My AX24 is the smoothest, most detailed converter I've auditioned – very musical. The detail has been achieved without adding any harshness. It is difficult to put into words. The sound from highs through to lows is saturated and nuanced, not heavy or too thin - very well balanced. Vocal recordings are rich and pleasing. Through my AX24, I am hearing new levels of performance from my micpres. The low frequency response of the converter is amazing - tight and defined. No overtones of thuds, distortion, compression or booming.
On the DA side, the stereo monitoring I'm now hearing on my system is similar in improvement to looking through fogged glass that has just been cleaned. The precision of the stereo field and the detailed nuanced sound has improved my workflow. I am hearing what I haven't heard before. My mixing and adding EQ or effects is much faster because of the AX24. With the more accurate DA, making decisions regarding the aesthetics of sound is much easier. My previous DA sounds mushy and flat by comparison. The extended dynamic range of my AX24 was immediately apparent from the first listening tests.
Because of my schedule I was not able to audition the AX24 micpres before buying the unit. I figured they would be nice and clean and very usable but not completely comparable to my high-end pres. WOW - the micpres on my AX24 compete head to head with the best of my stand alone boxes. They are another addition to my first tier choice of sound colours.
My AX24 turned out to be a bargain. The quality of the micpres and the transparency of the ADDA is unique. For remote applications, I don't feel at all compromised by taking along only the AX24 and its pres and leaving my extra boxes of micpres behind - much more mobile. |
