Confused about S/PDIF

  • Helo,


    i am confused about S/PDIF.... what connection out from virus has to be to my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 S/PDIF connection?


    does it fit just simple RCA (Red & White/Black) to S/PDIF ?


    this question might sound dumb, but i really do not understand well from articles about S/PDIF i red ?(

  • I had the same question when I first messed with SPDIF. Regular RCA connectors worked fine for me a I recall. I hasome high quality RCA cables that came with a digital video appliance, so I used those. I had to fiddle with the sync settings to get it working with my MOTU 828 mkII.


    Good luck!

  • thanks for the replay,


    so regular RCA works fine as i understand? but what you mean Sync problems?


    besides seems SPDIF is output and input at same time, so hmmm i do not understand, i still can connect 2 RCA cables (white and red) to both connectors of SPDIF?


    besides here is connections of my soundcard:


    [Blockierte Grafik: http://www.disk.cz/disk/img/OBRAZKY-WEB/M-AUDIO/Audiophile2496/audiophile_2496_conn.jpg]

  • Hi,




    SPdif means Sony/Philips digital interface. It is a connection standard developed by those two companies. SPdif is a digital standard so sound travels through the cables in a digital way. This means that by using spdif, you are bypassing the digital analog converters inside the ti itself. So using spdif gives you the cleanest/purest sound the ti engine can come up with.


    spdif is both input and output, so you can route an external spdif signal into the ti, just as you would when using the analog inputs. As far as I know you cannot use atomizer on the spdif input but for all other things like filters, fx, etc. it works fine.


    Since spdif is digital, both units that are connected to the spdif cable have to be synchronised. Usually one of those units is the master who sets the samplerate and the other one is slave and adapts to the dictated setting.


    Just type spdif on English wikipedia for a full explanation on that standard.



    There should be a configuration menu in the software of your soundcard which gives you the possibility to change whether the sound card is master or slave and at what samplerate data is transmitted/received. The same goes for the TI.


    So, for correct usage:


    -Put samplerate of both units at the same value.
    -See to it that one is master and the other slave.



    M.

  • I would not use a regualr RCA Cable either, ideally you want a dedicated SPDIF cable. You might get it to work with a regular RCA cable, but it's been my experience that you run into more clocking issues with those.

  • thanks but it does not answer my question...


    besides i red wiki before posting


    ok i will write my question just in different way to understand simplier, can i connect RCA comming out from virus Left and Right: Red to INPUT of SPDIF and white to the OUTPUT of SPDIF?


    i red that people do connect theyr synthesizers via SPDIF and RCA but this is the question is my confusion because than you cannot connect 2 connectors (Red and white) in to one...


    thanks :)

  • The SPDIF connector is already a stereo connector with just one plug, you don't need two. Are you asking if you can go from the TI's left and right analog outputs, and then connect the other end of the cable to the SPDIF input and output with the same cable?


    If so, no you can't. Well physically you can but it won't do anything.

  • Yeah - SPDIF is a good way of getting a nice clean stereo signal down a single crappy phono lead (really, any will do - I have NEVER had a cable that wouldn't do it [aside from leads that were actually broken!]).

  • I'd like to add a question to this thread:


    Which output of the virus does the SPDIF out carry? Is it just a copy of out 1&2?
    Or can you assign it to be a copy of any of the analogue outs? Or (finally) is it an other stereo output altogether?


    Also, as I'm not fussed about using plugins over my virus parts while composing, is it possible to use the direct out function on multiple parts?
    I would check for myself but my Virus is away for repair...

  • Considering I've already got USB and analog outputs to choose from I've never had a reason to bother setting up and using S/PDIF.


    Somone mentioned that it provides the purest and cleanest output from the Virus but surely USB achieves this?


    Is there an example of when you might want to use S/PDIF over one of the other two options?

  • Considering I've already got USB and analog outputs to choose from I've never had a reason to bother setting up and using S/PDIF.


    Somone mentioned that it provides the purest and cleanest output from the Virus but surely USB achieves this?


    Is there an example of when you might want to use S/PDIF over one of the other two options?

  • Quality of SPDIF cables do matter.
    In the post about having standard cables work, lucky you don't have any problems.
    If you want a fault/flawless data connection, $10 is sweet f*** all compared to the price you paid for the Virus

  • I've used the S/PDIF ports to send or proccess the signal from other hardware workstation, like the Motif XF, Korg Kronos or Kurzweil PC3K


    For instance, I have used Atomizer with Motif XF with S/PDIF. This way I get digital audio directly into the Virus TI, instead of having to use 2 conversions: D/A on the Motif XF and A/D on the Virus TI


    Similarly, I can process the digital audio on the Virus TI with other hardware workstation, effects unit and so on.

    Access Virus TI2 Polar Darkstar, Korg Kronos 88, Roland MB-8800 :thumbup:

  • There is no such thing as a "SPDIF cable".


    What you are supposed to use is 75 ohm coaxial cable (also used for video connections) as opposed to normal shielded audio cable.


    I have also been lucky, I used regular audio cables with the SPDIF out of my Motif for some time with zero issues. The longer the cable run the more important it is to use 75 ohm cable.

  • There is no such thing as a "SPDIF cable".


    What you are supposed to use is 75 ohm coaxial cable (also used for video connections) as opposed to normal shielded audio cable.


    I have also been lucky, I used regular audio cables with the SPDIF out of my Motif for some time with zero issues. The longer the cable run the more important it is to use 75 ohm cable.

    Spot On! 75 ohm and longer the cable more important it is due to losses in the cable. Short interconnects are fine with sheilded audio cables, i too have had zero issues with spdif cables.



    I use RG59 coaxial cable with BNC to phono adaptors on my cables... works a treat!. :thumbup:

  • As we said, cable quality is important.
    Whether you call it coaxial, video, 75-ohm cable, etc. It's quality
    Not your standard RCA for digital, which does offer sync and transmission errors.
    BTW, they are called SPDIF, if your referring to audio SPDIF digital cables