New Pre amp

I recently got a great deal on the ssl alpha channel, and I've been looking for a better sound for my recordings. As my focusrite saffire pro 24 kinda gave me some sterile sound. 
So i ended up ordering it and hooked it up through s/pdif and in to my saffire s/pdif in ( for bypassing the saffire pre's and going straight digital, I guess this is the best way to go right!? ) 
Im not experienced with pre amps or much hardware at all, but the sound now was a HUGE improvement to my ears! 
Great headroom , lush sounding, and not that sterile sound tht i was used to.
And my telecaster sounded so much better too! 
If i could improve the sound any further ,would tht be changing out the saffire ? Is the saffire a bottleneck here ?
And btw , demo'd waves cla compressors and the redd console. Loved em both, but i prolly jst buy one for now. Figured i go for the redd since i already have waves ren comp and the ca-2a. Opinions ? :) ...



-Mons

If you think about it you paid several times for the ssl (I would think) than you did for saffire - for one preamp/converter.  It lists for what, $1500?  So I hope there is a difference.

I would imagine most of what you are hearing is the preamp difference.  It probably has more gain than the saffire and better components all the way through.  I wouldn't be surprised if some (or a lot) of what you are hearing is expectation - the placebo effect.  But the difference is real, if not usually night and day.  Better equipement ususally shines where the lessor stuff starts crapping out.  I would do some blind testing to get a better idea about the difference.

Coverters are probably less of a factor.  They have learned how to make good ones in the last 4-5 years cheap.  It is usually a matter of bang for buck, w/ converters one of the last things in the great chain of expenses.  Again, the ssl ought to be a bit better, but not so that it jumps up in bites you in the ... ear.

That being said, I'm starting to think I might upgrade my converters since I detect some rough stuff in my recordings these days.  It is either the converter or the room, and I'll probably start w/ more room treatment.  It is definately less expensive than upping my converter to a used UA 2192.  Or maybe my monitors?  But that is the way of things.  You buy new hardware and it lets you hear the weak point in your chain until you have a no money in the bank. 

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Matt,

of course correct.  I made such a long post I forgot to include that pertinant bit.  I think that is part of what the op was asking.

Nice Focusrite is keeping on eye on things.

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