Dear all,
 
I'm thinking of buying an Allen & Heath Zed10, but when I spoke to their tech guy he said it was 16-bit, up to 48k, and USB 1.1.
Yikes! USB 1.1 is ancient! This mixer is not an old product.
 
Is that spec too slow for SonarX3? 48k is enough, but the 16-bit and USB 1.1 worries me somewhat. Shame really, because the Zed10 has good features.
 
I would only be using it for voice-over work, and maybe guitar as well.
 
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
 
All the best,
 
Lee.

I think I would pass. The 16bit part is what I don't like. Just my opinion. :)

Thanks, Leadfoot. Yeah. With you on the 16-bit. I could use it for it's preamps and run a line out to my interface.
 
The search goes on.
 

It should work just fine for voice-over work. Don't worry about the USB 1.1 spec, it's perfectly adequate for one or two tracks recording simultaneously. I wouldn't worry about it being 16-bit, either. Your audio will be 32 bits once it's in the DAW, which is where bit depth matters. 

Hi Bitflipper,
 
That's interesting. How does that work? I always thought the input bit depth was the important factor that governed everything else. Won't Sonar only allow me to set the driver bit depth to 16 to comply with the device? Maybe there is a setting I've missed.
 
Thanks,
 
Lee.

Sonar processes everything internally at higher bit depths.
 
On the input side, you only need enough bits so that you can adjust the levels so that you don't clip (!) while still keeping the converter's noise floor several dB below the noise level you are feeding into it (such as analog circuit noise and room noise).
 
On the output side, assuming you are using dither you only need enough bits so that the quantization noise + dither is inaudible at reasonable listening levels.

I don't necessarily agree with the concept that 16 bit is OK going in. Firstly it is a myth that you should be be recording as high level as you can. One should be recording at a much lower level than right up near 0 dB FS. This is where 24 bit recording comes into its own. You can record at a level of say -20 dB FS (rms wise) with ease and it sounds much better. Depends on the quality of what you are trying to do. If you were say tracking a string quartet and the music got very quiet at times 24 bit would be the only way to go. Today it is considered to be the minimum standard.
 
16 bit is not good enough these days IMO. You would be better off at least in investing in an interface that can handle 24 bit recording on the way in. It will serve you much better in the long run.
 
Yes once it is in your DAW things are often handled at higher resolutions but even so the quality of what you are dealing with is still limited to the 16 bit A to D going in and in some cases it could act as a bottleneck. Sure if it is a lot of slammin distorted guitars then you may not hear the difference but if it is a really nice acoustic ensemble (recording at a much lower level) then it will become much more obvious.
 
 

Thanks for your input Jeff.
 
I realise the A&H ZED10 is cheap compared to other things they make. Nevertheless, my Lexicon alpha outputs 24-bit. Had the ZED10 been  released 10 years ago, their output specs may have been top of the line. I can't work out why they would release a relatively new product with USB 1.1 and 16-bit output.
 
At the moment I have an ART Tube MP Studio V3 > to compressor > to Lexicon alpha > to PC. Problem is the ART is a bit hissy, so want to step up from that, but not need a loan to do so.
 
What I'm after is a small desk so I can send my condenser mic feed to my compressor (unarmed for recording) > return to the desk (armed for recording) > out to DAW (Or out to Lexicon Alpha). If I send to the Lexicon, I can get away with using the desk for good preamps, but not the USB, but I think the fewer patch leads the better. I have looked at Behringer USB desks, but the opinions out their indicate that their products are not always up to par. I just think a desk would give me more control over what I'm putting into the DAW as opposed to an interface with preamps built in, that will mean I can't use my compressor. I could be wrong, though.
 
Mackie Onyx 820i costs too much for me at the moment.
 
Anyway. Thanks again folks.
All the best,
 
Lee.

Jeff Evans
16 bit is not good enough these days IMO.

Everyone's entitled to an Opinion, especially when the IMO comes from someone as knowledgeable as Mr. Evans. But technical matters needn't nor shouldn't be a matter of opinion. On input, bit depth affects dynamic range and nothing else. 96 decibels isn't good enough for voiceovers? C'mon, Jeff, you know better than that.
 

Apologies Dave I did not see the Voice over mention in the OP. So yes 16 bit would be fine for that for sure. In fact when I do voice overs myself I set the bit depth to 16 bit anyway. It results in a smaller file and also the output is in 16 bit ready for the user to import usually easily and faster etc without and conversions involved.
 
As long as the incoming recording level is reasonably high. eg I have my system calibrated for K-14 dB rms and just peak the VU meter to 0 dB on the VU while doing voice overs. In fact the VU meter really responds well to voice as that was its original intention. I ususlly edit at that level and after I have edited out all the mistakes etc I might then limit all peaks to around -4 dB and add a further 3 dB of gain before sending it out. Then you have a nice loud VO that is very even and sounds great. And this can all be done in 16 bit too without issue.
 
I did mention in my post however with musical applications such as low level recording that 24 bit is better and that still stands. Sorry for the confusion.