QUESTION: I Need Help With S/PDIF Issue!!

[HWBossHoss]

I am using MOTU AudioDesk software (until I upgrade to DP) and my interface is
a MOTU 828mkII, which has an S/PDIF input and output. I have a Soundcraft
Spirit M8 mixer left over from my old recording rig which has an S/PDIF output
which is a stereo Mix Output.

The MOTU 828 has only two XLR inputs, and since I will occasionally like to use
the Soundcraft as a submix for recording drum kits, I thought I would take
advantage of the situation by buying a Monster Cable S/PDIF cable and
connecting the Soundcraft S/PDIF output to the MOTU 828's input.

I tested the connection by patching the stereo ANALOG outputs of my old Korg
D16 into the PB (playback) inputs on the Soundcraft mixer and then recording
the Korg's playback into the AudioDesk software. I recorded onto a single
STEREO track in AudioDesk.

It worked fine...BUT...when I listened back to the recording I made in
AudioDesk, I noticed that in the right channel only there is this half-second
burst of white noise that occurs approximately every 5 seconds!!! The left
channel audio is perfect. (Actually, the right channel audio sound great, too,
except for the white noise bursts.)

What could be the problem? It can't be some weird clock issue, since I used
the analog outputs of the Korg. Why would I have perfect audio on the left
channel but these weird blasts of white noise in the right channel? Any help
with this will be MUCH appreciated!

[Eric K. Weber]

Is the sample rate on the 828 spdif input set to match the Soundcraft ?
Why use the digital in?... unless you think your Soundcraft has a better
sounding A/D than the MOTU.... Use the digital in for digital sources like
DAT..

Rgds:
Eric



"HWBossHoss" > wrote in message
...
> I am using MOTU AudioDesk software (until I upgrade to DP) and my
interface is
> a MOTU 828mkII, which has an S/PDIF input and output. I have a Soundcraft
> Spirit M8 mixer left over from my old recording rig which has an S/PDIF
output
> which is a stereo Mix Output.
>
> The MOTU 828 has only two XLR inputs, and since I will occasionally like
to use
> the Soundcraft as a submix for recording drum kits, I thought I would take
> advantage of the situation by buying a Monster Cable S/PDIF cable and
> connecting the Soundcraft S/PDIF output to the MOTU 828's input.
>
> I tested the connection by patching the stereo ANALOG outputs of my old
Korg
> D16 into the PB (playback) inputs on the Soundcraft mixer and then
recording
> the Korg's playback into the AudioDesk software. I recorded onto a single
> STEREO track in AudioDesk.
>
> It worked fine...BUT...when I listened back to the recording I made in
> AudioDesk, I noticed that in the right channel only there is this
half-second
> burst of white noise that occurs approximately every 5 seconds!!! The
left
> channel audio is perfect. (Actually, the right channel audio sound great,
too,
> except for the white noise bursts.)
>
> What could be the problem? It can't be some weird clock issue, since I
used
> the analog outputs of the Korg. Why would I have perfect audio on the
left
> channel but these weird blasts of white noise in the right channel? Any
help
> with this will be MUCH appreciated!

[Eric K. Weber]

Is the sample rate on the 828 spdif input set to match the Soundcraft ?
Why use the digital in?... unless you think your Soundcraft has a better
sounding A/D than the MOTU.... Use the digital in for digital sources like
DAT..

Rgds:
Eric



"HWBossHoss" > wrote in message
...
> I am using MOTU AudioDesk software (until I upgrade to DP) and my
interface is
> a MOTU 828mkII, which has an S/PDIF input and output. I have a Soundcraft
> Spirit M8 mixer left over from my old recording rig which has an S/PDIF
output
> which is a stereo Mix Output.
>
> The MOTU 828 has only two XLR inputs, and since I will occasionally like
to use
> the Soundcraft as a submix for recording drum kits, I thought I would take
> advantage of the situation by buying a Monster Cable S/PDIF cable and
> connecting the Soundcraft S/PDIF output to the MOTU 828's input.
>
> I tested the connection by patching the stereo ANALOG outputs of my old
Korg
> D16 into the PB (playback) inputs on the Soundcraft mixer and then
recording
> the Korg's playback into the AudioDesk software. I recorded onto a single
> STEREO track in AudioDesk.
>
> It worked fine...BUT...when I listened back to the recording I made in
> AudioDesk, I noticed that in the right channel only there is this
half-second
> burst of white noise that occurs approximately every 5 seconds!!! The
left
> channel audio is perfect. (Actually, the right channel audio sound great,
too,
> except for the white noise bursts.)
>
> What could be the problem? It can't be some weird clock issue, since I
used
> the analog outputs of the Korg. Why would I have perfect audio on the
left
> channel but these weird blasts of white noise in the right channel? Any
help
> with this will be MUCH appreciated!

[HWBossHoss]

>Is the sample rate on the 828 spdif input set to match the Soundcraft ?

It's funny you should ask this. I attempted to make the MOTU 828 sample at a
rate higher than 44.1kHz, but the AudioDesk software correctly identified the
incoming ANALOG audio as only being 44.1kHz quality and would only work at that
rate. How it determined this, I have no idea.

[HWBossHoss]

>Is the sample rate on the 828 spdif input set to match the Soundcraft ?

It's funny you should ask this. I attempted to make the MOTU 828 sample at a
rate higher than 44.1kHz, but the AudioDesk software correctly identified the
incoming ANALOG audio as only being 44.1kHz quality and would only work at that
rate. How it determined this, I have no idea.

[Scott Dorsey]

In article >,
HWBossHoss > wrote:
>>Is the sample rate on the 828 spdif input set to match the Soundcraft ?
>
>It's funny you should ask this. I attempted to make the MOTU 828 sample at a
>rate higher than 44.1kHz, but the AudioDesk software correctly identified the
>incoming ANALOG audio as only being 44.1kHz quality and would only work at that
>rate. How it determined this, I have no idea.

Analog audio doesn't HAVE any sample rate. Quality and sample rate have
nothing to do with one another.

You have a clock issue somewhere.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

In article >,
HWBossHoss > wrote:
>>Is the sample rate on the 828 spdif input set to match the Soundcraft ?
>
>It's funny you should ask this. I attempted to make the MOTU 828 sample at a
>rate higher than 44.1kHz, but the AudioDesk software correctly identified the
>incoming ANALOG audio as only being 44.1kHz quality and would only work at that
>rate. How it determined this, I have no idea.

Analog audio doesn't HAVE any sample rate. Quality and sample rate have
nothing to do with one another.

You have a clock issue somewhere.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Bert Kraaijpoel]

HWBossHoss wrote:
> I am using MOTU AudioDesk software (until I upgrade to DP) and my interface is
> a MOTU 828mkII, which has an S/PDIF input and output. I have a Soundcraft
> Spirit M8 mixer left over from my old recording rig which has an S/PDIF output
> which is a stereo Mix Output.
>
> The MOTU 828 has only two XLR inputs, and since I will occasionally like to use
> the Soundcraft as a submix for recording drum kits, I thought I would take
> advantage of the situation by buying a Monster Cable S/PDIF cable and
> connecting the Soundcraft S/PDIF output to the MOTU 828's input.
>
> I tested the connection by patching the stereo ANALOG outputs of my old Korg
> D16 into the PB (playback) inputs on the Soundcraft mixer and then recording
> the Korg's playback into the AudioDesk software. I recorded onto a single
> STEREO track in AudioDesk.
>
> It worked fine...BUT...when I listened back to the recording I made in
> AudioDesk, I noticed that in the right channel only there is this half-second
> burst of white noise that occurs approximately every 5 seconds!!! The left
> channel audio is perfect. (Actually, the right channel audio sound great, too,
> except for the white noise bursts.)
>
> What could be the problem? It can't be some weird clock issue, since I used
> the analog outputs of the Korg. Why would I have perfect audio on the left
> channel but these weird blasts of white noise in the right channel? Any help
> with this will be MUCH appreciated!

From your description of the problem I see several options.

An analogue problem in your Souncraft mixing console. Maybe even bad
switch contact of the 'PB replace mix' switch.
Try recording via SPDIF onto DAT. If the problem persits you can
exclude te MOTU as cause of the problem.

A defective AtoD or defective SPDIF circuit in your Soundcraft.
You might try and record from another digital source into the MOTU.

And last but not least a clock problem between the SPDIF input and output.
MOTU should sync to input. Try a different cable.

It is clear that the MOTU at least is reading some of the signal it
receives on the SPDIF input. The correct sample rate is part of the
things that are coded in the channel status bits that are sent along
with the audio samples in the data stream of the SPDIF. That is how your
MOTU interface is recognising the correct sample rate.

my regards, Bert Kraaijpoel

[Bert Kraaijpoel]

HWBossHoss wrote:
> I am using MOTU AudioDesk software (until I upgrade to DP) and my interface is
> a MOTU 828mkII, which has an S/PDIF input and output. I have a Soundcraft
> Spirit M8 mixer left over from my old recording rig which has an S/PDIF output
> which is a stereo Mix Output.
>
> The MOTU 828 has only two XLR inputs, and since I will occasionally like to use
> the Soundcraft as a submix for recording drum kits, I thought I would take
> advantage of the situation by buying a Monster Cable S/PDIF cable and
> connecting the Soundcraft S/PDIF output to the MOTU 828's input.
>
> I tested the connection by patching the stereo ANALOG outputs of my old Korg
> D16 into the PB (playback) inputs on the Soundcraft mixer and then recording
> the Korg's playback into the AudioDesk software. I recorded onto a single
> STEREO track in AudioDesk.
>
> It worked fine...BUT...when I listened back to the recording I made in
> AudioDesk, I noticed that in the right channel only there is this half-second
> burst of white noise that occurs approximately every 5 seconds!!! The left
> channel audio is perfect. (Actually, the right channel audio sound great, too,
> except for the white noise bursts.)
>
> What could be the problem? It can't be some weird clock issue, since I used
> the analog outputs of the Korg. Why would I have perfect audio on the left
> channel but these weird blasts of white noise in the right channel? Any help
> with this will be MUCH appreciated!

From your description of the problem I see several options.

An analogue problem in your Souncraft mixing console. Maybe even bad
switch contact of the 'PB replace mix' switch.
Try recording via SPDIF onto DAT. If the problem persits you can
exclude te MOTU as cause of the problem.

A defective AtoD or defective SPDIF circuit in your Soundcraft.
You might try and record from another digital source into the MOTU.

And last but not least a clock problem between the SPDIF input and output.
MOTU should sync to input. Try a different cable.

It is clear that the MOTU at least is reading some of the signal it
receives on the SPDIF input. The correct sample rate is part of the
things that are coded in the channel status bits that are sent along
with the audio samples in the data stream of the SPDIF. That is how your
MOTU interface is recognising the correct sample rate.

my regards, Bert Kraaijpoel

[Monte McGuire]

In article >,
(HWBossHoss) wrote:
> I am using MOTU AudioDesk software (until I upgrade to DP) and my interface
> is
> a MOTU 828mkII, which has an S/PDIF input and output. I have a Soundcraft
> Spirit M8 mixer left over from my old recording rig which has an S/PDIF
> output
> which is a stereo Mix Output.
[snip]
> What could be the problem? It can't be some weird clock issue,

....it most certainly is!

> since I used
> the analog outputs of the Korg.

....but you digitally connected a digital console to your DAW and
neglected to clock your DAW to the console. You need to tell AudioDesk
to slave it's clock to the S/PDIF input of the 828.


Regards,

Monte McGuire

[Monte McGuire]

In article >,
(HWBossHoss) wrote:
> I am using MOTU AudioDesk software (until I upgrade to DP) and my interface
> is
> a MOTU 828mkII, which has an S/PDIF input and output. I have a Soundcraft
> Spirit M8 mixer left over from my old recording rig which has an S/PDIF
> output
> which is a stereo Mix Output.
[snip]
> What could be the problem? It can't be some weird clock issue,

....it most certainly is!

> since I used
> the analog outputs of the Korg.

....but you digitally connected a digital console to your DAW and
neglected to clock your DAW to the console. You need to tell AudioDesk
to slave it's clock to the S/PDIF input of the 828.


Regards,

Monte McGuire

[HWBossHoss]

>Analog audio doesn't HAVE any sample rate. Quality and sample rate have
>nothing to do with one another.

I realize this. I also realize that I could have phrased my description much
better than I did. I was trying to say that, since I was using the *analog*
outputs of the Korg D16, that it couldn't be a clock issue between the MOTU and
the Korg.

I realize that I was incorrect in saying (or even implying) that the sample
rate could have anything to do with the analog output. That is not what I
meant to say. I already know that analog audio has nothing to do with sample
rate. I was trying to say that the original audio that was recorded INTO the
Korg D16 was, in fact, recorded with a 44.1kHz sample rate. I don't know why I
paired my comments about the analog audio with my comments about the sample
rate...call it a brain stammer on my part. Sorry for the confusion.

[HWBossHoss]

>Analog audio doesn't HAVE any sample rate. Quality and sample rate have
>nothing to do with one another.

I realize this. I also realize that I could have phrased my description much
better than I did. I was trying to say that, since I was using the *analog*
outputs of the Korg D16, that it couldn't be a clock issue between the MOTU and
the Korg.

I realize that I was incorrect in saying (or even implying) that the sample
rate could have anything to do with the analog output. That is not what I
meant to say. I already know that analog audio has nothing to do with sample
rate. I was trying to say that the original audio that was recorded INTO the
Korg D16 was, in fact, recorded with a 44.1kHz sample rate. I don't know why I
paired my comments about the analog audio with my comments about the sample
rate...call it a brain stammer on my part. Sorry for the confusion.

[Eric K. Weber]

You need to look at the clock settings, set it to synch off the spdif input

If you are running OSX look on pg 19 of the manual
Choose Configure Audio System
Choose Configure Hardware Driver
Where the screen shows adat optical under clock modes click the box and
change it to spdif....

For OS9 try pg 40
choose MOTU Audio System Options under Basics
Select Configure Hardware Driver
in the clock source box select spdif

Make sure you switch it back sync from the 828's clock when the Soundcraft
is disconnected or you will have similar strange results...

the Soundcraft has 44.1 output, The M8 looks like a nice machine however
their website makes it evident that the spdif output and associated a/d are
not anything special.... they give no info on it other than 44.1 sample
rate. As a result using the MOTU for A/D should be a better choice..... a
pair of xlr - trs cables would solve your problem.

I use Magix Sequoia on a Win 2k pc..... with the 896HD

Rgds:
Eric
www.webermusic.com

As for the Clock original problem
"HWBossHoss" > wrote in message
...
> >Analog audio doesn't HAVE any sample rate. Quality and sample rate have
> >nothing to do with one another.
>
> I realize this. I also realize that I could have phrased my description
much
> better than I did. I was trying to say that, since I was using the
*analog*
> outputs of the Korg D16, that it couldn't be a clock issue between the
MOTU and
> the Korg.
>
> I realize that I was incorrect in saying (or even implying) that the
sample
> rate could have anything to do with the analog output. That is not what I
> meant to say. I already know that analog audio has nothing to do with
sample
> rate. I was trying to say that the original audio that was recorded INTO
the
> Korg D16 was, in fact, recorded with a 44.1kHz sample rate. I don't know
why I
> paired my comments about the analog audio with my comments about the
sample
> rate...call it a brain stammer on my part. Sorry for the confusion.

[Eric K. Weber]

You need to look at the clock settings, set it to synch off the spdif input

If you are running OSX look on pg 19 of the manual
Choose Configure Audio System
Choose Configure Hardware Driver
Where the screen shows adat optical under clock modes click the box and
change it to spdif....

For OS9 try pg 40
choose MOTU Audio System Options under Basics
Select Configure Hardware Driver
in the clock source box select spdif

Make sure you switch it back sync from the 828's clock when the Soundcraft
is disconnected or you will have similar strange results...

the Soundcraft has 44.1 output, The M8 looks like a nice machine however
their website makes it evident that the spdif output and associated a/d are
not anything special.... they give no info on it other than 44.1 sample
rate. As a result using the MOTU for A/D should be a better choice..... a
pair of xlr - trs cables would solve your problem.

I use Magix Sequoia on a Win 2k pc..... with the 896HD

Rgds:
Eric
www.webermusic.com

As for the Clock original problem
"HWBossHoss" > wrote in message
...
> >Analog audio doesn't HAVE any sample rate. Quality and sample rate have
> >nothing to do with one another.
>
> I realize this. I also realize that I could have phrased my description
much
> better than I did. I was trying to say that, since I was using the
*analog*
> outputs of the Korg D16, that it couldn't be a clock issue between the
MOTU and
> the Korg.
>
> I realize that I was incorrect in saying (or even implying) that the
sample
> rate could have anything to do with the analog output. That is not what I
> meant to say. I already know that analog audio has nothing to do with
sample
> rate. I was trying to say that the original audio that was recorded INTO
the
> Korg D16 was, in fact, recorded with a 44.1kHz sample rate. I don't know
why I
> paired my comments about the analog audio with my comments about the
sample
> rate...call it a brain stammer on my part. Sorry for the confusion.

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> It's funny you should ask this. I attempted to make the MOTU 828 sample at a
> rate higher than 44.1kHz, but the AudioDesk software correctly identified the
> incoming ANALOG audio as only being 44.1kHz quality and would only work at that
> rate. How it determined this, I have no idea.

It wasn't looking at the analog signal, it was seeing what was coming
out of the mixer, which, as I understand your hookup, was digital.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

[Mike Rivers]

In article > writes:

> It's funny you should ask this. I attempted to make the MOTU 828 sample at a
> rate higher than 44.1kHz, but the AudioDesk software correctly identified the
> incoming ANALOG audio as only being 44.1kHz quality and would only work at that
> rate. How it determined this, I have no idea.

It wasn't looking at the analog signal, it was seeing what was coming
out of the mixer, which, as I understand your hookup, was digital.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo