Richard Devine is renowned as an electronic music composer and producer, as well as sound designer. His company Devinesound, based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializes in the creation of custom sound, music and audio environments for film, television, video games, audio hardware and software, interactive web-based environments, and more.
Devine recently switched out his monitor controller for the Dangerous Music Monitor ST with the integrated Dangerous DAC ST D-to-A converter in his electronic music studio.
“I realized I needed to get a separate DAC that could accommodate multiple digital sources and at the same time output clean transparent audio with a non-fatiguing sound, I didn’t hear any distortion, and could hear so much detail even monitoring at the lowest listening levels,” says Devine.
“The end results that I’ve gotten in the last few months that I’ve used the Monitor ST are incredible,” he adds. “The ST and DAC ST are one of the best investments I’ve made in my studio. I’m a complete believer, it’s blown my mind.”
Devine has already completed several projects using the Dangerous DAC and Monitor ST including sound design and effects for the video game Wolfenstein: New World Order, trailer music for Twisted Tools DarkMorph Sound Effects Library, and the new iPad app “iMPC”-based on the iconic MPC-60 line of drum machine/samplers-for Retroymns and Akai Professional.
To check the sound of the Monitor ST and DAC ST Devine did some very specific listening test, “I A-B’d the Dangerous gear against my Apogee DA conversion, and also did some comparison tests with the U.A. Apollo, and UFX RME card; and the DAC ST was just spot-on gorgeous.”
Devine noticed a marked improvement in sound quality at low volumes with the Monitor ST as well.
“I like to mix at lower volumes, and with the ST even at low volumes you get all that macro, beautiful detail, which was interesting to me. I thought, ‘Wow! There’s an immediate difference!’”
With his previous controller the quality was not as good at lower volumes, but that is not a problem with the Dangerous Monitor ST.
“I understand now, I’m a believer,” he says. “Having a dedicated DAC for monitoring is essential, especially with these features.”
“I did some tests where I was mixing for longer periods of time and I realized I’m not getting any ear fatigue. The DAC ST and Monitor ST combo has this very silky, clean presence. I don’t hear any distortion. It has a Hi-Fi quality to it.”
Detailing his first experience with the Monitor ST and DAC ST, Devine recalls, “I was using another monitor controller before this and I was using the D-A converter in it, and I was always unhappy with the sound quality, I couldn’t really put my finger on what was going on. When I got the Dangerous Music Monitor ST and the DAC ST it was an immediate night and day difference, I was actually shocked!
“In my head I was thinking, I wonder how much of a difference it’s really going to be? Because the other controller made the claim that theirs was ‘completely transparent’, but it didn’t sound transparent to my ears.
“When I first hooked up the Dangerous gear I was in shock and then I felt kind of stupid. I wondered how I neglect one of the most crucial components of my signal chain, my monitoring solution, for so long. It is absolutely just as important as the monitors and the room you’re mixing in. So I was glad to get the ST, it has such a transparent, clean sound.”
