Latest outboard gear: Digital I/O?

[Keyplayer]

All the latest releases from Focusrite (428, 430, etc.), SSL XK Modules, and (I THINK) API (3124, 7800, etc.) come with digital I/O, at least optionally now.

 

Is this trend continuing with all of the major manufacturers and, if so, wouldn't this go a long way into extending the user life of the small format digital consoles? The latency issue would essentially become void where outboard gear was concerned because the connections would be digital. The audio data ends up with ONLY 2 conversions, being recorded and final playback. Best of all, you're using REAL GEAR! So there's no CPU overload issues and you can continue to build a viable rack as your budget allows.

 

Does anybody have any insight on this?

[Kendrix]

Originally posted by Keyplayer:

All the latest releases from Focusrite (428, 430, etc.), SSL XK Modules, and (I THINK) API (3124, 7800, etc.) come with digital I/O, at least optionally now.

 

Is this trend continuing with all of the major manufacturers and, if so, wouldn't this go a long way into extending the user life of the small format digital consoles? The latency issue would essentially become void where outboard gear was concerned because the connections would be digital. The audio data ends up with ONLY 2 conversions, being recorded and final playback. Best of all, you're using REAL GEAR! So there's no CPU overload issues and you can continue to build a viable rack as your budget allows.

 

Does anybody have any insight on this?

D to A or A to D conversions are not the only source of laency. Digital processing (such as for generating reverb) also introduces latency. This is dependant on the complexity of the processing required and specifics of the architecture / implementation of the DSP.

 

I see the main benefit of digital I/O as better quality due to no conversion.

[Valkyrie Sound]

If you're using this analog gear like the Focusrite as only an input channel with A/D only then yes you'd only have 1 step of A/D D/A.

 

As soon as you start using ANALOG gear as outboard processing you will STILL have 2 steps of A/D D/A A/D D/A in your chain. Just because the box has A/D D/A converters doesn't mean you get to skip a step... that analog box is still analog.

 

Valky

[Keyplayer]

Originally posted by Valkyrie Sound:

If you're using this analog gear like the Focusrite as only an input channel with A/D only then yes you'd only have 1 step of A/D D/A.

 

As soon as you start using ANALOG gear as outboard processing you will STILL have 2 steps of A/D D/A A/D D/A in your chain. Just because the box has A/D D/A converters doesn't mean you get to skip a step... that analog box is still analog.

 

Valky

Keyplayer: Granted, my examples were "front end" devices. But the point of my question about other manufacturers, was to find out if companies like Empirical Labs were offering the same options on "back end" items like Distressors? Can I use digital connections on an API stereo compressor across 2 of my 8 busses?

 

Think about it.

API Compressor across Bus 1 and Bus 2 for drums

SSL Compressor across Bus 3 and Bus 4 for vocals

Distressor across Bus 5 and Bus 6 for guitars &/or keys

GML Compressor across Bus 7 and Bus 8 for horns or the entire mix.

 

Conversions wouldn't be the only issue (thought I don't understand why you wouldn't be concerned about that), LATENCY would be the greater concern. If they're all connected digitally then you could process all the tracks just like it was an analog desk, right?