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Re: 24/96

Subject: Re: 24/96
From: "oryoki2000" <>
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 23:42:26 -0000
Christian Kaernbach wrote

> My present question is on a cheap
> solution to record uncompressed 24
> bit 96 kHz sounds.

Record 24/96, yes, but inexpensively,
probably not.

Today, laptop recording works most
reliably when limited to 24/48 digitizing
due limitations imposed by hardware
(the USB 1.1 or PCMCIA interfaces) and
software (Windows or Mac OS audio drivers).

Laptop recording at 24/96 or 24/192
will be more realistic when companies
begin to produce portable analog to
digital converters that connect to the
computer using USB 2.0 or Firewire.

If you can record to a standard PC,
then you'll need to employ a PCI sound
I/O card with S/PDIF coax connector to
input the digital signal.  The M-Audio
Delta Dio 2496 that costs about $200
is one example.=20

Note that I am not recommending that you
use the PCI card for analog to digital
conversion.  The interior of a PC is a
very noisy place from an electrical
perspective, and A/D conversion done
here is likely to have added noise.=20
The (expensive) answer is to employ an
external mic pre-amp and analog to
digital converter, with a S/PDIF cable
that enables you to mount it a short
distance from the computer.=20

High-quality pre-amp and analog to
digital converters capable
of 24/96 operation are expensive.=20
Products in this category include
the Grace Designs Lunatec V3 and
the Sonic AD2K+.  Either costs about
$1700, not including the laptop computer!
The Apogee MiniMe is slightly more
affordable at $1500. All three have
S/PDIF digital output to connect to
the computer.

The high cost of 24/96 recording is
one reason why many recordists are
intrigued by the recent announcement
of theSound Devices 722.  It's a hard
disc recorder with custom software
plus a high quality pre-amp and 24/96
digitizer, in a package designed for
use in the field, all for about $2,000.
The 722 is scheduled for release in
a few months.  For details, see
http://www.sounddevices.com/products/7.htm

For a general discussion of laptop
recording issues, you might consider
the following two newsgroups:

Laptop-Tapers Yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laptop-tapers/

Technology Tapers' Forum
http://www.oade.com/cgi-bin/miva?Forum/technology/index.mv


Regards,
--oryoki




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