PGA2500 vs THAT1512/THAT1510 for Preamp Chips???

[777funk]

I'm a fan of the THAT1510 preamp chips in the M-Audio and ECHO interfaces. I see MOTU uses the PGA2500 frequently.

On sound quality alone (ignoring the PGA's digital control)... does one sound better than the other?

 

[ccaudle]

Those devices are so different that the support circuitry around them would likely have more influence on the sound than you could reliably attribute to just the preamp device. The That device runs from high voltage supplies and has a single ended output, while the TI device runs from 5V supplies and has differential outputs.
If you need high level analog outputs, then the TI device is very cumbersome, you would need quite a bit of amplification after. That is why it is marketed primarily as a front end to an ADC.
If you are connecting to a low voltage diff input ADC then the That device needs additional circuitry between the preamp chip and the ADC to create a low voltage symmetrical signal from the high voltage single ended signal.

 

[777funk]

Those devices are so different that the support circuitry around them would likely have more influence on the sound than you could reliably attribute to just the preamp device. The That device runs from high voltage supplies and has a single ended output, while the TI device runs from 5V supplies and has differential outputs.
If you need high level analog outputs, then the TI device is very cumbersome, you would need quite a bit of amplification after. That is why it is marketed primarily as a front end to an ADC.
If you are connecting to a low voltage diff input ADC then the That device needs additional circuitry between the preamp chip and the ADC to create a low voltage symmetrical signal from the high voltage single ended signal.

This is mainly from an interface standpoint (not actually wiring them). Echo and M audio higher end tend to use the THAT1510 and MOTU and maybe Apogee tend to use the PGA2500.

But too late... I already bought a cheap old MOTU traveler with a dead LCD backlight to try out. So I will hear the difference for my own ears soon enough.

 

[vintagelove]

The Apogee preamps are pretty decent for interface preamps. Clean, high gain and quiet. Not to mention they incorporate features like soft clip, accepting instrument/line/mic level etc. So... if nothing else, the pga2500 performs well and is flexible.