A/D D/A Conversion

In many ways, the Pacific Microsonics Model 2 Converters are the heart of our mastering process (except when we're mastering SACD's, in which case we use the excellent Meitner converters.)

Paul says of the HDCD system: "Every once in a while in the course of looking for a little improvement you find a big improvement. To my ears the Model 1 HDCD unit from Pacific Microsonics was a big improvement in what we could get into the 44.1/16 format, and the Model 2 is better yet".

The two main parts of the process are a high resolution analog to digital converter and a way of folding 24 bit digital into 16 bit digital that sounds great in 16 and even better if you stretch it back out with the decoding equipment that is built into many CD players.

We find the sound is warmer, has greater depth, is more inviting, has more expression in it, and above all, the dynamics are portrayed more realistically. The dynamics of a program contain a great deal of the musical message and with the Model 2s you can feel the ebb and flow, the breath of the music more clearly whereas with other systems it seems to get louder and softer in chunks rather than in a fluid way. This tends to make the listening experience more enjoyable and engaging.