Stand-alone D‑A converter boxes also invariably offer digital input switching options, a precision output‑level control, and sometimes several analogue outputs, so that they can also be used as simple monitor controllers. Once you move beyond the 'cheap and cheerful' headphone distribution amps designed for several musicians to monitor their performances in the studio, higher quality headphone amps can prove surprisingly expensive! Besides offering precision reference monitoring in the studio, most are portable and compact enough to be very useful for location monitoring, especially since most also offer integral high‑quality headphone amplifiers. Improving playback quality is the main reason to consider buying a stand-alone D‑A converter, but many such boxes can be used for other duties too, meaning that they offer better value for money than it might at first appear. ![]() The Apogee Mini‑DAC is small, and as it is capable of running on batteries it is an excellent choice for location work. Bear in mind, though, that this is just one aspect of the monitoring chain that can be improved (see the 'Audio Upgrades: Which Comes First?' box). This approach should benefit anyone for whom playback is more important than recording, including mixing and mastering engineers, plus all those whose music largely relies on software synths (whose signals are generated inside the computer), sample libraries and software samplers, as well as those who simply want to improve their CD listening experience. You should instantly hear all the little musical details that were previously buried under a layer of digital 'grunge'. ![]() Some models even offer USB or Firewire ports that you connect directly to your computer, which means that you require no separate audio interface at all. All you need to do is connect the digital output of your existing audio interface to a standalone D‑A converter with built‑in jitter suppression. However, for those who primarily work with pre‑recorded material, and particularly for the vast majority who work in stereo rather than surround, devoting a similar amount of money to just two channels of D‑A conversion may provide a more cost‑effective route to sonic nirvana. They can always upgrade their D‑A converters later on to hear further playback benefits when funds permit. Those with compact setups who want to improve their audio recording quality should therefore either investigate a better audio interface, or (assuming their existing interface has some spare digital inputs), buy a box containing a set of more up‑market A‑D converters that incorporate their own higher-quality clock. The two most critical points as far as jitter is concerned are, firstly, when analogue signals are converted to digital by the A‑D conversion process during recordings - where any digital 'shaking' will result in a permanently 'blurred' recording that can't be corrected or improved later on and, secondly, when digital audio is later converted back to analogue so that we can hear it through loudspeakers or headphones - where any further digital 'shakiness' will blur existing recordings. Who Will Benefit From A New D‑A Converter? In fact, some cheaper audio interfaces may not benefit at all when fed from even the best external clock signal (more on this later). But to improve the sound of most multi‑channel audio interfaces with a retail price of, say, £800 $1300 or less, it will probably be more cost‑effective to sell the existing interface and buy one with equivalent features but better converters and its own higher-quality internal clock. ![]() Most 'master clock generators' offer multiple outputs across various digital formats, and are therefore ideal when working with video, or if you have a complex digital audio setup with lots of gear that requires synchronising to a common clock signal. The aim is to lower the converters' clock jitter level - that is to say, the amount of timing uncertainty in digital audio's low‑to‑high and then high‑to‑low transitions (analogous to 'camera shake'). In studios that range from tiny bedroom setups to commercial enterprises, improving the existing audio quality is a popular topic, and there are regular requests on the SOS Forums for advice about buying a high‑quality clock generator to improve the sound quality of existing A‑D and D‑A converters. If your music relies on soft synths and samples, playback quality is more important to you than your recording chain, so adding a high-quality, stand-alone D-A converter may be the most targeted way to improve your system.
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