Best A-D converter

Dare I ask which human sounds, and from which gender??? Overall the responses have been great, and I thank all of you for taking the time to help in my decision. I think I'm going to go with the Apogee, since other, non-Audiogon sources have also sung its praises. BTW, Carl, why does the SBM only work with a Sony TCD-D8 portable DAT? Is it a simple interfacing issue for which I could have a cable built? Or, is it a handshake issue with the digital mechanism through which the two units communicate that no other digital machine would understand?

I think it's the latter; did you try it?

I use an Apogee Rosetta 48, connected (via AES/EBU cable) to an HHB CDR 800 CD recorder. My source is 15 ips analog master tapes. If you heard these disks, the analog vs digital debate would be ended. These disks are essentially indistinguishable from the analog originals. Also, the Rosetta 48 is not outrageously expensive ($1100) and doesn't have any unnecessary bells and whistles for your purpose. This is a sensational product!!

Too bad people such as Michael Hobson don't just turn over all those great master tapes to anyone, cause we could then try them with your ADC. But he won't, and they aren't even his to turn over...One question: Who are these people that say, "Oh, I ONLY listen to mastertapes"? How could you possibly own all the great master tapes? It's like saying, "When I fly, I insist on solely using Nasa's Space Shuttle...I wish all of you could experience it, but oh well, there are only so many seats...Afterall, it's much better to fly in orbit, than to merely fly at 40,000 ft, with the rest of the peasants..."