SPDIF from mixer and SPDIF from Desktop PC?

T

TheComposer

New member
Hello guys, this is my noob question of today.

I've seen my Tascam 1800 has that SPDIF out (or in??), if I'm not wrong, I can add some other mixer to it??

LOL, I don't even know.

Anyway, my questin was because a desktop PC I want to buy has a SPDIF port too, what's the use in terms of my Tascam 1800??

I have an Alesis Multimix 16 Firewire that happen to have that out too, can you plug it to the pc like that?

Thanks. :yawn:
 
I think the main use of the SPDIF on an interface would be to add a mic preamp with SPDIF output, but you can hook up any SPDIF source. If your 1800 is going to be connected to that desktop by USB then there's probably no point connecting them by SPDIF.

Once you start using digital interfaces you have to take clocking into account. What's master, what's slave? Ideally in a small setup like that the 1800 would be the master clock when you're using its converters.
 
You could probably use the Alesis mixer to add a couple more inputs to your system if you really needed them.

[Edit] Then again, it could be an input.
 
Looked up the multimix16 fw. That board does not have s/pdif. If you are referencing the phono jacks, those are not s/pdif ports.

The US 1800 does have s/pdif in and out on it.

Your computer most likely has a s/pdif out port on it.

This unfortunately doesn't really do you any good.

The S/Pdif ports on the US 1800 would be used to add up to 2 channels either going out or in, in addition to the ones you are used to using.

In order to utilise them though you need something with a corrisponding digital input or output. I will give an example:

You could connect any one of these and get 2 more inputs that would be independent of the other US1800 inputs:
ART Digital MPA II | Sweetwater.com
Line 6 POD HD Pro X Rackmount Guitar Effects Processor | Sweetwater.com
Line 6 POD Studio UX2 | Sweetwater.com
Avid Pro Tools + Eleven Rack | Sweetwater.com

This is because all of these units have a S/pdif out port.

Likewise most people would use the s/pdif out for a digital connection to other gear (monitor controllers, a better digital to analog converter or high end monitors etc...).

I have not use the US1800 but I'm guessing (based on experience) the s/pdif output is just a mirror of the main outputs although it's possible that they can be assigned differently.

Hope that helped.
 
In addition to clock rate you have to match bit rate too. I locked up my MPX-1 the first time I connected it via S/PDIF by feeding 24-bit from a Lynx2A to the 20-bit MPX.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top