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Post by thehightenor on Mar 16, 2024 13:50:47 GMT -6
I'm going to start hybrid mixing again.
I've got a Cranesong HEDD 192 for tracking, mixing through into my analog stereo chain and Mastering
and an Avocet for monitoring.
This is purely an ADA for insert channels in Cubase to my racks of hardware when mixing.
So pre-recorded line level signals.
The Ferrofish Pulse 16 (with +24dBu I/O option) is very sensibly priced and will work with an RME RayDAT PCIe card.
It's a very sensible price - less than half the price of an Lynx Aurora N!
But is it good enough for running my precious vocal, bass, lead signals through into my tube/solid state hardware (STA, LA2A, BAE 1073 etc)
I'd rather not waste money if possible but equally don't want to skimp if I'm going to notice a sonically significant difference?
Any thoughts and sage advice?
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Post by Bark Bark Dog on Mar 16, 2024 14:50:35 GMT -6
Also very interested in this.
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Post by FM77 on Mar 16, 2024 16:37:44 GMT -6
I'm going to start hybrid mixing again. I've got a Cranesong HEDD 192 for tracking, mixing through into my analog stereo chain and Mastering and an Avocet for monitoring. This is purely an ADA for insert channels in Cubase to my racks of hardware when mixing. So pre-recorded line level signals. The Ferrofish Pulse 16 (with +24dBu I/O option) is very sensibly priced and will work with an RME RayDAT PCIe card. It's a very sensible price - less than half the price of an Lynx Aurora N! But is it good enough for running my precious vocal, bass, lead signals through into my tube/solid state hardware (STA, LA2A, BAE 1073 etc) I'd rather not waste money if possible but equally don't want to skimp if I'm going to notice a sonically significant difference? Any thoughts and sage advice? Unequivocally yes.
Build quality, stability, sonic clarity, transparency, ease of use, is all there. A really great bit of gear.
It was a godsend for my setup. I use it for external hardware inserts for Nuendo and Cubase.
Bettermaker Mastering EQ Bettermaker Mastering Comp RNP MPB Master Bus Processor
Wes Audio ngBus Comp
TK TKLizer EQ
Tube Tech PE-1C
Are all patched through it. I may not be a sage, but I do appreciate great audio and well designed, high functioning gear and my advice would be do not hesitate. It's quality is evident once you use it.
FM
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Post by robo on Mar 16, 2024 16:52:47 GMT -6
I have one, and use it to interface with hardware when mixing. It is quite transparent.
When compared to my Hilo, which is my master clock and main ADDA, it’s a tiny bit harder sounding, maybe not quite as open in the extreme high end. I usually run lead vocals or full mixes through the Hilo for that slight edge, but everything else sounds just fine IMO through the Ferrofish.
If you buy through ZenPro you can get the converter shootout files, and then you can decide if any differences are important. Even if you don’t, it’s probably worth the $100 to hear before you buy.
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Post by thehightenor on Mar 16, 2024 17:06:12 GMT -6
I have one, and use it to interface with hardware when mixing. It is quite transparent. When compared to my Hilo, which is my master clock and main ADDA, it’s a tiny bit harder sounding, maybe not quite as open in the extreme high end. I usually run lead vocals or full mixes through the Hilo for that slight edge, but everything else sounds just fine IMO through the Ferrofish. If you buy through ZenPro you can get the converter shootout files, and then you can decide if any differences are important. Even if you don’t, it’s probably worth the $100 to hear before you buy. I need to keep my HEDD 192 for the stereo bus chain so I'd be using the Ferrofish for my lead vocal mixdown chain. I'm a bit concerned by the term" hard sounding" as that's my dislike of RME converters. Food for thought though. Thank you. |
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Post by thehightenor on Mar 16, 2024 17:07:32 GMT -6
I'm going to start hybrid mixing again. I've got a Cranesong HEDD 192 for tracking, mixing through into my analog stereo chain and Mastering and an Avocet for monitoring. This is purely an ADA for insert channels in Cubase to my racks of hardware when mixing. So pre-recorded line level signals. The Ferrofish Pulse 16 (with +24dBu I/O option) is very sensibly priced and will work with an RME RayDAT PCIe card. It's a very sensible price - less than half the price of an Lynx Aurora N! But is it good enough for running my precious vocal, bass, lead signals through into my tube/solid state hardware (STA, LA2A, BAE 1073 etc) I'd rather not waste money if possible but equally don't want to skimp if I'm going to notice a sonically significant difference? Any thoughts and sage advice? Unequivocally yes.
Build quality, stability, sonic clarity, transparency, ease of use, is all there. A really great bit of gear.
It was a godsend for my setup. I use it for external hardware inserts for Nuendo and Cubase.
Bettermaker Mastering EQ Bettermaker Mastering Comp RNP MPB Master Bus Processor
Wes Audio ngBus Comp
TK TKLizer EQ
Tube Tech PE-1C
Are all patched through it. I may not be a sage, but I do appreciate great audio and well designed, high functioning gear and my advice would be do not hesitate. It's quality is evident once you use it.
FM
Thanks. Your application is very similar to the approach I will be taking. |
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Post by FM77 on Mar 16, 2024 17:21:19 GMT -6
I have one, and use it to interface with hardware when mixing. It is quite transparent. When compared to my Hilo, which is my master clock and main ADDA, it’s a tiny bit harder sounding, maybe not quite as open in the extreme high end. I usually run lead vocals or full mixes through the Hilo for that slight edge, but everything else sounds just fine IMO through the Ferrofish. If you buy through ZenPro you can get the converter shootout files, and then you can decide if any differences are important. Even if you don’t, it’s probably worth the $100 to hear before you buy. I know what you mean.
I attribute the sterile transparency of the Ferrofish to the filters. The HILO is forgiving and 'pleasant' (if that can be said of a converter) for simultaneously being transparent. It is also my primary ADDA and master clock. But that said, I use the RME ADI -2 DAC for mixing since it offers a selection of filter choices. Some smoother, some more sterile. I have my 2 preferences but I do experiment. All that to say, when I switch between the RME and HILO, the HILO can sound either smooth or hard. in contrast, depending on which filter I was using on the RME. |
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Post by FM77 on Mar 16, 2024 17:26:34 GMT -6
I'm a bit concerned by the term" hard sounding" as that's my dislike of RME converters.Food for thought though. Thank you. I do find them similar to RME.
But as a 20+ year RME user, I am grateful for the nondescript converters in RME gear. Very utilitarian which I feel like is the most relevant part of the chain for that function. But I get it man.
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Post by robo on Mar 16, 2024 23:57:09 GMT -6
I have one, and use it to interface with hardware when mixing. It is quite transparent. When compared to my Hilo, which is my master clock and main ADDA, it’s a tiny bit harder sounding, maybe not quite as open in the extreme high end. I usually run lead vocals or full mixes through the Hilo for that slight edge, but everything else sounds just fine IMO through the Ferrofish. If you buy through ZenPro you can get the converter shootout files, and then you can decide if any differences are important. Even if you don’t, it’s probably worth the $100 to hear before you buy. I need to keep my HEDD 192 for the stereo bus chain so I'd be using the Ferrofish for my lead vocal mixdown chain. I'm a bit concerned by the term" hard sounding" as that's my dislike of RME converters. Food for thought though. Thank you. You’re welcome to send me something to run through the Ferrofish. |
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Post by thehightenor on Mar 17, 2024 3:11:53 GMT -6
I need to keep my HEDD 192 for the stereo bus chain so I'd be using the Ferrofish for my lead vocal mixdown chain. I'm a bit concerned by the term" hard sounding" as that's my dislike of RME converters. Food for thought though. Thank you. You’re welcome to send me something to run through the Ferrofish. That's a kind offer - thank you. |
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,083 
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Post by ericn on Mar 18, 2024 16:50:17 GMT -6
Ferrofish, it won’t suck, it won’t wow either, but it won’t suck.
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Post by thehightenor on Mar 18, 2024 17:29:43 GMT -6
Ferrofish, it won’t suck, it won’t wow either, but it won’t suck. I've decided looking at the other kit in my set-up that it makes sense for me to save a little longer and get a Lynx Aurora N. I imagine the Ferrofish is very good, but I just feel as I'm tracking everything with my HEDD 192 and some really great hardware that I want to preserve that quality and vibe as much as possible and I feel the Lynx ADA's are going to get me as close as possible to that goal. |
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Post by thehightenor on Mar 22, 2024 1:49:21 GMT -6
Change of plan!
I’ve discovered Ferrofish make a unit called the
A32 Pro Dante!
This looks to be superb, great converters 32x32!
Dante, ADAT, MADI - routing matrix.
It seems like the perfect companion for a hybrid tracking/mixing rig.
I’ll still track and master through my Cranesong HEDD 192 but this unit will be perfect for mixing/ re-amping/ extra monitoring etc.
Looks to be a really professional unit.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,083
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Post by ericn on Mar 22, 2024 9:27:18 GMT -6
Change of plan! I’ve discovered Ferrofish make a unit called the A32 Pro Dante! This looks to be superb, great converters 32x32! Dante, ADAT, MADI - routing matrix. It seems like the perfect companion for a hybrid tracking/mixing rig. I’ll still track and master through my Cranesong HEDD 192 but this unit will be perfect for mixing/ re-amping/ extra monitoring etc. Looks to be a really professional unit. It’s not bad again it won’t suck but won’t wow either, it’s a nice workhorse. |
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Post by thehightenor on Mar 22, 2024 14:42:51 GMT -6
Change of plan! I’ve discovered Ferrofish make a unit called the A32 Pro Dante! This looks to be superb, great converters 32x32! Dante, ADAT, MADI - routing matrix. It seems like the perfect companion for a hybrid tracking/mixing rig. I’ll still track and master through my Cranesong HEDD 192 but this unit will be perfect for mixing/ re-amping/ extra monitoring etc. Looks to be a really professional unit. It’s not bad again it won’t suck but won’t wow either, it’s a nice workhorse. I don’t need it to wow, just to I/O signal in full bandwidth with a reasonable noise floor. I heard a file where someone had looped an acoustic guitar recording for 56 passes though the Pulse 16 and apart from the expected accumulation of quantisation noise the signal was still completely in tact - 56 passes! The A32 has better ADA’s than the Pulse. I will make 1 pass! On hearing the file of 56 round trips - it’s the first time I’ve thought - yep modern converters are getting extremely good! I have my HEDD 192 to capture the wow and it does that extremely well and an Avocet for monitoring. 32 channels of I/O - format conversion and signal routing needs to be a “workhorse solution” and there’s no way I’m dropping £7000 on a Lynx Aurora N to get something that I now doubt I’ll be able to pick out in an ABX, when it’s just passing pre recorded line level balanced signal to my processing racks. |
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Post by Quint on Nov 14, 2024 13:04:36 GMT -6
It’s not bad again it won’t suck but won’t wow either, it’s a nice workhorse. I don’t need it to wow, just to I/O signal in full bandwidth with a reasonable noise floor. I heard a file where someone had looped an acoustic guitar recording for 56 passes though the Pulse 16 and apart from the expected accumulation of quantisation noise the signal was still completely in tact - 56 passes! The A32 has better ADA’s than the Pulse. I will make 1 pass! On hearing the file of 56 round trips - it’s the first time I’ve thought - yep modern converters are getting extremely good! I have my HEDD 192 to capture the wow and it does that extremely well and an Avocet for monitoring. 32 channels of I/O - format conversion and signal routing needs to be a “workhorse solution” and there’s no way I’m dropping £7000 on a Lynx Aurora N to get something that I now doubt I’ll be able to pick out in an ABX, when it’s just passing pre recorded line level balanced signal to my processing racks. Where'd you hear about the A32 having better AD/DA than the Pulse 16? I'd like to read about that. |
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Post by thehightenor on Nov 14, 2024 16:06:40 GMT -6
I don’t need it to wow, just to I/O signal in full bandwidth with a reasonable noise floor. I heard a file where someone had looped an acoustic guitar recording for 56 passes though the Pulse 16 and apart from the expected accumulation of quantisation noise the signal was still completely in tact - 56 passes! The A32 has better ADA’s than the Pulse. I will make 1 pass! On hearing the file of 56 round trips - it’s the first time I’ve thought - yep modern converters are getting extremely good! I have my HEDD 192 to capture the wow and it does that extremely well and an Avocet for monitoring. 32 channels of I/O - format conversion and signal routing needs to be a “workhorse solution” and there’s no way I’m dropping £7000 on a Lynx Aurora N to get something that I now doubt I’ll be able to pick out in an ABX, when it’s just passing pre recorded line level balanced signal to my processing racks. Where'd you hear about the A32 having better AD/DA than the Pulse 16? I'd like to read about that. Update - Ferrofish themselves told me the A/D's in the A32pro are the same as the Pulse 16 but the D/A's are different and that the Pulse 16 isn't a step down in quality. The A32 Pro is their flagship unit - I would of bought it if I needed 32 I/O and if I could easily integrate DB25's into my set-up. The Pulse 16 sounds so close (for the music I do) and also has TRS I/O which suits my set-up and needs. |
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Post by Quint on Nov 16, 2024 12:02:37 GMT -6
Where'd you hear about the A32 having better AD/DA than the Pulse 16? I'd like to read about that. Update - Ferrofish themselves told me the A/D's in the A32pro are the same as the Pulse 16 but the D/A's are different and that the Pulse 16 isn't a step down in quality. The A32 Pro is their flagship unit - I would of bought it if I needed 32 I/O and if I could easily integrate DB25's into my set-up. The Pulse 16 sounds so close (for the music I do) and also has TRS I/O which suits my set-up and needs. Ah, so you did end up with the Pulse 16 after all. I thought you purchased the A32. I'm currently exploring MADI/Dante converters, and Ferrofish is on my short list. Also the Orion 32+. Eventually, I'd upgrade to a 32 channel Aurora (n), but for now, I've gotta go cheaper if I also want to pick up the Burls. |
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Post by thehightenor on Nov 16, 2024 12:54:00 GMT -6
Update - Ferrofish themselves told me the A/D's in the A32pro are the same as the Pulse 16 but the D/A's are different and that the Pulse 16 isn't a step down in quality. The A32 Pro is their flagship unit - I would of bought it if I needed 32 I/O and if I could easily integrate DB25's into my set-up. The Pulse 16 sounds so close (for the music I do) and also has TRS I/O which suits my set-up and needs. Ah, so you did end up with the Pulse 16 after all. I thought you purchased the A32. I'm currently exploring MADI/Dante converters, and Ferrofish is on my short list. Also the Orion 32+. Eventually, I'd upgrade to a 32 channel Aurora (n), but for now, I've gotta go cheaper if I also want to pick up the Burls. I’m sure I’d appreciate the edge the Aurora N or even better the Merging Technologies HAPA mk3 but this will have to wait until I completely re do my room - probably when I change rooms as I’ll need to switch over to everything running off DB25’s and AES. The attraction of the Pulse 16 for me was very good quality ADA - 16 channels I/O over ADAT at 96/24 and TRS I/O. Sometimes features are a big draw as long as the quality meets a certain standard - it’s gotta be fit for purpose. |
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Post by seamus on Nov 18, 2024 8:24:50 GMT -6
I have a Ferrofish A16 mk2, which is the model before the Pulse (I think).
It's totally fine.
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