Delta 66 S/PDIF woes with SONAR 7

[AlChuck]

I just swapped out my POD 2.0 for a wonderful new POD X3, which has an S/PDIF digital out which I'm plugging into my M Audio Delta 66 for the first time. Only one problem -- I can't get SONAR to record any more. Somehow between the M-Audio Control Panel settings and SONAR's audio settings, I can't get it to work.

The POD X3 S/PDIF out is 24-bit and a selectable sample rate, which I've set to 44.1 kHz.

The M Audio Control Panel is set as follows:
In the Hardware Setting page I have the Master Clock set to S/PDIF In and the sample rate to 44.1 kHz to match the output setting on the POD.
In the Patchbay/Router I have the S/PDIF In selected in the HW Out 1/2 column.
I hear the POD's output just fine and the Monitor Mixer shows the signal level.

When I start up SONAR I get an Audio Driver Error message that says

The following driver(s) either do not support the current audio format, or are in use by another application. Please choose whether you want to disable them or use them anyway.
M-Audio Delta 66 1/2

I click Use Anyway and go on to set ip a test project. The POD remains audible.

I opened the Audio dialog box and set it as follows:

General:
Playback Timing Master: M-Audio Delta 66 S/PDIF
Record Timing Master: M-Audio Delta 66 S/PDIF
Audio Driver Bit Depth: 24
Sampling Rate: 44100

Advanced:
Driver mode: WDM/KS
Share Drivers with Other Programs is checked

Drivers:
all the M-Audio drivers are checked (enabled) -- the ones with device names (M-Audio Delta 66 1/2, 3/4, and S/PDIF), not the ones labelled as M-Audio Delta 66 Multichannel 1/2, 3/4, and 5/6.

If I set an audio track's input to be the S/PDIF In, then start recording, it immediately pops up an error message:

Unable to open audio playback device. Device may not support the current project's audio format or may be in use.

I tried monkeying around a bit with the settings. No dice. I have a SB Live card too that's using the kX drivers, but I've disabled it in SONAR.

I tried Sound Forge 9. I can record OK, but there's no playback. If I try to click the Advanced button on the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog box, Sound Forge hangs. Similar behavior in ACID 5, without the hang if I click Advanced.

Anyone use the M-Audio Delta 66 with an S/PDIF device and has it working?

 

[AlChuck]

Never mind, issues solved. Kudos to M-Audio's tech support, they got back to me within a few hours.

In case anyone else has this trouble, basically you need to set the S/PDIF port as the Master Clock source and do a few different things in the routing. They recommended I use the ASIO driver rather than the WDM, so I did.

Here's the settings:

MONITOR MIXER TAB

- All mutes and solos unchecked
- All stereo links checked
- All faders up to the top at 0dB [including the master]

PATCHBAY/ROUTER TAB

- h/w out 1/2 should be set to Monitor Mixer
- h/w outs 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8 remain on wave out
- h/w out s/pdif should be set to Monitor Mixer as well

HARDWARE SETTINGS TAB

- Master Clock should be set to s/pdif
- MultiTrack driver devices should be set to single and in-synch
- Disable audio app use of monitor mixer and patchbay router - checked

S/PDIF TAB

- Digital Output Format should be 'consumer'
- Choose the correct Digital Input

With these settings and without any software running, look for input signals on the Monitor Mixer tab - you may need to scroll left and right to see them.

In addition:

Try turning off hardware mapping for the device by using this procedure:

1. Click on: Start / Control Panel / Sounds and Audio Devices,

2. Choose the "Hardware" tab, highlight your soundcard from the list and
click the "Properties" button at the bottom.

3. Choose the "Properties" Tab at the top and then expand the "Audio
Devices" selection in the list so it shows your device.

4. Highlight your soundcard from the list, click on the "Properties"
button of the page that comes up and put a check in the box that says:
"Do not map through this device".


One more point -- the S/PDIF port needs to have a signal present so that the clock reference can work. If your S/PDIF source is turned off, your playback can't work right.