Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Want to ameliorate the well-grounded quality of your recordings without spending $ 1,500 or more on a FireWire digital - sound recording equipment ( see Reviews , October 2004 ) ? You might desire to consider upgrade your current audio - conversion gear . We tested two consecrated converter — Metric Halo ’s ULN-2 and Lynx Studio Technology ’s L22 — that leave the Mac ’s built - in converters in the dust .
The portable , FireWire - based ULN-2 can deal 24 - moment sound recording at 96kHz . It provides four comment , as well as balanced 1⁄4 - inch institutionalize - return jacks for routing to ironware essence units . Its eight output admit pairs for master monitoring and routing , S / PDIF , and AES ; it offers Word Clock in - and - out ; and its two mike preamps sound smashing .
If you ’d opt a PCI notice convertor , the L22 is a first - charge per unit choice . It offers two channels of 24 - moment , 192kHz in - and - out , and it runs on balanced XLR overseas telegram that attach to it . A 2d cable supplies Word Clock timing control ( via two BNC and XLR connective ) , and you may purchase expansion I / O line modules for 16 communication channel of ADAT ( $ 249 ) , or eight channels of AES / EBU or S / PDIF ( $ 469 ) .
Both ship with software mixers that let you route any stimulant to any end product . One tip : download the late driver ( and the L22 ’s firmware update ) for maximum compatibility .
Macworld’s Buying Advice
For eminent - quality audio conversion , either building block will provide best - of - course of study carrying out . Metric Halo ’s ULN-2 is a gravid choice if you require a portable converter that ’ll connect to your Mac via FireWire . Lynx Studio Technology ’s L22 is n’t portable and has no microphone preamps , but it is less expensive .
