I was about to buy a Hapi with an HDX card and the Anubis as a remote but for my track count I really need a Horus. They’re the best pre amp’s and converters I’ve heard. It’s really like being in the room. I love Burl but I can create that heavy transformer sound with outboard.

The Horus is discontinued for the moment. So according to the French distributor it is better to buy a HAPI and add and chain as much HAPI as you wish. If I buy a HAPI I'll also have to add an Anubis or Neumann MT48 for monitoring.

So you have already heard HAPI's converters ? Do you think it's a step up from the Aurora 'n' ?

For recordists/mixers considering these high end systems:

I was using Merging HORUS/HAPI/Anubis the last 5 years and recently switched to DAD AX Center (and I also use the Sonosax AD8+/R4+).

The Merging boxes all together are an amazing set. You have the possibility of utilizing high track counts at up to DXD sample rate (well DSD too, but...) and the sound quality is stellar. On large track count sessions with 32+ lines coming in you will have excellent results. My only quibble with the sound of Merging is the 5kHz range sounds a bit 'closer' or etched than the rest of the frequency spectrum. It seems to go in a bit closer in terms of detail retrieval in that range. This system is based around Ravenna AoIP, or via MADI, HDX, etc DIO cards. I found the Ravenna protocol mostly easy to work with, but their were some issues resolved by firware updates and/or rollbacks.

Sonosax on the other hand is completely free from the "nose-y" 5kHz and feels softer in that range (as compared to the Merging setup). I am loving this system, it simplified my setup allowing me to speed up workflow for on location music recording. The Sonosax +series isn't a really a studio converter though. I have used it over DANTE with a computer for capturing. But the +series on its own doesn't really solve monitoring workflows.

The DAD AX Center (which I have only had for about a month) is sort of in between the Merging and Sonosax in terms of its upper mid range detail representation. The DAD is wonderful. I am using it with Pueblo JR preamps. I really like the DADman software mixer. This box is DANTE or Thunderbolt, other DIO cards are available too. I will say the conversion on DAD AX center presents as slightly more relaxed feeling than the Merging HAPI.

For me, in use, the DAD AX Center is bringing together the functionality of a HAPI + an Anubis all in one box. Of course the facilities aren't a one to one comparison, but the overall use is similar. I primarily went with DAD because I wanted a DANTE solution.

I am happy to make recordings with any of these systems, each is super in its own way. The differences in sound quality are subtle.

To me the Aurora (n) was not the same in terms of reality equivalence. I hear a sheen to the sound, similar to RME. It's an appealing sound for sure. It just wasn't as suitable for the acoustic music I record. Is it the preamps or conversion, I am not sure? But, these converters are an amazing 1U powerhouse that serve their purpose. I would be very happy with these in most studio situations.

I have used the previous generation of Prism boxes but never the ADA128. I am sure its amazing too.

After using HAPI/Anubis for some years I feel like my ears had baked in the Merging Technologies sound and I am now learning the sonic nuances of these other systems.

Thanks so much for that detailed, experienced review. What DAW are you using this with?
I’m used to digilink Pro Tools HDX so I’ve never used any of the relatively modern systems recently, I understand that natively Ravenna adds a tiny amount of latency and when I bought a Dante system 10 years ago it didn’t even work despite claims. Which put me off for a long while.
My favourite thing about Prism was them sending out an engineer to trouble shoot my system and make sure it was running as well as it could as I was clocking with Grimm and wondered why the sound wasn’t dramatically better than my Avids and the Titans being naturally quieter than the Avids didn’t help.
Still, many world class studios utilise Avid I/O’s for tracking which suprises me but anything to make Pro Tools run smoothly is less of the headache for busy professionals.
I’d like to get away from the subscription based Avid microcosm at some point but for now I’m locked in and the ongoing bugs don’t help escape.
I really like the Lynx (n) sound after Titans but I should really demo a new generation Prism, Merging and DAD in my own room.
I Also have a new RME FF 802 fs in my Synth space for Ableton and it’s solid and sounds impressive enough.
When a I first got a Prism ada-8 after Digidesign interfaces 20+ years ago it was like opening the curtains and I couldn’t believe the difference.
It’s interesting you should call Merging 5k “nosey” as it sounded so open and real lifelike to me but to be honest I haven’t heard Sonosax or DAD and I imagine the compatibility of Dante has come a long way since I first encountered it and I have Ethernet installed in all the rooms in my studio so it makes sense to employ it on some level.
Do you need to monitor live for musicians or are you just capturing live with a small amount of latency?
I was temporarily put off modern Merging due to software issues etc. with many DAW’s but now I’ve seen it working with PT I’m very curious to upgrade again in the near future after some big projects.
Apologies for the stream of consciousness and thanks again.
Paul

TITAN vs ADA 128

Welle having worked with both, I do feel the ADA 128 has a wider sound in general. The headroom is clearly much larger with the ADA 128, there is no doubt about it.
Otherwise, both are very high-quality sonically.
For project studios, Titan makes more sense.

I know Pyramix interfaces and the HAPI is a HORUS, but with less I/os. It sounds fantastic in my experience.

Thanks for your feedback !

How would you compare the HAPI/HORUS to the ADA 128 ? Which one seems to be the more realistic ?

Yes Titan is great for a Project studio but I will make a commercial studio next year and I want to invest in futurproof converters and if possible a step up from Titan. Do you think the ADA 128 is a great investment or is too expensive for what it brings to the table soundwise ? Is it a big leap from Titan ?

I'm trying a MT-48 right now and I don't hear this 5khz range sounds you are talking about. Did you have the latest ADA8S/ADA8P cards in your HAPI ?
The overall MT-48 "Merging" sound is really detailed and clean, the bass is tight, not as muddy as the Titan which was a shock for me working with the Titan for so many years. Everything sounds really natural and relaxed to my ears... I love it ! The only complaints I have is the fact that you can't bypass the preamps even in Line mode. Same thing with the HAPI.
But the MT-48/Anubis is a super clever box ! I understand why there are so many used in live situations.

STAGETEC Nexus compact and integral should also be considered at this quality level.

The BRHOWARD report is valuable.

I am a PRISMSOUND Atlas user among other super quality converters here.

I really like the PRISMSOUND sound quality with its softer than real transient presentation.

I asked for a quote on the new Prism 128 system and the USA distributor quoted me over $8600 for the frame only. For that reason and one very important additional consideration, I did a disregard on the system.

From reading everything about the new 128 I cannot discern any spec differences between it and the ATLAS that I currently use. Neither could Prism inform me or describe to me the differences in sound performance / specifications between the 128 and the ATLAS family of converters.

I never did need the high channel count of the 128 so my inquiries were purely out of curiosity and because I have a long standing business relationship with PRISMSOUND in England.

I’m interested in hearing samples from anyone who’s made a direct comparison between the Titan and the new ADA-128, if possible.

Same here and I'd like to add in the 8XR.

I’m probably going to get a demo of the ADA-128 to compare it with the Titan next week. I spoke with Prism and am just waiting for the distributor to get back to me.

Thanks I'm also curious to compare it to Titan and ADA8-XR

In my conversations with headquarters, Prismsound will not describe or offer spec differences between the
TITAN / ATLAS / ORPHEUS generation of converters and the new generation, ADA128.

However, one difference is that Prismsound have abandoned the strictly +18dBu sensitivity of the input electronics for ADA128.

The ADA128 unit has adjustable input sensitivity.

I agree. I tried getting the same info 😂

But that’s great to know regarding the +18dbu.

They’re waiting on a demo unit to come back from whoever has it and I’ll grab it to make a direct comparison between the two.

I've been using it extensively.
Did around 20 live drums sessions at angelic.
Orchestral session at Air.
And recorded guitars, vocals, bass, acoustics, percussion and a small brass section.

Also been mixing a few records with it which are coming out in the summer.

You can hear the first outing is Hello Heaven Hello https://youtu.be/xrZX47RbeJs?si=5k8s3j07Tq7vifS- The sublime Rich Costey mixed it and it was a bit or a workout it's around 9 min but you can really hear it work in the middle section, it was the first time the 128 was used for the whole drum recording, most of the material on this song was already recorded by then via Neve Genesis/Madi and some was recorded with Apollo X16.

I was a long time user of ADA8-XR monitoring via DA-2.
I also made quite a few records on Apollo X6 and X16, Avid HD I/O.

The 128 is a remarkable piece of gear!

Image, mid range clarity, low end clarity and balanced top end, in fact the whole thing feels balanced and clear if that makes sense.

As far as the drums go, the difference in the reocrding between the HD I/O and the 128 was instant.
As far as the orchestra, the first session at Air was with HD I/O at the Hall and the result was fantastic, then I brought the 128 to the "smaller" studio, studio 1 which sounds different to the Hall (the Hall is just unbelievable sounding room for an orchestra, I also recorded their steinway there which was fantastic, a little dark but it was perfect for that particular record).

The result for the Orchestral and brass session with the 128 was more present but this could also be because the rooms sound different, I love the natural reverb sound of the Hall and I kind of miss it a little.
The HD I/O was a bit less defined, but it did not bother me, as I needed this grandiose sounding lush strings and the Hall was surprisingly punchy for staccato and other short stabs, not quite as punchy as Studio 1 but I can't say if it was the converter or the room lol (same players, London Philharmonic).

I use grace design M905 as a controller and at one point tried to let the grace convert the monitor out but preferred the sound of the Prism DA-2 and the then the 128 just shines so I am selling my DA-2.

It's not a cheap unit, I have 40 I/O a PT card and dante card (dante was awful to begin with, I used their virtual card which was completely unstable but i think they just came out with virtual dane pro, in any case, I would probably get an RME with dante if I wanted something stable but I'm happy with HD Native as it's stable and in a chassis).

It is really easy to connect it to your network and then via safari or chrome control the 128, prism support is second to none so any technical issue I had, they always solved it quickly and efficiently.

I think any high end facility should have it, it also saves space ... in a 2U unit you can have 128 I/0 and you can split it into 2 different systems if you need (so if you have 2 studios you can both use it).

This is my experience with it, you really can't go wrong, it is the best converter out there and look how long and still is the ADA8-XR has been around and is still one of the best on the market for a 20+ year old tech which is a testament to Prism's R&D department, I think the 128 is ready for the next couple of generations as well

Thanks for your nice feedback