Getting AES/EBU into a Powerbook

[MARK ANXIOUS]

OK so how do I plug a AES/EBU cable with a 24-bit 96Hz digital signal from a A/D converter type Device (Finalizer) into my Powerbook?

I want something small and compact so I recently bought this:

http://www.roland.com/products/en/UA-1EX/

But the more I'm learning about digital cabling, I've realised the damn thing has Tos-link digital inputs so that's been a complete waste of cash arrrghhhh!!!

Any ideas? Or am I gonna have to go for a higher-end sound card with AES/EBU inputs do you think?

[MARK ANXIOUS]

ok so i've looked more into this. i could:

1) go with a usb2/firewire card that has aes inputs.

or

2) keep what i have and buy a converter. i found this:

http://www.core-sound.com/co3/1.php

OK so the second option scares the hell out of me cause any type of ****in around with the signal quality whether it's converters or cable adapters scares me, cause i absolutely don't want the sound quality to degrade.

The first option seem like it might be better. But I don't want to fork out loads for a huge soundcard (that's why I thought this Edirol unit would be perfect). But then again, it can't be a shitty card cause then i'm back to square one with the sound quality degrading.

Grrr!!!!!!! HEEEEEEELPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!

:hissyfit:

[Microdot]

ok so i've looked more into this. i could:

1) go with a usb2/firewire card that has aes inputs.

or

2) keep what i have and buy a converter. i found this:

http://www.core-sound.com/co3/1.php

OK so the second option scares the hell out of me cause any type of ****in around with the signal quality whether it's converters or cable adapters scares me, cause i absolutely don't want the sound quality to degrade.

The first option seem like it might be better. But I don't want to fork out loads for a huge soundcard (that's why I thought this Edirol unit would be perfect). But then again, it can't be a shitty card cause then i'm back to square one with the sound quality degrading.

Grrr!!!!!!! HEEEEEEELPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!

:hissyfit:

start from scratch Mark.

get yer hand in yer pocket and buy a decent quality sound device, it's one of the things you can't skimp on if you're deadly serious about production (the others being your computer (should be a mac) and your monitors (genelec imo)).
sell the edirol on ebay.

[tocsin]

Does it have to be AES/EBU, Mark? Doesn't your Mac have a SPDIF input port?

[MARK ANXIOUS]

start from scratch Mark.

get yer hand in yer pocket and buy a decent quality sound device, it's one of the things you can't skimp on if you're deadly serious about production (the others being your computer (should be a mac) and your monitors (genelec imo)).
sell the edirol on ebay.

well this is not for my main studio computer :) i have the bollocks of a MOTU for that one (can ya imagine what things would be sounding like out of this edirol lol). no, this is for an old Powerbook that I'm turning into a recording device to use after my Finalizer. Up until now, I've been running into an old Tascam DAT, but obviously this means I'm having to convert down to 16 bit and then back up to 24 when I tweak in Soundforge. This way, everything stays 24 bit until that very last moment, then I can bang it down just before sending to the cut.

but, you're deadly right actually. I mean at NO point can anything in the chain, including recording, be weak and of course this Edirol is exactly that. bah OK ANOTHER soundcard it is.

Can anyone recommend a good quality soundcard (preferably quite portable) that has aes inputs? It could have two outputs for all I care - it simply doesnt matter.

And yeah, it MUST be aes, cause my Finalizer doesnt have a spdif.

[tocsin]

If it's just for that, how much of a difference do you think you're really going to notice if you buy that converter that goes from AES/EBU to SPDIF? It's still digital.

[MARK ANXIOUS]

sure but isnt digital just like analog - if you've got a week link in the chain it messes up all your hard work surely? so then i will have 2 week links - 1) the crappy eidrol interface + 2) a digital converter.. whereas if i get my finger out of my ass i have just one link - a GOOD soundcard...

no jon is defo right here i think eh. i need to stop moaning, quit being a tight northern git and just get the pennies out..

[TechMouse]

sure but isnt digital just like analog - if you've got a week link in the chain it messes up all your hard work surely? so then i will have 2 week links - 1) the crappy eidrol interface + 2) a digital converter.. whereas if i get my finger out of my ass i have just one link - a GOOD soundcard...

no jon is defo right here i think eh. i need to stop moaning, quit being a tight northern git and just get the pennies out..
I don't have much practical experience with this sort of thing, but in theory...

Running through an D/D converter shouldn't colour the sound as it's just translating a digital signal (unless for some bizarre reason it's converting from digital to digital via analog). The whole point of digital is that it is what it is, regardless of the medium it's travelling through.

The critical touchpoints are when you do either A/D or D/A conversion.

[tocsin]

sure but isnt digital just like analog - if you've got a week link in the chain it messes up all your hard work surely? so then i will have 2 week links - 1) the crappy eidrol interface + 2) a digital converter.. whereas if i get my finger out of my ass i have just one link - a GOOD soundcard...

no jon is defo right here i think eh. i need to stop moaning, quit being a tight northern git and just get the pennies out..

Digital is not quite the same as analog in that sense, unless what you have is so shitty that you get actual errors that tweak the binary data. Techmouse is pretty on the money as far as sound quality is concerned.