S/PDIF?

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Does this just use a regular RCA style phono plug with co-axial cable?

Also, would using the digital out (spdif) from my mic-pre into my firewire interfaces digital input be worth while? would it be better or worse?

Im guessing there wouldnt be much difference, but it would free up a normal jack/XLR input

Cheers!

- Will


(The mic-pre in question is the M-Audio Tampa and the interface is a Presonus Firepod)

 

[stretchcat]

Try it and see if you like it. I use an Apogee Mini-Me connected via SPDIF into my M-Audio Delta 1010. I use a "good" RCA cable that I got from Radio Shack (we're slinging 0's and 1's here so I'm not buying a Monster© cable) and it sounds great! The converters in my Apogee are vastly superior to the Delta's. I'm not sure how the Tampa compares to the Presonus.

 

[chrisp2u]

As long as the cable is 75ohms you shouldn't have a problem. It's deabateable whether better cables make a difference in this case since it is 1's and 0's... though jitter can be an issue... clocking reliably over S/PDIF may have problems with cheap long cables... so you probably shouldn't use total crap cables either.

Unless you have some really good convertors, using the digital I/O would probably be recommended and an improvement in most cases as keeping the signal in the digital domain will not introduce more noise.
---
c

 

[ulrich]

Just use the the cable with the yellow conectors, from that triple, red, white, yellow RCA cable that came with your VCR.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Cheers guys, im not 100% sure how the converters compare between the M-audio and presonus.

I dont think there should be any problems as im going to use a cable 0.5 m or less (the tampa and the firepod are getting racked together and kept at the computer for recording purposes so a long cable isnt needed.

I wish i have some RCA cables, but i actually dont! only VCR of sorts ive bought in a long while only had an ariel cable and scart cable.

Im putting an order in with thomann.de, and i'll just get the connectors from there added to the order, i should have some co-ax cable kicking about, if i cant find it i'll either cut up an ariel cable or buy a meter from thomann (not expensive).

And as long as the sampling rates are set the same, and the wordclock is set to the Tampa, should be good to go! cheers guys

 

[el_Kabong]

Just use the the cable with the yellow conectors, from that triple, red, white, yellow RCA cable that came with your VCR.

While it will work, this is less than ideal. As chrisp2u said, it should be a 75 ohm cable.

 

[ulrich]

While it will work, this is less than ideal. As chrisp2u said, it should be a 75 ohm cable.

The yellow, ended video cable, is 75 ohm. That's why you use it, and not the red, or white audio cables.

 

[fokof]

For all you curious out there S/PDIF stands for ;
Sony/Phillips Digital InterFace
TDIF ; Tascam Digital InterFace
etc....

That's one of the things I know

 

[deaf pea]

if you're gonna buy the RCA plugs, buy 1/2 meter of RG-58 (or RG-59, which is smaller diameter). Both of those "RG" cables are co-axial, sheilded single-conductor 75 ohm cables. Cleanly solder (or crimp) the RCA plugs to the cable and you SHOULD have a good low-jitter transfer of the high frequency (44,100Hz? 48kHz? or 96 kHz?) digital signal . . .


BTW, use high-quality RCA plugs, with the SAME metal on the contact points as on the contact points of the female RCA jacks.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Why does it have to be the same metal on the male as on the female?

Im ordering from thomann.de soon, so i was going to be getting this cable :

Invalid Link Removed

and these jacks :

Invalid Link Removed


But the jacks have gold contacts and the sockets are nickel (i think)

 

[deaf pea]

Why does it have to be the same metal on the male as on the female?

Doesn't "have to be", but it IS better. It would prevent any losses/distortions due to unlike metals having chemically-reacted to being in contact . . . we're talking about a VERY thin (one to several molecules thick) layer of "oxidation" or "tarnish".
With a digital signal (by definition a high frequency signal) that could affect the amount of jitter, which WOULD affect the resultant audio signal (resulting in a more "harsh" or "harder" sound than the original sound source)

IMO/IME using the BEST quality interface cables available is the first step in achieving a very high quality recording . . . YMMV

Good Luck!


BTW, the cable looks fine . . .

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Doesn't "have to be", but it IS better. It would prevent any losses/distortions due to unlike metals having chemically-reacted to being in contact . . . we're talking about a VERY thin (one to several molecules thick) layer of "oxidation" or "tarnish".
With a digital signal (by definition a high frequency signal) that could affect the amount of jitter, which WOULD affect the resultant audio signal (resulting in a more "harsh" or "harder" sound than the original sound source)

IMO/IME using the BEST quality interface cables available is the first step in achieving a very high quality recording . . . YMMV

Good Luck!


BTW, the cable looks fine . . .

The thin levels of oxidation or tarnish wont make too much difference i wouldnt think, its not exactly an amazing connection you get from any connectors which are just surface to surface, so, i think i'll stick with the neutriks, they should be decent enough

[edit] Just thinking here, but gold isnt exactly a terribly reactive metal, my chemistry isnt as good as it should be in that region, but i dont think there would be any oxidation/reduction between the gold and nickel, even tho they are unlike, but im not 100% sure [edit]