Summary

Should you do this? At $999 ($899 for the DA-88 version), the PAQRAT is not particularly cheap. However, when you consider that the ADAT is prepaid (you bought it to do something entirely different, remember, and you aren't giving up that function), $1,000 is not bad to pay for a 20-bit mastering recorder.

The more basic question, I suppose, is whether or not the virtues of 20-bit audio brought down to 16-bit with special dither are worth the extra trouble and expense. To my ears, 20-bit does sound better. There is, in fact, a difference. How important that difference is really must be determined by each of us individually, based on our own particular needs, constraints and priorities.

For me, if the classical recording work keeps coming in and I decide to go up-market with some top end A/D converter to keep the clients happy, I will definitely add a PAQRAT to my arsenal of goodies.

Enough said.

Dave Moulton is still trying to hear the sound of one digit clipping. His dogs say it's really easy!