Adat and spdif -synching?

[bastian]

Hello

Anyone using a Pulsar2-system with both multiple converters with both adat and spdif connectors?
Right now i´m using my Pulsar2 with a Swissonic AD24 and Swissonic DA24 (connected via lightpipe).
I´m thinking of getting a Cranesong HEDD192, which has spdif connectors.
Will it be possible synching like this, HEDD192(master)spdif in/out to Pulsar, the Swissonics (slave)lightpipe and the Pulsar2 (slave). Will this lockup?

Thanks
/bastian

[garyb]

yes it should.
i might think about using word clock with such high-end i/o, just because.

[astroman]

with a Pulsar 2 this should be 'technically' ok, yet this setup is worth checking with a dedicated studioclock, if the possibility exists.

You seem to be after best quality and both spdif and adat aren't error free connections by nature.

I've recently read someone using the clock from an Apogee AD8000 improved results noticably by a Rosendahl clock 'star-cabled' to each device.
No personal experience, tho - that's a bit beyond my budget

cheers, Tom
while checking my reference Gary posted...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2005-06-05 13:46 ]</font>

[bastian]

Yeah, i know. But then i would need the sync-plate? Will there be a significant qualityloss not using word-clock? I´m kind of new to the clocking thing.
Still, good to hear to be able to use both spdif and adat.

[garyb]

yes, you'd need a syncplate. the difference is subtle, but noticable. i would say that it wouldn't really be that important except that you have chosen all the top quality components otherwise. i have the nanoclocks and i'm glad for the improvement. i don't know that it would make the difference between good and bad recordings, but then you DID opt for swissonics and grace instead of behringer.............

[astroman]

On 2005-06-05 13:55, bastian wrote:
... I´m kind of new to the clocking thing.
...

yeah, it's somewhat obscure - and since were'e all used to 'digital' in the context of data files recorded to disk, we somehow assume that a 'digital' transmission is something reliable and reproducable.

It's not at all, the omnipresent error-correction has a hell lot of work to get the stuff over the cable at least almost 'identical'.

It's a crucial factor for quality - Plextor drives for example are well known (and priced) for their special capabilities in this domain. And audiophiles buy the most antic CD players just because of their heavy mechanics (providing a more 'constant' data stream) - the digital stream is then processed on dedicated converters.

and since we're at it think a moment about what the clock is for (effectively - and why it's important): if the pulse comes at a 'wrong' position (an effect known as jitter), this simply means the waveform gets distorted, like in a wave-shaping oscillator, but in this case the overtones are usually not appreciated.

yet people have reported that 'almost completely' jitter free signals sound strangely sterile and cold - there seems to be a 'sweet spot' and beyond this quality gets reversed though the tech specs are better
so exercise and trust your ears in the first place

cheers, Tom

[bastian]

I´m have a Hedd192 for testing before purchase, but i am having problems getting sync.

Connected like this:
Swissonic AD24 (adat out) Pulsar2 (adat in)
Swissonic DA24 (adat in) Pulsar2 (adat out)
Cranesong Hedd192 (spdif in/out) Pulsar2 (spdif in/out)

Pulsar is slave, and if the syncsource is set to ADAT in the Pulsar-settings, the Swissonics are fine but Hedd is giving me glitches.
While, if the syncsource is set to spdif, the Hedd and the Swissonic DA are fine but Swissonic AD (set to ext clock source) won´t recieve clock. If i use it in internal clock source i get a lot of clicks.
So the problem is getting the Swissonic AD24 going...
So far i haven´t used any wordclock cables, but i´ve been told that if i connect a wordclock-cable out from the Hedd and into the Swissonic AD it should recieve clock and work.
Any thoughts?

Thanks

[garyb]

wordclock should help.