can anyone recommend a good but inexpensive A/D converter?

i'm recording a lot of analog synths through a my protools MBOX and don't have a lot of cash to spend on recording equipment. i was told my money would be best spent on a good A/D converter.

most that i've found are in the $2000 range(too much)... do good they exist in the "below $500" range?

thanks for your help!

who told you the mbox was no good?

Are you looking for an audio interface, or something that will convert from, say, analogue to ADAT and back?

If you're looking for an audio interface, do you need to use it with Pro Tools? That limits your choices significantly.

Consider this:

http://www.blacklionaudio.com/digi_mbox_mod.html

my synth band made a record on my mac and brought it to a fancy recording studio to mix it. i asked the engineer what else i could do on my end to improve the sound quality of our recordings, he recommended running our keyboards through a good A/D converter and then into the mbox. is there something else i could that wouldn't be too expensive?

i know little about recording... i just plug the keyboard in, open pro tools and hit record. i also use a $200 presonus preamp... this is real low budget stuff.

i'm just looking for something that will help my synths sound as rich and full as possible but needs to be compatitable with pro tools.

Biggest suprise on looking at that site was this at http://www.blacklionaudio.com/AI3.html

"The Alesis AI3 interface is based on Wavefront Semiconductor's AL1101 and AL1201 converters. These are found in Presonus and RME interfaces, many high-end home stereo D/A units, and the Behringer ADA8000."

Just surprised that the cheapo Behringer ADA8000 that loads of us use has the same converters as otehr rather more pricey gear. Maybe they skimped on preamps... not that I have any winges about it - iots cheap and have to assume they saved some money somewhere...