• Registered: 2014-06-10
  • Posts: 2

Topic: SSL Nucleus + AES32 Monitor control

Hi everyone - new to the forum. Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere, I did a few searches and nothing relevant came up so posting a new topic.

I am looking at getting an SSL Nucleus as a DAW controller (mainly). I want to work in surround (film and soundtrack) so I probably won't use the 2 channel DAC's in the Nucleus for anything.

I have an AES32 PCI card on a Windows 7 Pro 64bit machine.

What I want to do (I think) is be able to use a control - fader or monitor controller would be best - to control a group of output faders at once on the AES32 with a single physical controller on the Nucleus, and thereby avoid having to buy a separate monitor controller for the surround set up (5.1).

The AES will feed into a SPDIF converter and run through my now ancient but still perfectly functioning Mobile IO 2882+DSP (yes it's a mac box but it's running as a standalone converter for me at the moment) - which will run analogue to my speakers.

My only concern besides "can it be done and how?" is "will I lose resolution in my mixes if I have to reduce the volume coming out of the AES32 digitally in this way and is it a problem. I mean I know I will lose resolution to a point, but the whole thing is running at 24bits, the question is will it be in any way noticeable or even not noticeable, but somehow an issue.

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: SSL Nucleus + AES32 Monitor control

Basically it will work. You can use Mackie Protocol or simple volume control with a Fader Group in TotalMix to control all faders. But there is something missing. How do you get 3 x AES (for 5.1) into the 2882 via a 'SPDIF converter'? And why are you concerned about resolution when it's just monitoring, not recording or mixdown?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2014-06-10
  • Posts: 2

Re: SSL Nucleus + AES32 Monitor control

The 2882 only has 1 AES IO, but it has 8 channel IO via spdif. I have an AES32 card. So I go from AES -> SPDIF via a converter box which are relatively cheap, rather than buying a new interface. (Unless somebody can recommend me an interface that I can use either as a second PCI card or as an outboard AES->analogue out or IO). It was just a way I can continue using gear I already have. I am concerned with resolution with monitoring because I am like that, but wanted to know what other's opinions are.

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: SSL Nucleus + AES32 Monitor control

mike99 wrote:

The 2882 only has 1 AES IO, but it has 8 channel IO via spdif.

SPDIF is the same as AES, a 2 channel format. You are referring to the optical I/Os using ADAT format.

mike99 wrote:

I have an AES32 card. So I go from AES -> SPDIF via a converter box which are relatively cheap, rather than buying a new interface.

Even then your are talking two channels, unless the 'converter box' has multiple AES inputs and converts those to ADAT. A unit doing this would be the ADI-4 DD:

http://www.rme-audio.de/en_products_adi_4_dd.php

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website