Apogee DA-16X

The Apogee Electronics DA-16X is a digital to analog converter. It has 16 outputs in both AES and ADAT optical form as well as a world clock input and output. The digital to analog converters are clean and this unit is overall a great complement to the Apogee Electronics AD-16X analog to digital converter. In the studio that I use this in, this and the AD-16X are synced up with the Apogee Big Ben. All three of the Apogees are linked to a Digidesign 192 I/O audio interface to run Pro Tools HD. The Apogee DA-16X and its counterparts are a great complete to a Pro Tools system, or on their own as they are great converters.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the Apogee Electronics DA-16X digital to audio converter for about a year and I've been very pleased with the results I get. Having this linked up with the AD-16X and the Big Ben make for a high number of channels that will come in crystal clear. These converters are much cleaner than Digidesigns, which make them a great complement to the Pro Tools HD system. While there are a bunch of great high quality converters out there, Apogee has a great reputation for making some of the best on the market. Since I'm not a huge fan of the Digidesign converters, having the Apogee DA-16X has become a must have as I love having this set of high quality converters. While this might not be a be must have for home studio owners, for professionals who want the best possible recording chain they can get, this is a great option. The main reason it isn't all that suitable for home studio owners, is that it is quite expensive, and if you get the DA-16X, you almost need to have the DA-16X and the Big Ben. However, this being said the Apogee Electronics DA-16X is a great digital to analog converter.