Neumann/Avalon/Apogee/Marian/Sonar!

J

jamest748

New member
Hi,

I'm setting up my home studio and have encountered a problem which someone might be able to help me with! :D

My signal path is:

Neumann U87 - Avalon 737 - Apogee PSX 100 - Marian Marcx - Sonar 8.5 - Marian Marcx - Apogee - Genelec Monitors.

The problem I'm encountering is between the Apogee and the soundcard. I've connected them via optical cables not sure whether it's ADAT or SPDIF but what's the difference?

I've set all the right settings (so I think!) on the Apogee and in Sonar I've set it to ASIO ADAT 1/2 (there are 8 channels of ADAT so I believe with this soundcard) but all I'm getting through the speakers is crackling.

Very confused and have tried everything in my knowledge to fix it but with no luck.

Here are some links to my soundcard and the Apogee:

http://www.marian.de/en/products/marc_x

http://www.apogeedigital.com/pdf/psx100_ds.pdf

Many thanks in advance for any help and advice.

James.
 
Huge difference between ADAT (8 channels) and SPDIF (2 channels)...

Crackling will happen in the digital realm if sample rates or clock sync (or both) are mismatched.

Make sure all components involved (Apogee, Sound Card and Sonar) all agree on who the clock source is and are all using the same sample rates.

Hope this helps!

:)
 
Hi,

Ok I tried this out this morning and still no luck! :mad:

I've done what you've said but what's weird is that in the Soundcard settings I set Wordclock to ADAT input but when I open Sonar 8.5 it sets it back to default the Soundcard as Clockmaster. Can't figure it out, it's like it doesn't like the wordclock input from the ADAT of the Apogee.

Strange, I've set the Apogee to 44.1khz and ADAT Input/Output and DIG Sync for A/D and D/A oh and 24bit.

However, one thing I did notice was that my previous recordings in Sonar have been 16 bit. So...I converted them to 24 bit but still nothing!

Anyone local to me in Oxted, Surrey (UK!) wants to earn some money and fix this then I would be willing to pay!!!!
 
Bunch of hypothetical thought oozing out my cranium ....

I never played with the apogee and never heard of the Marc X.
Nor do I know Sonar ....

Anyway, Make sure the A/D sync on the apogee is set to crystal and the optical is set to spdif.

I'm only briefly scanning over the manual for your soundcard ....
In the control applet under Audio Sync..
Set the clock source to S/PDIF input and also check mark the box "Clock of the digital input is synced with this clock"
Also make sure you are in "non-ADAT mode"

Now, I don't want to try and fully understand the mixer for your card or settings in Sonar ....

In Sonar ... you should be selecting the S/PDIF inputs of the Mark X as your source.
As far as sample rates and crap like that ... I don't know how Sonar handles the ASIO driver??? either project propeties or in the soundcards control applet. You'll have to read and play around with that.

Also, I don't know if inputs need be enabled/routed within the mixer applet for the Mark X before they become available to Sonar. Again, you gonna have to read on that.

See if any of that gets anywhere .... then I'll send ya my PayPal addy! :D


:drunk:
 
Ok......just to update.....

For some reason, even when nothing's plugged into the Apogee, it is metering noise on the A/D section. Out of the 10 or so bars about 3/4 are metering.

So I plugged the monitors in and tried to hear what was coming through and it's just hiss. White noise.

But.......after taking the advice from here I've managed to get the output ADAT D/A working clearly but nothing for the input! :confused:

I've won half the battle. The next step is working out how to get the inputs to work. When I set the soundcard to take the clock from the ADAT source, and hit apply it stays. Then when I open Sonar it defaults back to the soundcard being the wordclock master. Very strange. It just defaults back and I can't stop it!
 
jamest748 said:
Ok......just to update.....

For some reason, even when nothing's plugged into the Apogee, it is metering noise on the A/D section. Out of the 10 or so bars about 3/4 are metering.

So I plugged the monitors in and tried to hear what was coming through and it's just hiss. White noise.

But.......after taking the advice from here I've managed to get the output ADAT D/A working clearly but nothing for the input! :confused:

I've won half the battle. The next step is working out how to get the inputs to work. When I set the soundcard to take the clock from the ADAT source, and hit apply it stays. Then when I open Sonar it defaults back to the soundcard being the wordclock master. Very strange. It just defaults back and I can't stop it!
Click to expand...
Now, I don't know Sonar or any of your hardware either, so these are just guesses

Something in Sonar is set to tell the soundcard to run off of the internal clock. Try setting the clock with Sonar open and see what happens. If it stays, then save the session. It should happen anymore unless you open a session that still has the previous setup.

The white noise is caused by the clocking problem.

Have you tried getting a BNC cable and using the word clock to sync?
 
Ok, that's a good call. When I try and change the clock source with Sonar open it asks to close all applications using the soundcard.

But the setting in Sonar could be the clue.

Cheers!
 
You keep referring to ADAT ... are we not using S/PDIF?
Big difference between the two. Just because they can both use that little fiber-optic port, don't mean they talk to each other.
Your soundcard's optical port needs to be set at S/PDIF, if that's how you intend to connect and clock. Along with the other sync settings I mentioned earlier. If not matched between gear .... noise.
I guess you could pry set up the Mark x to be master, but I'm bettin' the Apogee smokes it in the clock department. Sonar needs to be knocked into shape about that. Gotta be a setting somewhere .... and, it sounds as though Sonar has some control.
I'd be down with clocking off the apogee via BNC myself (like Farview states), but I don't think you quite have that understanding of your gear yet.

So much to learn .... ain't it grand? :drunk:
 
ha ha ha i'm a newbie and i'm so excited because i know how to fix your problem!

i had the same problem with my ensemble.
CLOSE YOUR BROWSER. ( firefox /safari is open somewhere in the background ). if a browser is open you'll keep getting a "cracking" sound.

let me know how it goes!
 
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