744T SPDIF in

http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/Prism_ADC_Classical_noise_curve.wav

LAVRY GOLD ADC - SPDIF output to Sound Devices 744T SPDIF in

http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/LAVRY_GOLD.wav

KORG MR-1000 [DSD] with it's proprietory DSD-PCM conversion software.

http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/Korg_MR1000.wav

The Concert:

BENAUD TRIO [violin, cello & piano] perform LED ZEPPELIN'S "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN".

You can view a track from this concert to see how the mics/musicians were lined up. I was using Neumann M150s in AB and TLM50s in XY: http://www.reel2reel.tv/SCREENERS_WMV/__benaud_stairway-1a.wmv

Listen to the huge "weight" in the sound and the "dimensionality" or 3D realism of the instruments. To me this is the key. And this is the problem with all the digital location recorders I've tried. In general, they knock out the bottom octave [or "bloom"] and flatten the soundstage. Music through them sounds artificial and dry.

About Kostas Metaxas

Kostas Metaxas is an artist producing state-of-the-art Hi-End Audio systems [including digital transports/DACS,Amplifiers and Electrostatic loudspeakers] since 1981. He has received numerous awards [www.metaxas.com] and his amplifiers have been enthusiastically reviewed in Hi Fi magazines throughout the world. He currently only assembles "systems" to order for professional recording engineers or serious hi fi enthusiasts. The Metaxas ADC is a new product under development.

He has been recording concerts since 1986 although over the past 3 years [2004,2005,2006] he has filmed [in HD - www.exero.com ] and recorded over 150 concerts including legendary performers such as Charles Dutoit, Jean Yves Thibaudet, Konstantin Lifschitz, Takacs, Il Giardino Armonico, James Morrison, Mike Nock, ACO, ASQ, Jerusalem Trio, Yvonne Kenny and Fritz Hauser.

You can view this page by visiting: http://www.reel2reel.tv/ADC/ADC.htm