Quality of SQ-Dante vs. USB Interface for multitrack recording

[kEMIKAL-bURNParticipant]

Hello all,
I own an audio company doing installs and gear sales for studios, venues, etc. I have a University client with an SQ-7 setup in a studio for instructional and student project use, which is right now using the built-in USB interface coupled to an iMac (which has a Thunderbolt expansion chassis for PCIe cards). I am trying to convince them that it’s better to go with a Dante setup, paired with either a Focusrite Rednet PCIeR card or an RME Digiface Dante. I am certain that the specs will be better with the Dante and offer more flexibility, tighter clocking and expansion opportunities for the future. But I’m not finding much real world experience pros/cons of using either method. Anybody done much testing between the two, or have any concrete specs that shows the quality difference? I can’t find many details about the USB interface.

Thanks!

[Phil DriscollParticipant]

Dante would certainly offer more versatility, but if all they need to do is record/playback from/to the SQ7, I’m not sure that the extra cost is justified. I’d be astonished if there was an improvement in quality.

[HughParticipant]

Phil Driscoll is exactly correct: there is no credible sonic measurement that I know of that world indicate any improvement in audio quality for either live or studio work by deploying a dante distribution protocol. Conversely I could build a strong recommendation for a SQ Waves card and the requisite ancillary gear necessary to facilitate full function tracking and two mix post production however that gets into some serious “back pocket money”.
Hugh

[Chris93Participant]

The audio quality isn’t going to be different. It’s not even a matter of differences being too small to measure, it’s the same data. It’s analogous to emailing somebody a wav file or handing it to them on a USB drive. There are certainly logistical advantages to Dante such as access across multiple devices remotely located across a network, but if this doesn’t apply to their situation then it’s not actually better.

They’re already using the USB interface, are they having any issues that Dante will solve? There may be an improvement in latency by using Dante hardware on both ends, but you could also do an incremental upgrade by trying it with Dante Virtual Soundcard first.

Chris

[HughParticipant]

The primary difference with either a Dante or Waves card for external recording activities is an orderly dependable profile of the captured tracks. This can become critically important when subsequent layered tracking (do overs, etc, etc) along with the entire long list of post production protocols are deployed. A DAW will have the primary role ultimately in producing an audio recording. For many reasons, including outstanding plug-ins and outstanding telephone technical service, I chose the Digigrid/Waves protocol 8 years ago. When the SQ line was introduced offering 24/96K processing, it was a great match for my Waves system. I bought an SQ5 and retired my studio front end capture gear: a RME UFX interface along with a UAD 410-7d pre amp. I gave my QU16 and QUsb (whose 24/48K protocol was never a good match for the higher sonic quality Waves system) along with an ADL 600 tube pre amp and a dedicated audio computer that housed a Waves DAW to my grandsons for their garage band activities. The primary benefit I now have is a redundant capture protocol for live performance as well as studio capture. The internal SQ USB multitrack along with the ability to direct tie lines thru the Waves card direct to the Waves system for both studio and live concert performance for A/V multi-track recording is a real big deal. I also tap a stereo mix from the SQ for my Atomos video recorder that can be replaced by syncing a post produced two mix with video editing. I started out with a glyph external HD with my original QU and it has worked pretty well: other than the confusing, cockamamie filing system.
IMO a dante card is a distribution hub as opposed to the Waves card that has a dedicated recording purpose. I can certainly understand why the multiple distribution needs of many of todays media centric church services, a Dante card would be a good idea. However other wise, the Waves system makes a lot more sense for recording activities.
Hugh

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