Word clock clicks

kperry · Post by **kperry** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 7:11 am

I've just added a sync plate to my Pulsar 2, as everything else in the studio is synced up from a central Swissonic WD8 word clock generator. Until now, I've been syncing the Pulsar 2 using its ADAT or SPDIF input (in slave mode), with no problems.

The Pulsar 2 recognises the sync plate, and on selecting external BNC, it syncs to 44.1KHz immediately. And then proceeds to pop randomly every few seconds - classic lack of digital sync/mismatched clock rates.

Ideas anyone?

Music Manic · Post by **Music Manic** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 1:04 pm

Bad cable, mismatched sample rates,no termination?

kperry · Post by **kperry** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 1:18 pm

Termination is fine (or there's a problem with the sync plate, but since I'm getting perfect sync, I doubt it); sample rates are both the same (44.1KHz), and anyway, word clock should lock them if they're out very slightly...that's the point of it! Could be bad cable I guess, although I'd have thought that that would result in no sync.

kperry · Post by **kperry** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 5:20 pm

Solved - bizarre though.

I ended up having to change routing from source->Dakota->Pulsar (ADAT B) to source->Pulsar (ADAT B)->Dakota. No matter what I did, ADAT B on the Pulsar would not sync properly to wordclock when connected to an ADAT out on the Dakota; yet, Pulsar ADAT A would to any output from the Dakota. Go figure.

jigger · Post by **jigger** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:02 am

How do you feel about the WD8 after some time of using it? I`m thinking about buying one and i wonder wether i should buy rather a nanosync ?

kperry · Post by **kperry** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 1:46 am

The WD8 works nicely - it's one of those things where it does what it says on the box and does it boringly and silently.

The Sync Plate for Pulsar is another matter - avoid like the plague.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 3:48 pm

what kind of cables do you use ?
there are the 50 Ohm and 75 Ohm (RG58 and 60 if I remember right) easy to be messed.
I remember problems with ethernet once due to the wrong cable type and also some bad connectors - they seem to be much more sensible than their robust appearance suggests

how is that stuff terminated ? a resistor on a t-connector on both ends of the chain ?
I ask because I have a sync plate and never got it to work - it's presence shows in the sample rate dialog but it doesn't react as expected.
I'd like to use it though I'm curently not in exact need to have to.

cheers, Tom

ps: I rember having read something about adat-b has sync problems opposed to adat-a, just like you observed

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2004-06-09 16:51 ]</font>

kperry · Post by **kperry** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 3:50 pm

Preoper high quality word clock cables (75ohm if memory serves me right). There are sync issues with the ADAT B output (everything else in the studio is fine) and XTC is completely usless with it.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:10 pm

I've had trouble getting Scope to sync with two of my synths. Couldn't get it to really work unless I ran them in to another sound card, then run that into the Scope. I don't know why that works.

I couldn't get my Kurzweil K2600xs w/the digital expansion ( optical aes/ebu )to sync, so I got a Kurz DMTI. Now it works, and I can choose either ADAT or aes/ebu. I use the sync plate, but I don't know if it's necessary.
I run my Roland S-760 w/digital spidf expansion into the DMTI, since it didn't sync w/Scope either. I tried every combo of samplerates and master-slave. Got close but no cigar.
Is there a file somewhere in Scope where there's a clock parameter to adjust?

kperry · Post by **kperry** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 6:37 pm

I'm really glad (and I don't mean this nastily!) that you're having problems too: I'm currently trying to get a refund for my Sync Plate and the UK distributors (SOnic8) are saying that there is no problem with it and it must be my system: hearing someone else having very similar problems is reassuring.

I don't have any more tips unfortunately - there is a clock setting for the Scope that I'm sure you've found, but beyond that, I don't think there's anything else you can tweak.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:28 am

Despite what I said, I am using the sync plate and it's been beneficial. I don't have a grip on how my system really works, just replugged until I got the best sound.

I chain together maybe my kurz DMT, ( with Roland S-760 and the Kurz keyboard AES'd into that ), a Korg Oasys in a separate computer, and a Korg mixer. Of course when I start thinking of the different ways I could be routing things, I get dizzy.
I could probably use ADAT sync for everything and not use the sync plate, but I decided to stop while everything sounds good.