Elephone wrote:
Anyway, I'm just wondering, how much are today's budget converters likely to affect recordings. For example, I record a lot on my Zoom H4n.
There's two things to consider - one is the A/D conversion during recording (and mixing if you use outboard) - which prints the signal "to tape" (i.e, nowadays, to a file on a disk).
The other is the D/A thru which nowadays you listen to the result (and you mix thru if you use outboard).
In order to perceive any differences that may be, both chains need to be very good, and all that's upstream (recording/listening area, monitoring quality, recording or mixing skills etc) has to be really good.
It's easy to get fixated on supposed "professional standards" but don't forget that in professional circles getting out the final result
so that people opens their wallets is what matters, not a standard of theoretical perfection. "Good enough" is the rule (which don't get me wrong, by all standards is pretty good). And what sells is what's upstream - from the material first to the performance and so on.
As others have said, keep working within the converters dynamic range and you'll be fine.