Hey everyone, I've just obtained an ADI 2/4, primarily as a replacement of my analog Preamp (Moon LP110v2) for ripping vinyl, but also for the great headphone amp.
This device is proving far more technical than anything else I've previously owned, so I was hoping to get some advice as far as transferring vinyl goes.
I'm no stranger when it comes to ripping vinyl, though with this device I find myself getting very confused about optimal sample rates / AD filters, etc. - stuff I've typically not worried about. Historically, I've always ripped vinyl at a sample rate of 44.1khz / 16 bit. I've gone down the Sample Rate debate rabbit hole many times, and generally it seems that people agree there's not much benefit to higher sample rates unless you plan to do some sort of time stretching / pitch shifting of the material.
With this device, being that the RIAA is applied digitally, I find myself very confused as to whether or not it's functionality as a preamp is improved (or hindered) at varying sample rates. Is this accurate? Or is the quality of the RIAA irrespective of sample rate? Similarly I find myself confused about the various AD Filters. Do different AD Filters impact the recorded audio differently? For archiving, which is the optimal AD filter? Slow? (My unit seems to have been defaulted to Sharp)
Let's entertain the following scenario. Say I want to rip vinyl at my typical 44.1khz, though I also want to rip at a higher sample rate simultaneously. In the past I've accomplished this by using two different convertors and two dfiferent computers.
I have been entrusted with ripping some very rare vinyl material which in all likelihood I will never encounter again. For this reason, I am considering ripping at a higher than normal sample rate of 96khz (I've been convinced that 192khz is not worthwhile)
That said, from what I've read, downsampling to a more conventional 44.1khz or 48khz after the fact is not ideal - so I'd rather rip the two sample rates simultaneously.
The reasons for ripping at two sample rates simultaneously rather than in two takes are 1.) time and 2.) these are not normal records they are lacquers/acetates and therefore wear significantly more after each play than typical records. I'll already be playing them several times with different carts/styli, so I want to minimize playing as much as possible
Previously I've accomplished this by routing a direct monitoring signal from convertor/interface 1 -> into convertor/interface 2. If I understand correctly. With the AD 2/4 I was curious if I can leverage the digital outs into the digital ins of interface 2. But since the audio will be in the digital domain at that point - won't it already have been converted to the chosen sample rate of interface 1 (in this case the ADI 2/4?) Is there any benefit at this point to capturing a different sample rate using another interface? Would I need instead to use the analog outs to accomplish my goal (which again, will have already been digitally processed by the AD 2/4).
Feel free to chime in with opinions on the Sample Rate debate as well, because in reality it all makes my head spin.
but I'm keen to clean up my vinyl QC rig where poss