Spoiler: Audio interfaces and their AD/DA chips LISTED (Year 2010)

Audio interfaces and their AD/DA chips LISTED (Year 2010)


ALESIS
IO|26 CS5361

ALLEN&HEATH
R16 AD CS5368 DA Burr-Brown PCM1404 Main I/O CS4271

APOGEE
Ensemble CS4272
DUET: CS4272/MICPRE TI PGA2500/ 1394AUDIO Oxfw971
AD8000SE: A/D:AKM AK5391; D/A: Analog Devices AD1851
Rosetta 200: A/D:CS5361 D/A: Analog Devices AD1852
MiniDAC:AD1955 ARS
MiniMe: A/D AKM 5380VT, D/A (monitoring) AKM 4380VT
AD-16X DAC CS4398 ADC CS5381 or CS5361

ART
Tube Fire8: adc-AK5384; dac-AK4358
BENCHMARK
DAC1: D/A: Analog Devices AD1853 5532 opamp

BEHRINGER
SRC2496:AKM AK5393 AK4393 JRC 458

DIGIDESIGN
192 I/O PTHD: A/D:AKM AK5394A; D/A: AKM AK4394
001 CS4223 CS4223 OPAMP - TL074
002R: A/D:AKM AK5383vs D/A: AKM AK4393vs
003 A/D CS5381 CS5361 D/A CS4392
MBox AK5383 AK5383 TAS1020
MBOX2 Mini: ADC - CS5361

ECLER
EVO5: A/D CS5366-CQZ and D/A CS4385

ECHO AUDIO
Indigo DJx - AK4396
Indigo IOx - AK4620B
Indigo DJx - AK4396
Indigo IOx - AK4620B
AudioFire 2 (Newer models) - AK4620B
AudioFire 2 (Older models) - AK4620A
AudioFire 4 (Newer models) - AK4620B
AudioFire 4 (Older models) - AK4620A
AudioFire 8 - CS4272
AudioFire 8a (Newer model w/ ADAT) - AK4620B
Audiofire Pre8 - AK4620B
AudioFire 12 (Newer models: FireWire ports' beveled edges pointing down) - AK4620B
AudioFire 12 (Older models: FireWire ports' beveled edges pointing up) - CS4272
Layla3G - CS4272
Gina3G - CS42426
Echo Gina24 A/D AK4393 D/A AK5383
Indigo dj - CS4392
Indigo i/o - CS4272
MiaMIDI - AK4528

EGO Systems/ESI
ESU1808 Akm Ak5384 ADC Akm Ak4358vq
MAXIO EX8K: A/D:AKM AK5394A; D/A: AKM AK4395
Maxio 032e AK5394, AK4395
Juli@: A/D:AKM AK5385A; D/A: AKM AK4358

E-MU Systems
0202 USB: CS4392 AK5385m
0404 USB AK5385a AK4396
Tracker Pre AK5385, CS4392
0404: PCM1804 AKM AK4395
1820: PCM1804 CS4392
1212m AK5394 CS4398
1616M AK5394 CS4398
1820m AK5394A CS4398 JRC2068

FOCUSRITE
Saffire CS42428-CQ
Saffire LE CS42432-DMZ
Saffire 6 USB CS4272
Platinum 8 OctoPre AKM5383 AKM5383
Saffire Pro CS4272
Liquid Saffire 56 CS4272

KRK
Ergo A/D AK4620 D/A AK4396 ASRC AK4122

LEXICON
fw810s CS4272-CZZ CS42426 dbx TypeIV

LINE 6
TonePort/Studio UX1/UX2 : AK4528
Toneport UX8 : CS4272
Pod X3 : CS4272

LUCID
AD9624 A/D:CS5396
DA9624 D/A:CS5396
ADA8824: A/D:AKM AK5392; D/A: AKM AK4324

LYNX Studio
TWO/L22: A/D:AKM AK5394A; D/A: Cirrus Logic CS4396
AES16?AK4114x8
AES16-SRC?AK4114x8?AD1896x4
Aurora CS5381

MACKIE
FIREWIRE CARD ONYX A/D AK5384 D/A AK4528
ONYX 400/F 1200F A/D AK5385 D/A AK4358

M-AUDIO
Audiophile 192 AKM AK5385A AK4358
Audiophile 2496 AK4528VF AK4528VF CS8427
Delta44 & 66 AK4524
Delta1010 A/D AK5383 D/A AK4393
ProjectMix A/D AK5381 D/A AK4358
Firewire Solo ADC AK5357?DAC AK4381
Firewire 410 : Envy24 HT, AK4355/AK4381, AK5380
FireWire 1814 Input 1&2 A/D AK5385A, Ins 3-8 A/D AK5381, D/A AK4358
ProFire 610, 2626: AK4620

MOTU
MOTU 828 AK4321VF CS4223-KS OPAMPS - 4580
MOTU 828 Mk2 AK4528*8/AK4382 DAC for main outs
MOTU 2408 mk3 AKM AK4528VF
MOTU 828mk3 TI PGA2500,CS5364 8in CS5368, volume CS3308 8out AK4358 AK4382 MAIN AK4396
MOTU 8pre AK5385 AK4382
MOTU HD192 AK5394
MOTU 896HD AKM 5385
MOTU Ultralite: AK4620AVF
Motu Traveller: A/D AK5385AVS, sorry no info for D/a

METRIC HALO
Mobile I/O 2882?DSP A/D AK5383 D/A AK4393
ULN2: A/D is the AKM 5383 and D/A is the AKM 4393
ULN8 AKM 5394 AKM 4395
LIO-8 AD AK5394 DA AK4395

MYTEK
8X96:ADC - CS5396 (or CS8427?) DAC - CS5396
Stereo192 ADC - AKM 5394A
8x192 AD Burr Brown PCM4202 DA Analog Devices ad1955

KRK
Ergo DAC AKM4396

NOVATION
nio 2 | 4(CS4272,AK4394)

PRESONUS
PreSonus Firebox ADC:AKM AK5384 DAC: AKM AK4358/ST Micro MC33078,33079
PreSonus FireStudio 26in26out(8in8out)AK5384 AK4358?
PreSonus Firepod 10in10out(8in8out) AK5384 AK4358?
MSR (monitor studio remote) for Presonus FireStudio WM8590GEDS
PreSonus FireStudio Mobile AD PCM4204 DA PCM4104

PRISMSOUND
Orpheus A/D CS5381 D/A CS4398, Mic pre PGA2500, Line ins OPA2134, Line outs venerable 5532 (TI ver), Headphone out OPA2134
DA-2 TDA 1547
ADA-8XR AKM AK4395

RME
RME ADI-2: A/D:AKM AK5385 D/A: AKM AK4395
RME ADI-8: A/D AK5392 D/A AD1852
RME ADI-8 DS: A/D:AKM AK5393A; D/A: Analog Devices AD1852
RME Digi96/8 PST/PAD: A/D AK5383 D/A Analog Devices AD1852
RME HDSP 9632: A/D:AKM AK5385A; D/A: Analog Devices AD1852
RME HDSPe AIO ADC - CS5361 DAC - AD1852
RME Fireface 800 A/D AK5385 D/A AK4395(AK4396 since March 2005)
RME Fireface 400 A/D D/A AK4620A
RME Fireface UFX A/D CS5368 D/A PCM4104
RME Multiface 1: A/D D/A AK4528VF
RME Multiface 2: A/D D/A AK4620A

ROLAND
Edirol UA-101 USB 2.0 A/D CS5340 D/A AKM 4385
Edirol UA-25 DAC AK4385 ADC AK5381 DAI AK4114?USB TUSB3200
EDIROL UA-1EX DAC AK4385 ADC AK5357 DAI AK4114 USB TUSB3200
EDIROL FA66 AKM 4385VT CS5340
SM PRO AUDIO
ADDA 192-S: A/D CS5381 D/A CS4398

STEINBERG
MR816 AD AK5385BVF-E2 DA AK4358VQ
Yamaha N-12 AD AKM AK5385 DA AKM AK4393 and AK4382A for AUX and phones. Discrete preamp -> JRC2068MD Op-amps for unbalancing -> insert jack -> NE5532DA for balancing before the ADC

TASCAM
TASCAM US-144 A/D AK5385 D/A AK4384
TASCAM US-122L DAC AK4384 ADC AK5381
TASCAM US-800 ADC: AKM 5359ET DAC: AKM 4384ET

T.C.electronic
TC KONNEKT 24D/live: AK4620b INA163
Studio KONNEKT48 DA AK4359 AK4385, AD AK5358 AK5359 OPAMP JRC 2068
TC Impact Twin AD/DA AK4620 Output opamps 4-NE5532.

TERRATEC
terratec x24 phase cs42426

UNIVERSAL AUDIO
Apollo AD AKM AK5388EQ (Quad AD) DA CS4398 DA(Headphones) AK4480 Preamps x4 - PGA2500

OTHER BRANDS
AQVOX USB 2 D/A MKII PCM17964
Audioresearch DAC7 PCM1792
Berkley Audio Design Alfa Dac AD1955A
Bryston BDA-1 CS-4398
Cambridge Audio Dac Magic WM8740
Cary Audio Xciter Dac AK4399
Lavry Da11 Analog Devices 1955
Logitech Transporter AKM AK4396
Matrix mini-i AD1955
Musical Fidelity V-Dac Burr Brown DSD1792
Northstar Extremo PCM1792
Ps Audio Dac III: Burr Brown 1798
PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC WM8741
Stello Da-100 signature AK4395, AD1896 upsampler
Sutra DAC 1 Burr-Brown 1740
Weiss DAC2 Burr Brown PCM1792
Weiss Dac 202 Sabre ESS9018
Weiss Medea DAC AD1853

Do I need better converters?
www.theaudioblog.org/post/do-i-need-better-converters

A List of the fanciest Analog-to-Digital converters - February 13, 2020
https://flyingsound.net/general/list-of-analog-to-digital-converters/

Spoiler: Q. What makes some interfaces more expensive than others?

Q. What makes some interfaces more expensive than others?

By Martin WalkerPublished December 2005

When it comes to computer audio interfaces, what is it that we are really paying for and how does the price relate to the quality of the A-D/D-A converters? Devices like the MOTU Traveler and the RME Fireface 800 cost more than, for example, the Focusrite Saffire or Digidesign M Box 2, so what does the extra money get you? When I look at the A-D/D-A specifications (sample rate, dynamic range and so on) of interfaces which differ quite a lot in price, they often seem very similar. So do more expensive units sound better?

SOS Forum Post

PC music specialist Martin Walker replies: When it comes to audio quality, there's a lot more to computer audio interfaces than the choice of A-D/D-A converters — having a low-jitter clock is vital if the sound is to remain 'focused', and the design of the analogue support circuitry (the input preamps and output stages) also modifies the final sound to a lesser extent, including the choice of op-amps, some of the capacitors, the power-regulator design... the list goes on!

Many manufacturers start the design of a new audio interface by establishing a rough feature list along with a likely price point, and then the engineers have a complex juggling act to perform to meet this brief. Entering the equation are the quality and price of the converters, the quality of the analogue circuitry (particularly the mic preamps, if there are any), the quality of digital circuitry, plus the controls, connectors, casework and so on. However, when it comes to the converters, many companies tend to choose exactly the same components from one of a handful of manufacturers like AKM Semiconductor, Cirrus Logic and Burr Brown.

The converters may only end up contributing a tiny part of the overall build cost, but their specifications often become an important part of the marketing process, particularly when new features like 192kHz support are available (though in the real world I still regard this as a red herring for most recording musicians). Some audio interface manufacturers also quote specifications for the converter chip alone, which can be misleading, since once all the support circuitry is added this inevitably compromises overall performance to some extent. Others quote real-world performance for the entire interface, which is far more helpful.

With many audio interfaces you are predominantly paying for the array of features on offer, so an eight-in/eight-out interface will cost a lot more than a stereo one simply because there's nearly four times as much circuitry, socketry and controls. You will also pay more for additional features such as mic preamps, built-in limiting, word clock I/O and so on, which is why I always stress the importance of choosing the interface that best suits your needs. A £1000 interface with loads of features may not benefit you if you really only need one with basic stereo in/out capability that could give you similar audio quality for half the price or less. On the other hand, if two interfaces with similar features and I/O are at wildly different prices, the more expensive one is almost bound to offer better audio quality, although whether or not you'll really benefit from it depends to some extent on the rest of your gear.

Source: https://www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/q-what-makes-some-interfaces-more-expensive-others

 

Last edited: May 1, 2021