Masterlink digital in / out

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AEL

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Does anyone know what type of equipment can be connected to the Masterlink's digital in and out jacks? They are provided with XLR and RCA connections. Al
 
I was interested to know actual models of equipment that can talk to these ports. For example, can Adats do it? How about the HD24? Anything else? Al
 
ADAT's output is Lightpipe digital output (which is 8-channels of digital info) - it is not compatible with AES/EBU or S/PDIF, which are 2-channel digital protocols...

You can connect any equipment that uses either AES/EBU or S/PDIF as its digital protocol.....!
 
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There are at least 100 thousand products that use either protocol of digital I/O -- did you have a particular gear category in mind or did you want me to post the entire list??? :rolleyes: :p

(ie, be more specific in what you want to know or what you're trying to do, please!)

;)
 
The short but broad answer is ANY device that has an AES/EBU or S/PDIF in and output. If there's a specific piece of gear you're curious about, check its spec sheet to see what it's equiped with.
 
Sorry for being vague in my request. I wish to know what multitrack recording devices can send a two track mix to the masterlink via the digital inputs. If this is still too vague, then please disregard the question as the mere babblings of a novice home recording person. Thanks, Al
 
I might be interested in getting a multitrack recording device, and it seems to me that it would be nice if it worked with my masterlink without having to go through an unnecessary analog/digital conversion. That is why I ask, and what I am trying to do. Al
 
Well... MDMs don't send 2-track anything out (as far as I know!) - but you can get an outboard converter that will blend Lightpipe (8-tracks) to 2-track S/PDIF (The M-Audio S.A.M.)....

It's possible that the digital Portastudio-type units will have 2-track digital out, but since I don't use those units, I can't really tell you for sure!

Bruce
 
You beat me to it again Bruce. Yeah, some of the all in one porta studios have S/PDIF outputs but I have no experience with those.
 
The Korg units ( I have a D8 ) have S/PDIF optical ins and outs. I'm pretty sure the D16, D1200 and D1600 have them also. Most of the standalones have a digital I/O.
 
The Soundcraft M mixers have SPDIF. They would make a great compliment to a portastudio.
 
i've used the spdif out on the m series into my masterlink with great results.Now i have the best of both worlds a warm analog sound and a hot digital signal!
 
keygod said:
i've used the spdif out on the m series into my masterlink with great results.Now i have the best of both worlds a warm analog sound and a hot digital signal!
Click to expand...
Well... I don't think you're saving much doing that... those Soundcraft A/D converters are not of the same calibre as the A/D's on-board the Masterlink -- you'd be far better off sending the analog outs of your mixer to the Masterlink and therefore using its A/D converters........
 
blue bear how do you know if a particular unit has a good converter or not ,what exactly do you look for or listen for?
 
Well... you listen carefully for undue harshness, "edgy" reverb tails, clarity, low-end response, and overall musicality - especially when comparing 2 converters side by side....

Run a mix thru your mixer and send the result digitally to the Masterlink....

Run the same mix to the Masterlink but using the analog outs of the mixer (to the analog ins of the ML)...

Make sure they are both at the same levels and compare the sound of each of them.... you should hear a noticeable difference in sound quality between the two, in favour of of the one sent via the analog outs (meaning you used the ML's converters)...
 
Wow, this is timely for me because I'm trying to choose between the master link, the tascam cdrw2000 or the Sony cdrw66. I realize the differences in features from unit to unit, but Bear, if you have checked out all three along the way, do you like one over the other? Am I missing something else that's better in the 1,000 price range? I'm most interested in which has the best converters. I will be going out from my Akai dps 24 at various bitrates.

Thanks!
 
Sorry -- I've not seen nor tried those other units, so I really can't comment...

But the Masterlink is becoming a staple just about everywhere, so that says a lot....

:)
 
I'm leaning heavily towards the ML actually. It has a lot of features that I already have in the Akai though, so a lot is redundant. I just want to be able to burn a quick cd for a scratch mix after a session. In the Akai, if you are at say 24/44 or higher, you can mix down to a two track dithered down to 16/44 *internally* and burn to an on board burner. That's a lot of hoops for a scratch mix. Hence why I want an external with good converters to burn to on the fly. Someone did a shootout that I consider to be knowledgable and said the Sony had the best sounding converters, over the ML and the Tascam. The Sony also has dsp included but no hard drive like the ML. Problem with it though is it seems to have a bug that locks it up during burning. How wide spread that is I don't know, but that renders the unit useless even with great converters. The Tascam is also said to be very good and reliable. Decisions, decisions. Thanks for the help.

Also, is the ML rca hook that does double duty as good as a separate hook up for spdif coax? It's missing a toslink connection too. Is coax as good/better in general?

Dan
 
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