1. A system for converting an analog signal into a digital data stream which comprises: a plurality of converter circuits arranged to individually receive the analog signal as a same analog input, and to generate a respective plurality of spike outputs that collectively create a parallel rate coded spike train, with the spike train exhibiting characteristics indicative of the analog input; a plurality of interconnecting feedback loops for each spike output, wherein a plurality of feedback pulses from the spike output is respectively sent over the plurality of feedback loops as inputs to a plurality of neighboring converter circuits to establish a recurrent network having coordinated charge-fire cycles; and a plurality of adders, with each adder connected to the output of a converter circuit in the network to convert the parallel rate coded spike train into the digital data stream.