1 Topic by badboygolf16v (edited by badboygolf16v 2021-08-16 21:42:47)

  • Registered: 2019-07-12
  • Posts: 45

Topic: AES/SPDIF Passive Splitters

I've just ordered an ADI 2 Pro FS BE to use as a digital monitor controller. I've got a noob question that I would be grateful if I could get some help with.

My monitors (2 x KH 750 & 2 x KH 80) accept SPDIF.

Are splitters like this:
https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/2025 … S-MADI-ASI

a recommended solution? I would get an RCA to BNC cable to run from the SPDIF coax output to the splitter input.

EDIT

I've been searching these forums and for a little extra expense it looks like a Mutec 1.1+ would be a better option?

  • KaiS
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Re: AES/SPDIF Passive Splitters

badboygolf16v wrote:

I've just ordered an ADI 2 Pro FS BE to use as a digital monitor controller. I've got a noob question that I would be grateful if I could get some help with.

My monitors (2 x KH 750 & 2 x KH 80) accept SPDIF.

Are splitters like this:
https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/2025 … S-MADI-ASI

a recommended solution? I would get an RCA to BNC cable to run from the SPDIF coax output to the splitter input.

EDIT

I've been searching these forums and for a little extra expense it looks like a Mutec 1.1+ would be a better option?

Why not simply use ADI-2‘s AES output for one, SPDIF coax for the other monitor?
Then you still have the SPDIF optical for something else smile


The canford passive splitter might work or not on SPDIF, but SPDIF does not have a high level margin, so a passive splitter’s unavoidable insertion loss might be too high.

An AES splitter doesn’t suffer from this limitation, as typically AES has a huge level margin:
https://www.canford.co.uk/Index/AES-EBU … -SPLITTERS

KaiS's Website

3 Reply by badboygolf16v (edited by badboygolf16v 2021-08-19 17:06:50)

  • Registered: 2019-07-12
  • Posts: 45

Re: AES/SPDIF Passive Splitters

Thanks for the reply. I did consider using both the AES and SPDIF outputs.

In the end I decided to go with the Mutec as I decided I'd be guaranteed to avoid any potential issues with passive splitting and using a single ADI-2 Pro output seemed more elegant.

The Mutec has dual AES3id outputs which is a perfect match for the KH 750.

4 Reply by MC

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Re: AES/SPDIF Passive Splitters

Good choice! That unit is like a swiss knife for interconnect applications, and will come in handy and help you with many other 'problems' as well. Just a tool that should be there in every studio for the moment it is needed. I especially like that it supports ADAT as well (often overlooked because not mentioned on front/rear), and can even be used as ADAT extension via AES/EBU cable for longer distances.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2019-07-12
  • Posts: 45

Re: AES/SPDIF Passive Splitters

That's good news, I feel I have made the right decision. When the 100 GBP price of the passive splitter is compared to 300 GBP for the Mutec, the Mutec seems like excellent value.

I would add that I rejected using the AES and SPDIF output of the ADI 2 Pro because the AES output would have required a level and impedance matching transformer (i.e. Neutrik NADITBNC-F) and that's a passive component with sample rate limitations.

6 Reply by MC

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Re: AES/SPDIF Passive Splitters

No, it's not. Specced like that, but works perfectly at 192 kHz. I use it myself in the lab. But it's not designed to split, so that would be an argument to not use it here.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website