Recording and playing back any audio always happens in analogue - even if you're working with digital formats. To digitise that audio, you'll need an analogue to digital converter and to play that audio back through a set of speakers or headphones, you'll need a digital to analogue converter. As well as A/D and D/A converters, our range includes gear that can convert one digital format into another.
Analogue to Digital Converters: A/D or ADC Converters
An A/D converter takes an analogue signal and converts it into a digital signal. Also known as ADCs, these converters can be found built-into other audio equipment like audio interfaces - so analogue sound can be converted to digital sound so it can be recorded to a computer. Digital recorders and wireless digital microphones also feature a built in converter. And when it comes to external AD converters, you'll find plenty of formats: from compact boxes for TV audio to 19 inch rack units with an army of channels to support big studios with a modular setup.
Digital to Analogue Converters: D/A or DAC Converters
If you actually want to hear the audio files you've got saved on your computer, then you'll need to convert the digital audio output signal into an analogue signal. In other words, you'll need a digital to analogue converter which is also known as a DAC. A full range of DA converters can also be found in our audio converter section, but for Hi-Fi audio fans, we also have a dedicated DAC department.
USB Converters
Most of the converters included in our range of audio converters aren't designed to be directly connected to a computer. So, if you're looking for a ready-made solution for plugging a microphone or instrument up to computer to record and then play your mixes back over a set of studio monitors, have a look at our range of audio interfaces to find what you need. For Hi-Fi buffs, we also have a separate DAC department where you'll find high-quality DA converters - usually fitted with an extra-powerful headphone amplifier for high-impedance headphones.
Digital Formats
Since a digital signal can take on various different formats, here's a list of all possible formats and how they can be used to expand an audio interface:
ADAT
ADAT stands for Alesis Digital Audio Tape and is a format that was originally designed for saving audio to tape in a more space-saving digital format. ADAT carries eight channels with a maximum sample rate of 48kHz at 24-bits. While digital tape is rarely used these days, the ADAT format is still useful for transporting eight tracks via a single cable - an optical TosLink cable to be more precise. You can often expand the options of any more expensive and high-end audio interfaces via an ADAT port.
S/PDIF
S/PDIF stands for Sony/Philips Digital Interface and is a two-channel digital format with a maximum resolution of 48kHz at 24-bits. S/PDIF could be seen as the consumer-grade version of the more professional AES-EBU format, so it's often a feature of televisions, DVD players and gaming consoles. Most of the time, S/PDIF signals are carried by a 75 Ohm coax cable with RCA plugs or by an optical TosLink cable. And, while S/PDIF and ADAT are interchangeable, when you're connecting an ADAT output to an S/PDIF input, you need to bear in mind that you're only going to hear the first two channels - because S/PDIF is a two-channel format.
AES-EBU
AES-EBU is a professional two-channel digital audio format that you come across in a lot of more high-end audio interfaces and professional AD/DA converters. For AES-EBU or AES3 audio signals, you'll need 110 Ohm signal cables fitted with XLR plugs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Audio Converters
What is a DAC?
Technically, a DAC is a chip that converts a digital signal into an analogue signal. The term 'DAC' is also used for standalone units that can be used to play high-quality audio through a set of speakers from a computer, smartphone or tablet, and you'll find these types of units in our DAC section.
