Sync question

[rick-slo]

Audio unit to sync as slave to an external A/D converter.


Can sync the two units via S/PDIF connection (digital audio and clocking info both via the S/PDIF).


Or can sync the two units via word clock connection (leaving the S/PDIF carrying the digital audio info).


I am guessing the sound quality will be the same either way. Any opinions on that?

[runamuck]

The same has been my experience - at least I couldn't hear a difference.

Jim McCarthy

[Rick Shepherd]

Derek. What is your signal chain, if I may ask?

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Rick Shepherd

Derek. What is your signal chain, if I may ask?

The two devices being synched are a Mytek Stereo 96 AD and a RME Fireface 800.

[sdelsolray]

I'd use work clock between the two devices.

[Joseph Hanna]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

I'd use work clock between the two devices.

Well to be clear (cause these discussions can get muddled quickly) we're talking about word clock with either connection. That not to be confused with Time code sync issues.

S/Pdif can carry word clock and audio. The typical BNC word clock in's and out's can't carry audio. In the early days companies like Apogee and Digidesign (and others) were adamant that S/Pdif wasn't the best choice for solid word clock ostensibly because of the duality of the role. I don't hear that war cry much anymore. I never saw any empirical data that supported that. Of course it goes to the issue of jitter or the lack the in. I do hear a definitive difference in audio when a really great master clock is being used. But as to jitter in S/Pdif vs BNC word I've never really heard an earth rattling difference.

Practically speaking if one can carry word via BNC across all devices that's the path I'd choose because at very, very least it free's up a stereo pathway for other uses.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

Well to be clear (cause these discussions can get muddled quickly) we're talking about word clock with either connection. That not to be confused with Time code sync issues.

S/Pdif can carry word clock and audio. The typical BNC word clock in's and out's can't carry audio. In the early days companies like Apogee and Digidesign (and others) were adamant that S/Pdif wasn't the best choice for solid word clock ostensibly because of the duality of the role. I don't hear that war cry much anymore. I never saw any empirical data that supported that. Of course it goes to the issue of jitter or the lack the in. I do hear a definitive difference in audio when a really great master clock is being used. But as to jitter in S/Pdif vs BNC word I've never really heard an earth rattling difference.

Practically speaking if one can carry word via BNC across all devices that's the path I'd choose because at very, very least it free's up a stereo pathway for other uses.

Yes, that mirrors what I have read and have come across in researching.
Here is some info from REM:
http://www.rme-audio.de/english/techinfo/sync.htm