Old 01-25-2022, 05:44 AM   #1
tomo34
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Default How to check AD/DA quality?

Hi,

I'm using old L6 POD XT Pro as dibox for my RME 9632 card which is connected with POD via SPDIF.

Is there any way to check ADDA conversion quality in POD? I'm asking about this, because maybe better solution is to plug regular passive dibox straight to RME card.
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Old 01-25-2022, 12:01 PM   #2
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I'm sure there is, but as a rule of thumb, you should avoid unnecessary conversion whenever possible. Each time, your audio will degrade a bit (the difference will still be minute and probably not noticeable or worth worrying about) and for sure the ones on your RME are better quality than the POD.

But yea, using a digital fx unit as a DI is not ideal. However, S/PDIF outputs digitally, so you are still only using one stage of A/D conversion going into the pedal (same thing if you use a DI but it happens at RME). If you're worried about it, do a couple recordings and see if you can tell the difference in a blind test. That's all that really matters anyway.
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Old 01-25-2022, 01:59 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by foxAsteria View Post
I'm sure there is, but as a rule of thumb, you should avoid unnecessary conversion whenever possible. Each time, your audio will degrade a bit (the difference will still be minute and probably not noticeable or worth worrying about) and for sure the ones on your RME are better quality than the POD.

But yea, using a digital fx unit as a DI is not ideal. However, S/PDIF outputs digitally, so you are still only using one stage of A/D conversion going into the pedal (same thing if you use a DI but it happens at RME). If you're worried about it, do a couple recordings and see if you can tell the difference in a blind test. That's all that really matters anyway.
Thanks for answer. I thought about something like to pass for example ten times sound sample over POD and RME converters to see sound quality degradation.
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Old 01-25-2022, 02:06 PM   #4
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Yes that will be the way to make any degradation very apparent.
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Old 01-25-2022, 03:08 PM   #5
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For simplicity I'd use the passive DI to the RME
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Old 01-25-2022, 03:39 PM   #6
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It should not be a problem at all to go POD > analog > Computer just as an FYI and going direct from the POD via digital is just fine too - unless somehow sample rates got mismatched and "dealt with" under the covers which would cause very noticeable aliasing.

If you have to convert it 10 or 20 times hoping to find a difference, that's just proving my point.

The short story, this is a guitar/amp/speakers (proverbially) and and unless there is some problem/mismatch that causes aliasing, there aren't enough frequencies in a guitar to matter. Just use your ears and decide because any real issues that did happen to occur would be obvious.

FWIW, I own or have owned almost every POD ever made up until the Helix series (because I have enough already ) I have an OX Box now too, I've compared it both ways too, both are just fine. The only time there was an issue with the OX was when it outputs 44.1k and Reaper is running 48k and the OS or driver some how accounts for this, that's when I audibly hear aliasing.
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