Recording using spdif...worth it??

    Quote from HenryHughes

    Problem is that the ad/da converters are not that good. All my tones are colored for the worse. I seem to have to build a separate bank of profiles to use with this system.

    Yeah Henry, it's as I've been saying - it comes down to the quality of your convertors as to how much better S/PDIF will sound, if at all, and in your case, what with the workflow / band's recording issues you outlined as well, it seems you have no choice in the matter.


    I don't think you should have to edit your Rigs to compensate for this; I'd have thought EQ'ing during mixing would suffice. I'd try this first as it would surely be a whole-lot easier. Good luck man.


    Quote from Kulle_Wumpenteich

    We can discuss it in another way too:If some people use audio cinch wires instead coaxial wires so the s/pdif can't reach the digital quality. ;)
    And to colour a sound @Michael_dk should be reserved for myself and shouldn't lie in the hand of the interface. My point of hear. ^^


    If I transfer a sound I will hear the same sound with headphones at Kemper and at interface and after recording. If not, then I don't need a interface of course.

    I know you're joking, Kulle, but I hope you haven't missed the point:


    Some interfaces' convertors really do sound crappy when compared with others'. Zoom would have to be somewhere near the bottom of the heap, especially older models, so IMHO you should be able to hear quite a difference between analogue -> Zoom and S/PDIF. If the interface's convertors are for all intents and purposes "transparent", then there'll be no problem using them.


    Quote from Dimi84

    Some preamps add "color" I may want in my tone.


    Other preamps/interfaces do not, and result to a worse tone than going SPDIF.

    ... and others are transparent, which do not result in a worse tone... in theory at least, Dimi.


    Just adding the third-case scenario as you've left no room between "desirable" colour and non-coloured.

    Quote from Monkey_Man

    ... and others are transparent, which do not result in a worse tone... in theory at least, Dimi.


    Just adding the third-case scenario as you've left no room between "desirable" colour and non-coloured.

    I didn't mean "all others" -- but technically I don't think "non-colored" quite exists. To the level of being somewhat imperceptible to humans, yes, sure there's much better than my 6i6 out there,where differences are, as we say, "meaningless" :)

    I agree, Dimi, but I wouldn't underestimate the quality that can be achieved with convertors.


    Take the 16A I plan to get, for instance. You can apparently run signal through the A/D, out of the D/A and back through the unit many times before you'll hear any difference. High-level loopback testing posted at BeerGutz shows absolutely-stellar performance in the noise, frequency and time domains, meaning that real-world performance is far beyond the point at which we'd be able to hear S/PDIF <-> analogue differences, and this gap is further widened when we talk about a single, mono-source signal from an instrument as opposed to a mix.


    Figures of THD+N -110dB or 0.0003%, frequency response of +0, -0.1dB 20Hz -> 20kHz and 123dB of dynamic range will tend to have this (non)-effect.

    Quote from Monkey_Man

    I agree, Dimi, but I wouldn't underestimate the quality that can be achieved with convertors.


    Take the 16A I plan to get, for instance. You can apparently run signal through the A/D, out of the D/A and back through the unit many times before you'll hear any difference. High-level loopback testing posted at BeerGutz shows absolutely-stellar performance in the noise, frequency and time domains, meaning that real-world performance is far beyond the point at which we'd be able to hear S/PDIF <-> analogue differences, and this gap is further widened when we talk about a single, mono-source signal from an instrument as opposed to a mix.


    Figures of THD+N -110dB or 0.0003%, frequency response of +0, -0.1dB 20Hz -> 20kHz and 123dB of dynamic range will tend to have this (non)-effect.

    No doubt! I don't think anyone would be able to tell from some point on. Even with my 6i6 most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference.


    The (imperceptible) difference would be way more "meaningless" than the way we have used the word when it comes to profile vs amp too I think. Yes, definitely not to underestimate good preamps.

    If I want to record the spdif out with my DAW, and my Audio Interface (Steinberg UR44) has no spdif in, which little device would you recommend to do the spdif to usb conversion?


    Thanks in advance!

    francisco jent - 2 powered toasters & 1 remote

    Quote from tommyguitar

    SPDIF is awesome.. the reamping couldn't be easier, combined with the clarity of the profiles and reduced latency.

    I assume you're also recording the original "naked" guitar sound to enable reamping? That's going to take a ride through your A/D interface when it's being recorded isn't it?

    Oh - I get it, thanks.


    I use the Kemper stereo effects, so I'd still need to send at least one analogue feed to my Presonus unit.


    I'm really curious now to check if I can hear a difference between the A/D options. Makes sense that the KPA would be the better option given the age of my interface.

    I would like a recommendation from kemper about this spdif thing. They optimized it but we don't know what kind of optimation is done. I don't use spdif because i use a steinberg interface without spdif. If it's a gamechanger in recording and sound, i will go for a new interface but i have to be sure that it is another world of sound. At this time i am very happy with my steinberg.

    Quote from Eltzejupp

    I would like a recommendation from kemper about this spdif thing. They optimized it but we don't know what kind of optimation is done. I don't use spdif because i use a steinberg interface without spdif. If it's a gamechanger in recording and sound, i will go for a new interface but i have to be sure that it is another world of sound. At this time i am very happy with my steinberg.

    The spdif out is the same as it always was, quality-wise Frank. You're not missing out on anything more than you were before the latest beta. My info tells me that the tweak to spdif was to alleviate problems that a small number of users were having when using spdif with a certain interface hardware configuration.

    Quote from lightbox

    Here's the solution for this "issue". :) https://www.music-group.com/Ca…nterfaces/SRC2496/p/P0141


    If you have the time I would really appreciate you elaborating on this point a bit!
    Assume I know (almost) nothing about clocks and spdif - what exactly does that piece of hardware do, and how does it help with the Kemper.


    I ask because of this; I'm currently using spdif to record the direct signal from the Kemper, and for sending back that signal when re-amping.
    My "main" tone I still record analog because I want stereo effects. I'm using a 6i6 Focusrite USB interface.


    I am remembering to set the 6i6 clock to spdif, making it a slave to the Kemper. And I am remembering to record in 44.1, 24bit.


    The problem is that sometimes I just suffer from crackles and even drop-outs... to the point where I cannot do any work. Other days it just works perfectly.
    It's kind of driving me insane, because it's so random. Can't see that I'm doing anything different on the days where it fails to work properly.


    The spdif cables are new, should be of a good enough quality... they are seated well in the Kemper etc etc... I've done a lot of checking ;)


    On the product page of the piece of hardware you linked to they claim to be able to "High-precision quartz clock generator removes jitter and corrects off-tune, incorrect sample rates".
    If that's possible, then it would indicate that the crackles and drop-outs I'm seeing are not due to lost data...

    Quote from Kasper_Fauerby

    If you have the time I would really appreciate you elaborating on this point a bit!

    Your issues will not get solved by this sample rate converter (unless you use it just as a simple D/A converter).


    In my experience, the Focusrite USB interfaces tend to loose sync sometimes even though MixControl shows that they are synced to S/PDIF. Usually it will work again after switching back to internal sync and then to S/PDIF again.


    The Behringer SRC 2496 is a pretty helpful tool if you want to run your studio on one particular sample rate (e.g. 44.1kHz) while using digital outboard gear with different sample rates (e.g. 48kHz). In my case for example, I run the studio at 44.1kHz and I use my interface (Focusrite Saffire Pro 56 Liquid) as the master clock (via coax Word Clock output) to sample rate convert the Korg Kronos which only does 48kHz on its optical digital outputs. I would likely do the same if I had an Axe FX that works in the 48kHz domain as well.
    Sadly this only works conveniently if your interface has WordClock I/O.
    In the Focusrite world, this means Saffire Pro 56 Liquid, Scarlett 18i20, Claret 8pre and Claret 8preX only.

    My old Presonus Firestudio Mobile has the serial type of S/PDIF connector (AES3 I think?). I've never used it, but is it simply a matter of getting a physical adapter or am I facing a protocol mismatch?


    A new interface is in the plan eventually, but trying to put it off if I can.