Which D/A Converter is better?

[sunmachine]

If all goes well I'll get an Xite-1 very soon!
So, I'm currently thinking about how to integrate it into my setup.
I've an RME UCX connected to a PreSonus Central Station.

What do you think is better?
A. Connect the Xite via ADAT (or AES/EBU) to the UCX and thus listen through the UCX D/A converters
B. Connect the Xite's analog outputs to the Central Station

Maybe I'll also get a Ferrofish A16 AE in the future.
So the next question will then be, if the D/A converter of the A16 are better than the ones of the Xite/UCX?

How's the ranking among these three (best first)?
UCX - A16 - Xite
UCX - Xite -A16
A16 - Xite - UCX
A16 - UCX- Xite
Xite - UCX - A16
Xite - A16- UCX
???

At the end of the day I'll probably try the different setups here, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

[Bud Weiser]

I've an RME UCX connected to a PreSonus Central Station.

What do you think is better?
A. Connect the Xite via ADAT (or AES/EBU) to the UCX and thus listen through the UCX D/A converters
B. Connect the Xite's analog outputs to the Central Station

XITE-1 became the heart of my (home-) studio,- XITE-1 sounds excellent.
You need the right amp/speaker combo or good active speakers and, if possible, some audio optimization for the room.

XITE-1 itself is already a monitor controller, summing box, control room management etc., just only a remote control is missing.
The only thing I use between the XITE-1 and the amp is a passive volume knob w/ a mute switch actually.

Maybe I'll also get a Ferrofish A16 AE in the future.

An AD/DA connected to XITE-1 is the key to realize the monitor controller/controlroom setup w/ XITE-1 and SCOPE environment,- it offers the additional I/Os you need.
Actually I´m using a Nuendo (RME) 8 I/O which enables a lot of routing possibilities to different amp/speaker combos, earphone amps etc..
Talkback works via XITE-1´s Mic/DI on front panel and related routing.

So the next question will then be, if the D/A converter of the A16 are better than the ones of the Xite/UCX?

Well, I also own a RME card and now I don´t use it anymore, so it went back in is original box.
Same w/ my Steinberg VSL2020 card.

You can probaly sell the RME UCX and Presonus Central Station after you´ve found out how to set up your XITE-1 for your purposes.

In fact, I´d like to buy a A16mkII too if it had Z-Link.
I need one of the XITE-1´s ADAT I/Os for my Creamware Power Pulsar sitting in a 2nd machine.
As the result, only ONE ADAT I/O left over for AD/DA.

Bud

[ShogunSpy]

I added a Ross Martin Superbeast DA to my Xite 1-d and I am blown away by how the sound has opened up Its like I was not getting the full picture before. The reason I added it was for the Headphone amp and to feed it with Aes from the xbox and free up some I/0 which is limited on the 1-d. I was surprised because the X it'd has very good D/A conversion. The Ross Martin is truly a beast. My next step will be the Ferrofish A16 AE and mic pre and I am set ..

[sunmachine]

Thanks for the replies, guys!

You can probaly sell the RME UCX and Presonus Central Station after you´ve found out how to set up your XITE-1 for your purposes.

Unfortunately that's not an option because I'll use the UCX also with my Mac Mini running OS X or as an interface for the iPad.
So I've actually three different setups in mind:
1. Mac Mini running Windows with Xite and UCX as A/D converter for external sound modules.
2. Mac Mini running OS X with UCX as A/D and D/A converter.
3. Same as 2. but with the iPad instead of the Mac Mini.

So when using both the Xite and the UCX, I can either use the DA converters of the Xite or the UCX to listen to my mix and switch between them with the Central Station.

[Bud Weiser]

Unfortunately that's not an option because I'll use the UCX also with my Mac Mini running OS X or as an interface for the iPad.
So I've actually three different setups in mind:
1. Mac Mini running Windows with Xite and UCX as A/D converter for external sound modules.
2. Mac Mini running OS X with UCX as A/D and D/A converter.
3. Same as 2. but with the iPad instead of the Mac Mini.

So when using both the Xite and the UCX, I can either use the DA converters of the Xite or the UCX to listen to my mix and switch between them with the Central Station.

You have too many options ...

O.k., I understand the Mac scenario in your case now.
But may I ask WHY you use the Mac Mini at all ?
Which software do you use on your Mac Mini being essential ?
Probably Logic X,- right ?

In that case I´d run:

1.)
Logic on the Mac Mini w/ the RME UCX and use optical S/PDIF channels to go digitally into Presonus Central Station TOSlink input.
2.)
SCOPE on Windows-PC w/ XITE using XITE´s AES/EBU out and a AES/SPDIF conversion box, then run digitally into Presonus Central Station S/PDIF input.
3.)
I´d wire UCX´s and XITE´s ADAT ports bi-directional too which gives you a lot of additional routing options and keeps everything in digital domain as long as possible.
It also leaves analogue I/Os on UCX as well as XITE free for other purposes when you need ´em.

I hope Presonus Central Station DA conversion is satisfying (for you).

If not, I´d sell the Central Station and do a similar setup (UCX digital out>XITE digital in) and using XITE analog outs to feed your monitor setup,- maybe via a passive router for more than only one speaker setup ...
Eventually this (if necessary at all) ...

http://www.musicstore.de/en_EN/GBP/Pro- ... 010844-000

or w/ stepped encoder ...

http://www.musicstore.de/en_EN/EUR/New- ... 6000be4267

Bud

[m.my91]

AK4390.
7 samples of latency!