How do you connect standalone pres with digital outputs to a DAW?

[Armistice]

I like standalone pres and the local recording shop seems to be having a firesale, so this looks cheap:

Joe Meek twinQ

Now I'm in transition in terms of recording. Slowly going to a DAW set up from a standalone. I don't currently have an interface, and monitoring aside, don't need one at this stage.

This device seems to have its own AD converters, and a SPDIF and an AES/EBU output (which I'm completely UNfamiliar with... looks like an XLR socket to me).

How would one get the digital signal into one's DAW via USB? Clearly something else is required.. but what?

Cheers

 

[bouldersoundguy]

USB interfaces with S/PDIF input aren't that uncommon. The M-Audio Fast Track Pro has S/PDIF input and output. You also see recording grade PCI sound cards with S/PDIF I/O. My Tascam PCI-822 and Emagic Audiowerk cards both have it, but they're pretty old now.

S/PDIF uses RCA type connectors on 75Ω cable. AES/EBU is the more pro version of the same thing, with balanced connection via XLR on 110Ω twisted pair cable (not the same as mic cable).

Notice the other connector, a BNC, labeled "word clock". In a system with multiple digital devices you have to clock them together so all the bits move in sync. With a basic system connecting the preamp to an interface you'll probably just clock through the digital audio connection.

 

[Richard Monroe]

As far as I understand it, you can't do that without additional hardware. S/PDIF or AES/EBU is not USB. The twinQ is a channel strip with digital and analog output, not a computer interface. One solution would be to upgrade your computer's soundcard to one with a S/PDIF input. These can be had for $100 or so, maybe less, depending on the features.

 

[Steenamaroo]

What kind of computer do you have? My old desktop and new laptop have Spdif input.

Other than that, many interfaces will have spdif input on them.
I'm pretty sure all of mine had it.
(Digi001,002,003, presonus firestudio + firepod, motu 828mk2, mbox2)

 

[Chili]

I use an EMU pci card for spdif inputs. Be careful if considering an HD soundcard for SPDIF, they might only be 48khz.

Or you could just get a regular interface, maybe a 2-channel USB unit and not bother with SPDIF.

TwinQ Line Out> Interface Line In>USB>Computer

 

[Richard Monroe]

I use an EMU pci card for spdif inputs. Be careful if considering an HD soundcard for SPDIF, they might only be 48khz.

Or you could just get a regular interface, maybe a 2-channel USB unit and not bother with SPDIF.

TwinQ Line Out> Interface Line In>USB>Computer

As the twinQ only puts out 44.1 or 48k, that wouldn't be a problem. I couldn't live with a soundcard without S/PDIF, although with the twinQ, I prefer to use the optical rather than coaxial S/PDIF, when I can. The cables are a hell of a lot cheaper, and they don't care if I run them over power leads.

 

[Armistice]

Thanks guys...

I guess the thing I could work out is that the unit has (allegedly) high quality AD converters on it, and these digital outputs, but it seems that to get it into a PC I need to run it through an interface that has a SPDIF in so that it can go down a USB cable. My assumption is therefore that if an interface has a SPDIF in, then it doesn't actually do anything to the "bits" and just passes them on through, in accordance with whatever you set up on the (further assumption) software mixer you get with the interface?

Correct?

Obviously I can take a line out and feed that into an interface that it looks like I'm going to need anyway and have the conversion done there, but why, unless the onboard converters aren't as good as the interface converters...?

 

[bouldersoundguy]

My assumption is therefore that if an interface has a SPDIF in, then it doesn't actually do anything to the "bits" and just passes them on through, in accordance with whatever you set up on the (further assumption) software mixer you get with the interface?

Pretty much.

 

[TyphoidHippo]

My assumption is therefore that if an interface has a SPDIF in, then it doesn't actually do anything to the "bits" and just passes them on through, in accordance with whatever you set up on the (further assumption) software mixer you get with the interface? Correct?

Almost - every protocol at some level has little chunks of data mixed in with the main data being transferred that basically just say what it is, how many bytes are between this chunk and and the next one - machine A has to tell machine B what's coming so it can be ready for it... So the driver does actually have to alter the data stream a little bit by removing those control blocks from the PCM data before giving it to your software. Totally no big deal at all, though. I'd actually be impressed if something managed to do that incorrectly and make it to market, lol.

Obviously I can take a line out and feed that into an interface that it looks like I'm going to need anyway and have the conversion done there, but why, unless the onboard converters aren't as good as the interface converters...?

Easy enough to find out which one is better, objectively speaking, with a loopback test. Volume and phase match the original, flip the phase, and see what's left over.
The Ultimate Converter DA/AD Loopback Shootout Thread! - Gearslutz.com
^^ That thread is updated almost daily for about 8 months now. The results are consistant across models from different users, too - It's the best place I know of to see real-world comparisons of converter quality. very surprising results in many cases, too, btw.

 

[Chili]

Obviously I can take a line out and feed that into an interface that it looks like I'm going to need anyway and have the conversion done there, but why, unless the onboard converters aren't as good as the interface converters...?

I've never totally bought into Ethan Winer's argument that a cheap soundcard converts just as accurately as a high end converter, but in my own experience, I find there is not much difference between low-end prosumer stuff (like M-Audio, Presonus, etc) and the high-end stuff. There are too many other variables before the converter itself makes a sonic difference in a typical home recording setup. So don't worry about which converter to use. Find what works best for your budget and workflow and go with it.

Can't wait to hear some more stuff from your new set up.

 

[Armistice]

Thanks guys..

Yes, I take your point Chili - what with recording in the lounge room whilst trying to avoid the myriad other sound destroying variables, there are probably other things to worry about!

The new set up won't be in place for a while... the Yammie is still functioning, but I'm going to teach myself to use Reaper properly in the next little while, and repair my Presonus MP20 before thinking about the Meek device, I think... damn gear lust!

Seems the "fire sale" price that attracted me is pretty much street these days. Strong Aus dollar is finally reaping rewards for us... in electronic gear, anyway.