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Post by mobeach on Nov 20, 2015 15:44:02 GMT -6
Can someone point me to a good video tutorial or article that covers all the bases? All my gear has this option but it's something I've never used.
Thanks!
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Post by svart on Nov 20, 2015 16:15:21 GMT -6
I can cover some of the basics.
SPDIF and AES3 are almost identical. SPDIF is generally considered the "consumer" version of AES3, however the actual audio data content is identical between the two. The data is arranged in the protocol so that it is also the clock. The transmitter will encode the data in a format that, when decoded, allows the receiver to "extract" a clock signal during audio data transmission.
SPDIF is considered a serial format and serial connection. The protocol transmits "frames" of data grouped by Left or Right data with some extra bits for information. SPDIF and AES3 are meant to be connected serially so that each device is the master for the device attached to it, however some companies have figured out ways to make parallel connected AES.
When using SPDIF in a system, the first SPDIF device is considered the master and the interface it connects to should be set as a "Slave" to use the recovered clock from the incoming SPDIF signal as the master clock source.
In the case of my converter, this is how things would look:
ADC(master)---> Interface(slave)----> DAC(Slave)
Hope this helps!
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Post by mobeach on Nov 20, 2015 19:40:56 GMT -6
Thanks, that helps to understand it. All the configurations and settings is what I'm not sure about, going to have to do some reading.
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Post by kcatthedog on Nov 20, 2015 19:47:55 GMT -6
Well just identify master and slave and connect with a spdif cable: it's not so complicated; kinda the digital equivalent of send and receive ?
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Post by mobeach on Nov 20, 2015 20:26:13 GMT -6
When is considered worth using? And when not to bother?
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Post by mobeach on Nov 20, 2015 20:34:01 GMT -6
If I just want to establish an effects loop using hardware rack units into Reaper, does it make a difference rather than using TRS cables?
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Post by popmann on Nov 21, 2015 0:54:58 GMT -6
The fundamental difference is simply that you're making the system more complex by using digital connections. All the machines need to run at the same clock speed...Korg will be locked at 48khz....most FX will be switchable between 44 and 48, but every session will need to be at the established clock else you go around changing all the units.
Hook it up analog and your application (via its control of the main interface) can freely switch sample rates and use vari-speed which relies on its ability to alter the rate...and you can run each piece of hardware where it sounds best--i.e., a 44/48 switchable reverb will sound better at 48....a modern daw should be running audio at 88/96....a keyboard might be a 44.1 sample set....and you are using the converters that the hardware sound designers intended--so, the Kronos, for example exposes some oddities in sound connected digitally that are not audible with their DACs which were used for the sound design. Connect it analog, and you never hear those anomalies....
I use SPDIF--because I have an overdub stereo ADC and an unforgiving DAC feeding the monitors. But, if you're not using stand alone higher end conversion units, I don't usually recommend hooking gear up full time digitally. There is "a difference" in the sound, without a doubt, but sometimes that preferable, sometimes it's not, and it's ALWAYS a PIA factor from a functional standpoint for a difference I don't hear as globally "better". Analog is easier functionally, and has the same ratio of "sometimes better sounding sometimes worse" so....go with easy.
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Post by Johnkenn on Nov 21, 2015 1:03:50 GMT -6
The fundamental difference is simply that you're making the system more complex by using digital connections. All the machines need to run at the same clock speed...Korg will be locked at 48khz....most FX will be switchable between 44 and 48, but every session will need to be at the established clock else you go around changing all the units. Hook it up analog and your application (via its control of the main interface) can freely switch sample rates and use vari-speed which relies on its ability to alter the rate...and you can run each piece of hardware where it sounds best--i.e., a 44/48 switchable reverb will sound better at 48....a modern daw should be running audio at 88/96....a keyboard might be a 44.1 sample set....and you are using the converters that the hardware sound designers intended--so, the Kronos, for example exposes some oddities in sound connected digitally that are not audible with their DACs which were used for the sound design. Connect it analog, and you never hear those anomalies.... I use SPDIF--because I have an overdub stereo ADC and an unforgiving DAC feeding the monitors. But, if you're not using stand alone higher end conversion units, I don't usually recommend hooking gear up full time digitally. There is "a difference" in the sound, without a doubt, but sometimes that preferable, sometimes it's not, and it's ALWAYS a PIA factor from a functional standpoint for a difference I don't hear as globally "better". Analog is easier functionally, and has the same ratio of "sometimes better sounding sometimes worse" so....go with easy. Jamie, I didn't read that...but I kind've love you...all of your posts are like Tolstoy had a baby with Einstein. But then to meet you, you're like Jerry Garcia. We gotta hang some. |
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Post by mobeach on Nov 21, 2015 8:40:14 GMT -6
The fundamental difference is simply that you're making the system more complex by using digital connections. All the machines need to run at the same clock speed...Korg will be locked at 48khz....most FX will be switchable between 44 and 48, but every session will need to be at the established clock else you go around changing all the units. Hook it up analog and your application (via its control of the main interface) can freely switch sample rates and use vari-speed which relies on its ability to alter the rate...and you can run each piece of hardware where it sounds best--i.e., a 44/48 switchable reverb will sound better at 48....a modern daw should be running audio at 88/96....a keyboard might be a 44.1 sample set....and you are using the converters that the hardware sound designers intended--so, the Kronos, for example exposes some oddities in sound connected digitally that are not audible with their DACs which were used for the sound design. Connect it analog, and you never hear those anomalies.... I use SPDIF--because I have an overdub stereo ADC and an unforgiving DAC feeding the monitors. But, if you're not using stand alone higher end conversion units, I don't usually recommend hooking gear up full time digitally. There is "a difference" in the sound, without a doubt, but sometimes that preferable, sometimes it's not, and it's ALWAYS a PIA factor from a functional standpoint for a difference I don't hear as globally "better". Analog is easier functionally, and has the same ratio of "sometimes better sounding sometimes worse" so....go with easy. Thanks, I won't bother with it for now. It does sound like it would be a neater setup due to less cables but I can deal with that. |
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Post by popmann on Nov 21, 2015 17:40:56 GMT -6
You complete me, Kennedy...  You had me at "I didn't read that"! .....We really do gotta hang. |
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Post by jdc on Nov 21, 2015 18:27:16 GMT -6
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Post by popmann on Nov 21, 2015 22:23:25 GMT -6
This is better for our montage of studio hijinks.... |
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Post by jazznoise on Nov 23, 2015 5:50:57 GMT -6
You can do varispeeding that way, if you have a variable digital clock. Andrew Scheps says he does this - or used to when his rig was outboard mania.
I use S/PDIF on my Focusrite because it means I don't lose a pair of I/O's to sending and returning and the hardware output is labelled clearly differently. These days my biggest sessions are only 14 inputs, but if the drummer had too many toms (more than 3) I'd be damn glad of it.
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Post by chasmanian on Nov 28, 2015 10:48:46 GMT -6
I use s/pdif with a toslink cable, to output from my Babyface into a Schitt Audio DA, thats then rca cabled to my headphone amplifier. (really just posting to say what a laugh I got out of this recent interchange. really, you guys should write songs together): "Jamie, I didn't read that...but I kind've love you...all of your posts are like Tolstoy had a baby with Einstein. But then to meet you, you're like Jerry Garcia. We gotta hang some." "You complete me, Kennedy... You had me at "I didn't read that"! .....We really do gotta hang." I read alot, and am a huge fan of comedy. I also study astrophysics, so the Einstein reference really tickles me. I read about his Relativity theories alot. |
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You had me at "I didn't read that"! .....We really do gotta hang. 
