ULN-8

Look's like the cat's out of the bag, the horse's out of the barn.

http://www.mhlabs.com/metric_halo/

More in a few days.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

So Barry, is this the DAC all in one box w/o having to use Mac interface software?

 

Hi Joe Lee,

All will be revealed in a few more days.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

Nice looking unit Barry! So tell us how much improvement this is over the old ULN-2 since you have been using the ULN-8 for awhile. Or do you need to wait a few more days?

 

So this is the 24/192 MIO you couldn't talk about.

I assume, like all other MH units, it requires a Mac, if the firewire inputs provide the hint.

I wonder if they'll provide an upgrade path for the ULN-2 beyond the 96mHz sampling, which for me is a moot point.

Still light-years away from being proficient with what I have.

 

Looks very interesting Barry. Thanks for the link.

 

http://www.macmusic.org/news/view.php/lang/en/id/7976/

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

Thanks for the infor, Barry.

I see that it will cost US$6,000. Will it only be for the Mac?

It seems like a nice tool for pros.

 

Thanks Barry, that's a sweet looking piece of gear. When do we get to hear something you've recorded with it?

Tim

 

Here's an article on it:

http://blog.broadcastengineering.co...lagship-converter-processor-preamp-interface/

"The ULN-8 provides mastering room, archival quality conversion at multichannel prices. From a quality perspective, the ULN-8 provides a complete mastering toolkit - ready to drive a mastering suite. With transparent converters (A/D/A conversion is inaudible) and transparent reciprocal processing, the ULN-8 provides a load-in, monitoring and processing interface for any mastering suite. Eight channels of conversion and AES interfacing allow for multiple analog and digital processing signal chains as well as monitoring and processing in surround."

 

Hi Metoo,

Like all Metric Halo products, it is Mac only. (Sorry.)

It is a fabulous tool for pros but can also work as a standalone DAC and preamp (or headphone amp). It even has (superb) RIAA compensation.

And compared to the price of many audiophile (and pro) products that cannot begin to approach its performance, it is a steal.

More tomorrow.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

Hi Tim,

As soon as I possibly can. ;-}

I've been doing sessions with it for quite a while now (first at 96k and during the past year at 192k) and if I'd considered any of the performances good enough for Soundkeeper, I'd have released them already.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

Hi Veech,

That ain't the half of it with this magic box.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

Hi Shakey,

Yes.

Yes.

I don't know the answer to that one. As you can see from the size, there is more in a ULN-8 than can fit into one of the other models but it might be worth asking the Metric Halo folks if a 192 mod for the ULN-2 is possible at some point in the future.

(I even had to make up my own "audiophile" adapters to use my cables with the DB25 connectors on the rear panel.)

Still, I'd rather use a ULN-2 at 44.1 (let alone 96) than most other converters I've heard at higher rates. To my ears, the ULN-2 at 96 makes many another converter at any rate (some quite a bit more expensive) sound silly. And its mic pres are quite amazing in themselves.

Do take your time with the learning curve. The MIO Console software has capabilities you will continue to discover (and marvel at) for a long, long time to come.

Some very worthwhile MIO links:

https://mail.music.vt.edu/mailman/listinfo/mobileio

http://www.macosxaudio.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=34&sid=ccfe658d53fcdfcc4874a0e4ed88a2f9

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

Barry,
I can infer that you are considering a future Soundkeeper release in in 24/192 wav format?

 

Hi David,

At this time, at 24/192 release from Soundkeeper would require a viable medium (i.e. perhaps Blu-Ray, if it survives) for distribution.

I don't like the "singles" orientation of the current downloading schemes I've seen and want to keep albums as albums.

I am considering a DVD-R type release of high res files (and actually was thinking about this long before I heard of HRx from Reference) but it is still in the "thinking about it" stage.

Besides, most of the DACs I've heard claiming 192 capability don't (in my view) do it very well and perform better at 96 (with some actually performing better at 44!). Hopefully, we'll be seeing more true 192 DACs (meaning they have the clocks and phase response to properly support 4x rates) in the not-too-distant future.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

Barry,

Thanks for confirming. When I saw your post this morning I captured the images and took a look. It was obvious that this unit would take either a break out box/cable or considerable work to make connections. The UNL-2 is much more friendly in that regard.

As my primary reason for buying the ULN-2 was to do needle-drops, it really is perfect. What I wasn't expecting was how great it works as a DAC. The only catch is that the user must set the word depth and sampling frequencies to the incoming signal.

And as you mention, many DACs out there are not taking full advantage of the higher resolution afforded by 24/192 and others.

Thanks for the heads-up and take your time deciding about how you might deliver your 24/192 music when it's time. I can't get any more gear for a while.

 

Yes, but can it do this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COupjRmZiiM

 

Hi Mal,

You may have it there.
I don't know if it can do that.

Then again, maybe it can. It certainly does (almost) everything else.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

I can, and then some.

I am finally finding the time to get deeper into the ULN-2, the people over at Metric Halo are great. Actually I always talk to the same guy.

These boxes are really something. Can't imagine what the ULN-8 must allow you to accomplish, the -2 is awesome. The -8 must be mind-boggling.

 

You're right Shakey.

Mal, it can do it and then some... while standing on one leg or doing simultaneous somersaults! ;-}

I find everything this company does to be superb, from the great 2882 and ULN-2 to the otherworldly ULN-8, to the simply amazing SpectraFoo and ChannelStrip too. And they provide customer service to match.

How many companies offer a full upgrade path for products they sold seven years ago?

I have been fortunate to meet a few genuine audio geniuses in my time, like Tom Colangelo, Keith Johnson and BJ Buchalter (the designer of Metric Halo products).

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

 

More info:

http://www.mhsecure.com/v5mm/ULN-8.html

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com