Hugh's Interface Converter measurement list hasn't been updated since October 2021. I know he hasn't tested many interfaces himself in the meantime, but there have been five reviews since then.
Any chance of the list being expanded and kept up to date?
Any new inteface measurements for Hugh's Converter Measurement List?
Re: Any new inteface measurements for Hugh's Converter Measurement List?
I'll have a rummage...
- Hugh Robjohns
Moderator -
Posts: 41729 Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 12:00 am
Location: Worcestershire, UK
Contact:
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
Re: Any new inteface measurements for Hugh's Converter Measurement List?
As promised, here is my updated list of dynamic range measurements of the interfaces and converters which have passed across my test bench.
Note: I found a few format translation errors in the previous edition which I’ve now corrected, and I've pasted this post into the Technical Information Archive replacing the original.
First, though, some caveats:
Point one: This list is ONLY of the products that happened to have crossed my test bench. It is categorically NOT a comprehensive list of 'The Best (or worst) Converters and Interfaces', and is not intended as a list of recommendations.
There are many entire brands and specific popular products that I haven't had the opportunity to measure (yet). Moreover, some of those listed here are early models (such as the UA Apollo, for example): please check the review dates as later model revisions will probably perform better than the figures below suggest.
Also, the omission of devices from this list does not imply anything about their performance in any way; I simply haven't tested them (yet).
Point two: These measurements have all been made under identical testing conditions using an Audio Precision AP x515 test set, running an AES17 Dynamic Range test with A-weighting. There are alternative ways of evaluating 'dynamic range', and there are technically 'better' test sets available than the one I'm using, although none of these tested devices' performance approach the limits of the x515's measurement capabilities.
Point three: The AES17 measurement is only one way of evaluating converter performance — there are many others measurable parameters which could be tested and might result in a different listing order.
However, the AES17 test is one which I have found to give a consistent and reliable quantitative assessment of converter performance that tallies closely with my subjective impressions. Someone else might subjectively rank products differently based on their own personal preferences and requirements.
It is worth noting, though, that to achieve a good AES17 score every aspect of the converter has to be very well-optimised: the power supplies (particularly the analogue/digital supply isolation), grounding arrangements, shielding, analogue circuitry, clocking/jitter, digital stream recovery, and much more besides. Technical or design weaknesses in any area very quickly degrade the measurement.
For me, the biggest take away is that there is a 20dB difference in performance between the worst and best models to have passed across my test bench. And although the very best performers are generally the most expensive models, and the very worst the least expensive -- much as you might expect -- a surprisingly high number of affordable devices manage to deliver extremely good figures, which is encouraging. Even the worst devices in the list are still capable of high quality results in practical home-studio circumstances.
You will notice that I have included the RND MBC Converter twice. The reason is that it achieved a higher score with its output transformer engaged than it did with it bypassed! I can't explain why that was... but it's a fact, so I logged it!
Also, please note that many products in this list are now obsolete and unavailable (I have italicised them). I retain them in the list as they illustrate the general progress in converter performance over time.
So here, in descending order, are the AES17 (A-wtd) measurements for the A-D converters/interfaces I've measured to date. The currently available 'top-ten' are highlighted in bold. I've given all the entries hot links to their corresponding SOS reviews where available.
124.0 RME ADI-2 Pro Interface (April 2017)
123.0 Lavry AD11 Converter (June 2012)
122.0 Universal Audio 2192 Master Interface (August 20120)
121.3 Lynx Hilo Interface (July 2012)
121.3 Current Focusrite ISA card Converter (~2016)
121.0 Merging HAPI (March 2015)
120.5 Grace Design M108 Mic Amp (January 2017)
120.4 RME 12Mic (March 2021)
120.0 Apogee Symphony Interface (Sept 2011)
119.5 Original Focusrite ISA multichannel A-D card (~2003)
119.4 Cranborne 500R8 500-series Rack Interface(Sept 2019)
119.3 Eventide H9000 Effects Processor(June 2019)
119.1 RME UFX III
119.0 RME AIO-Pro (July 2021)
118.0 Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre Interface (November 2021)
118.0 [Not tested, but original Focusrite Clarett USB believed to reside here!]
118.0 Prism Lyra 2 interface (Sept 2015)
118.0 Prism Titan Interface (Sept 2014)
118.0 Crookwood M1 (Dec 2012)
117.0 Focusrite RedNet Interface (March 2013)
117.0 UAD Apollo Interface (original model) (June 2012)
116.9 Grimm UC1 (June 2002)
116.8 RME AIO card (original) (March 2009)
116.5 Audient ASP 880 Mic Pre (Aug 2014)
116.4 RND MBC Converter (with Xfmr) (Aug 2021)
116.0 Antelope Audio Orion Interface (June 2013)
115.0 RND RMP-D8 Mic Preamp (Sept 2020)
115.0 Burl B2 Bomber Converter (Nov 2010)
114.3 Tascam Series 8p Dyna Mic Preamp (Nov 2019)
114.0 RME Digiface AES (June 2023)
113.7 Drawmer A2D2 Converter (Dec 2010)
113.0 Millennia Media AD596 500-series converter
112.2 Ferrofish Pulse 16DX Converter (Sept 2019)
112.0 SPL Marc One Monitor Controller (A_D_A) (Sept 2021)
112.0 Audient ASP800 Mic Preamp (Nov 2015)
112.0 SSL Alpha MX Converter (Feb 2013)
111.0 RND MBC (no Xfmr) (Aug 2021)
109.0 Ferrofish A16 Ultra mkii Converter (Oct 2012)
109.0 Yellotec PUC2 Interface (July 2014)
105.0 Ferrofish A32 Converter (March 2017)
103.0 Behringer ADA8200 (Sept 2013)
(Italicised devices are no longer in production)
It's interesting to note that a dynamic range figure of 124dB corresponds to 21.1 bits of useful audio information, while 103dB equates to 17.6 bits. Most budget interfaces and converters are achieving around 117dB these days (circa 20 bits), and I’d suggest 118dB is a reasonable minimum target for high end mastering work.
Here is my list of D-A converters (top ten highlighted once again):
129.0 Apogee Symphony Interface (Sept 2011)
126.3 Merging HAPI (March 2015)
125.0 Benchmark DAC2 HGC (Oct 2013)
125.0 Universal Audio 2192 Master Interface (August 20120)
124.0 Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre Interface (November 2021)
121.0 RME ADI-2 Pro Interface (April 2017)
121.0 Antelope Eclipse 384 Interface (Feb 2014)
120.7 Cranborne 500R8 500-series Rack Interface(Sept 2019)
120.5 Lynx Hilo Interface (July 2012)
120.4 RME AIO-Pro (July 2021)
120.1 RME ADI-2 DAC (June 2018)
119.8 RME Digiface AES (June 2023)
119.7 Grace Design m905 (July 2014)
119.1 RME UFX III
119.0 Focusrite RedNet Interface (March 2013)
119.0 Crookwood M1 (Dec 2012)
118.9 Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ Converter (Dec 2018)
118.0 [Not tested, but original Focusrite Clarett USB believed to reside here!]
118.0 Focusrite Forte (Nov 2012)
118.0 UAD Apollo Interface (original model) (June 2012)
117.6 Benchmark DAC1 (July 2005)
117.5 Grace Design m900 (Feb 2021)
117.0 Drawmer HQ (Aug 2011)
116.0 Eventide H9000 Effects Processor(June 2019)
116.0 Prism Lyra 2 interface (Sept 2015)
116.0 Prism Titan Interface (Sept 2014)
116.0 Antelope Audio Orion Interface (June 2013)
115.9 Cambridge Audio DAC Magic (~2010)
114.9 Grace Design m903 (Oct 2012)
114.8 RME AIO card (original) (March 2009)
114.5 Burl B2 Bomber Converter (Nov 2010)
113.0 Ferrofish A16 Ultra mkii Converter (Oct 2012)
112.6 Grace Design m902
112.5 Mytek Liberty DAC Converter (Aug 2018)
112.2 Audient Nero Monitor Controller (Oct 2019)
112.0 SPL Marc One Monitor Controller (A_D_A) (Sept 2021)
112.0 Lindell DACX
111.5 Ferrofish Pulse 16DX Converter (Sept 2019)
111.0 Ferrofish A32 Converter (March 2017)
111.0 TC Electronic Clarity X Digital Monitor Controller (Dec 2015)
107.0 Yellotec PUC2 Interface (July 2014)
107.0 Dangerous Music D-Box+ (Aug 2019)
104.5 Behringer ADA8200 (Sept 2013)
Again, a dynamic range of 129dB equates to 21.9bits, while 104.5dB equates to 17.9bits. D-As almost always measure slightly better than corresponding A-Ds, not least because the hardware has a slightly easier job to do. The Apogee Symphony figure is a suspicious outlier, and I've no idea why it measured so high... I'm inclined to think the real state-of-the-art is closer to the 127dB mark.
I hope that's all of interest...
Remember, though, that the AES17 measurement is only one aspect of a converter's or interface's performance, and I would caution against using it as the sole means of making purchase decisions... but it does provide a reliable qualitative comparison between devices, and that might be useful.
And, as I said previously, I consider anything that scores more than about 118dB as being in the territory of top-notch mastering quality equipment. Anything scoring below 112dB is best avoided as it is decidedly disappointing by modern standards and it's not difficult to find better products at affordable prices.
Note: I found a few format translation errors in the previous edition which I’ve now corrected, and I've pasted this post into the Technical Information Archive replacing the original.
First, though, some caveats:
Point one: This list is ONLY of the products that happened to have crossed my test bench. It is categorically NOT a comprehensive list of 'The Best (or worst) Converters and Interfaces', and is not intended as a list of recommendations.
There are many entire brands and specific popular products that I haven't had the opportunity to measure (yet). Moreover, some of those listed here are early models (such as the UA Apollo, for example): please check the review dates as later model revisions will probably perform better than the figures below suggest.
Also, the omission of devices from this list does not imply anything about their performance in any way; I simply haven't tested them (yet).
Point two: These measurements have all been made under identical testing conditions using an Audio Precision AP x515 test set, running an AES17 Dynamic Range test with A-weighting. There are alternative ways of evaluating 'dynamic range', and there are technically 'better' test sets available than the one I'm using, although none of these tested devices' performance approach the limits of the x515's measurement capabilities.
Point three: The AES17 measurement is only one way of evaluating converter performance — there are many others measurable parameters which could be tested and might result in a different listing order.
However, the AES17 test is one which I have found to give a consistent and reliable quantitative assessment of converter performance that tallies closely with my subjective impressions. Someone else might subjectively rank products differently based on their own personal preferences and requirements.
It is worth noting, though, that to achieve a good AES17 score every aspect of the converter has to be very well-optimised: the power supplies (particularly the analogue/digital supply isolation), grounding arrangements, shielding, analogue circuitry, clocking/jitter, digital stream recovery, and much more besides. Technical or design weaknesses in any area very quickly degrade the measurement.
For me, the biggest take away is that there is a 20dB difference in performance between the worst and best models to have passed across my test bench. And although the very best performers are generally the most expensive models, and the very worst the least expensive -- much as you might expect -- a surprisingly high number of affordable devices manage to deliver extremely good figures, which is encouraging. Even the worst devices in the list are still capable of high quality results in practical home-studio circumstances.
You will notice that I have included the RND MBC Converter twice. The reason is that it achieved a higher score with its output transformer engaged than it did with it bypassed! I can't explain why that was... but it's a fact, so I logged it!
Also, please note that many products in this list are now obsolete and unavailable (I have italicised them). I retain them in the list as they illustrate the general progress in converter performance over time.
So here, in descending order, are the AES17 (A-wtd) measurements for the A-D converters/interfaces I've measured to date. The currently available 'top-ten' are highlighted in bold. I've given all the entries hot links to their corresponding SOS reviews where available.
124.0 RME ADI-2 Pro Interface (April 2017)
123.0 Lavry AD11 Converter (June 2012)
122.0 Universal Audio 2192 Master Interface (August 20120)
121.3 Lynx Hilo Interface (July 2012)
121.3 Current Focusrite ISA card Converter (~2016)
121.0 Merging HAPI (March 2015)
120.5 Grace Design M108 Mic Amp (January 2017)
120.4 RME 12Mic (March 2021)
120.0 Apogee Symphony Interface (Sept 2011)
119.5 Original Focusrite ISA multichannel A-D card (~2003)
119.4 Cranborne 500R8 500-series Rack Interface(Sept 2019)
119.3 Eventide H9000 Effects Processor(June 2019)
119.1 RME UFX III
119.0 RME AIO-Pro (July 2021)
118.0 Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre Interface (November 2021)
118.0 [Not tested, but original Focusrite Clarett USB believed to reside here!]
118.0 Prism Lyra 2 interface (Sept 2015)
118.0 Prism Titan Interface (Sept 2014)
118.0 Crookwood M1 (Dec 2012)
117.0 Focusrite RedNet Interface (March 2013)
117.0 UAD Apollo Interface (original model) (June 2012)
116.9 Grimm UC1 (June 2002)
116.8 RME AIO card (original) (March 2009)
116.5 Audient ASP 880 Mic Pre (Aug 2014)
116.4 RND MBC Converter (with Xfmr) (Aug 2021)
116.0 Antelope Audio Orion Interface (June 2013)
115.0 RND RMP-D8 Mic Preamp (Sept 2020)
115.0 Burl B2 Bomber Converter (Nov 2010)
114.3 Tascam Series 8p Dyna Mic Preamp (Nov 2019)
114.0 RME Digiface AES (June 2023)
113.7 Drawmer A2D2 Converter (Dec 2010)
113.0 Millennia Media AD596 500-series converter
112.2 Ferrofish Pulse 16DX Converter (Sept 2019)
112.0 SPL Marc One Monitor Controller (A_D_A) (Sept 2021)
112.0 Audient ASP800 Mic Preamp (Nov 2015)
112.0 SSL Alpha MX Converter (Feb 2013)
111.0 RND MBC (no Xfmr) (Aug 2021)
109.0 Ferrofish A16 Ultra mkii Converter (Oct 2012)
109.0 Yellotec PUC2 Interface (July 2014)
105.0 Ferrofish A32 Converter (March 2017)
103.0 Behringer ADA8200 (Sept 2013)
(Italicised devices are no longer in production)
It's interesting to note that a dynamic range figure of 124dB corresponds to 21.1 bits of useful audio information, while 103dB equates to 17.6 bits. Most budget interfaces and converters are achieving around 117dB these days (circa 20 bits), and I’d suggest 118dB is a reasonable minimum target for high end mastering work.
Here is my list of D-A converters (top ten highlighted once again):
129.0 Apogee Symphony Interface (Sept 2011)
126.3 Merging HAPI (March 2015)
125.0 Benchmark DAC2 HGC (Oct 2013)
125.0 Universal Audio 2192 Master Interface (August 20120)
124.0 Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre Interface (November 2021)
121.0 RME ADI-2 Pro Interface (April 2017)
121.0 Antelope Eclipse 384 Interface (Feb 2014)
120.7 Cranborne 500R8 500-series Rack Interface(Sept 2019)
120.5 Lynx Hilo Interface (July 2012)
120.4 RME AIO-Pro (July 2021)
120.1 RME ADI-2 DAC (June 2018)
119.8 RME Digiface AES (June 2023)
119.7 Grace Design m905 (July 2014)
119.1 RME UFX III
119.0 Focusrite RedNet Interface (March 2013)
119.0 Crookwood M1 (Dec 2012)
118.9 Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ Converter (Dec 2018)
118.0 [Not tested, but original Focusrite Clarett USB believed to reside here!]
118.0 Focusrite Forte (Nov 2012)
118.0 UAD Apollo Interface (original model) (June 2012)
117.6 Benchmark DAC1 (July 2005)
117.5 Grace Design m900 (Feb 2021)
117.0 Drawmer HQ (Aug 2011)
116.0 Eventide H9000 Effects Processor(June 2019)
116.0 Prism Lyra 2 interface (Sept 2015)
116.0 Prism Titan Interface (Sept 2014)
116.0 Antelope Audio Orion Interface (June 2013)
115.9 Cambridge Audio DAC Magic (~2010)
114.9 Grace Design m903 (Oct 2012)
114.8 RME AIO card (original) (March 2009)
114.5 Burl B2 Bomber Converter (Nov 2010)
113.0 Ferrofish A16 Ultra mkii Converter (Oct 2012)
112.6 Grace Design m902
112.5 Mytek Liberty DAC Converter (Aug 2018)
112.2 Audient Nero Monitor Controller (Oct 2019)
112.0 SPL Marc One Monitor Controller (A_D_A) (Sept 2021)
112.0 Lindell DACX
111.5 Ferrofish Pulse 16DX Converter (Sept 2019)
111.0 Ferrofish A32 Converter (March 2017)
111.0 TC Electronic Clarity X Digital Monitor Controller (Dec 2015)
107.0 Yellotec PUC2 Interface (July 2014)
107.0 Dangerous Music D-Box+ (Aug 2019)
104.5 Behringer ADA8200 (Sept 2013)
Again, a dynamic range of 129dB equates to 21.9bits, while 104.5dB equates to 17.9bits. D-As almost always measure slightly better than corresponding A-Ds, not least because the hardware has a slightly easier job to do. The Apogee Symphony figure is a suspicious outlier, and I've no idea why it measured so high... I'm inclined to think the real state-of-the-art is closer to the 127dB mark.
I hope that's all of interest...
Remember, though, that the AES17 measurement is only one aspect of a converter's or interface's performance, and I would caution against using it as the sole means of making purchase decisions... but it does provide a reliable qualitative comparison between devices, and that might be useful.
And, as I said previously, I consider anything that scores more than about 118dB as being in the territory of top-notch mastering quality equipment. Anything scoring below 112dB is best avoided as it is decidedly disappointing by modern standards and it's not difficult to find better products at affordable prices.
- Hugh Robjohns
Moderator -
Posts: 41729 Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 12:00 am
Location: Worcestershire, UK
Contact:
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
Re: Any new inteface measurements for Hugh's Converter Measurement List?
Hugh based on this list as well as your 2012 review
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/focusrite-forte
Yesterday I purchased Focusrite Forte.
I'm chuffed with the Forte considering the heavyweights it's above in the list, rubbing shoulders with, to get that quality A-D 117dB, D-A 118dB at £70 which I paid, was $599 when you reviewed it.
Were I a pro I would get the Larvy, Apogee Symphony from your list.
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/focusrite-forte
Yesterday I purchased Focusrite Forte.
I'm chuffed with the Forte considering the heavyweights it's above in the list, rubbing shoulders with, to get that quality A-D 117dB, D-A 118dB at £70 which I paid, was $599 when you reviewed it.
Hugh Robjohns wrote: ↑Fri May 26, 2023 3:50 pm I consider anything that scores more than about 118dB as being in the territory of top-notch mastering quality equipment.
Were I a pro I would get the Larvy, Apogee Symphony from your list.
-
- tea for two
Frequent Poster - Posts: 4015 Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2002 12:00 am
Re: Any new inteface measurements for Hugh's Converter Measurement List?
My Focusrite Forte gave up the ghost.
So this week I was using a much cheaper interface which is a brilliant interface in ports, readyness for ipad android one of my favourite audio gear : Zoom U44.
In which the headphone out has this grittyness harshness that hurts my ears even at low volume when I'm using it extended time.
I noticed this on other cheaper interfaces I've had as M-Audio Mtrack2x2.
So I've purchased another Forte from the same place I purchased it after getting a full refund (cex).
So this week I was using a much cheaper interface which is a brilliant interface in ports, readyness for ipad android one of my favourite audio gear : Zoom U44.
In which the headphone out has this grittyness harshness that hurts my ears even at low volume when I'm using it extended time.
I noticed this on other cheaper interfaces I've had as M-Audio Mtrack2x2.
So I've purchased another Forte from the same place I purchased it after getting a full refund (cex).
-
- tea for two
Frequent Poster - Posts: 4015 Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2002 12:00 am