• From: Athens, Greece
  • Registered: 2008-10-31
  • Posts: 30

Topic: HELP ! RME HDSPe MADI and SSL Alphalink MADI AX - Sync , but NO sound

Hello there,
I was just wiring my new studio today , and I was surprised to find out that the SSL Alphalink MADI AX
(connected with an ALBA 20m MADI dual SC cable to my RME HDSPe MADI in my machine room )
showed no response (NO LEDs lighting up when Media Player playing through ALL HDSPe's MADI Channels,
although the RME HDSPe settings panel showed that it had proper sync while in Autosync.

OS : Win7 Ultimate 64 bit, Gigabyte EP45-DS5 MoBo.
MADI mode : 56 ch
Sampling Rate : 48 KHz
SSL Alphalink Clock set to MADI.

Do I have to perform any special settings on the Alphalink ????
Do I have to use the Word Clock connections as well ?

Any ideas ?
Anyone with the same setup ?

Please contact me here , or via email (dimitri.bellos@gmail.com)
Any help will be greatly appreciated ! Thanks smile|

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: HELP ! RME HDSPe MADI and SSL Alphalink MADI AX - Sync , but NO sound

Make sure that you have the Alphalink's MADI inputs routed to the Analog Outs, and vice-versa. 

Also - if using Analog, MADI, & ADAT together, make sure the Analog I/O's are allocated first.  IIRC, the default was to have the ADAT ports populate MADI 1-24 (meaning analog 1-24 show up on MADI 25-48).  Reference the manual is you have any questions on how to configure these settings...

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.  The HDSP MADI and the Alhpalink is a stupid good combo with TONS of flexibility...

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • From: Athens, Greece
  • Registered: 2008-10-31
  • Posts: 30

Re: HELP ! RME HDSPe MADI and SSL Alphalink MADI AX - Sync , but NO sound

Thanks a lot Randyman.
I got the solution from SSL's own Vincent .
Great customer support !

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,191

Re: HELP ! RME HDSPe MADI and SSL Alphalink MADI AX - Sync , but NO sound

Was I at least close with my assumptions? :-)

With any luck I'll never know if SSL's service/support is any good wink  (I hear it's fantastic - but not planning on needing any service/support).

cool

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • From: Athens, Greece
  • Registered: 2008-10-31
  • Posts: 30

Re: HELP ! RME HDSPe MADI and SSL Alphalink MADI AX - Sync , but NO sound

Yep... but not only just that !
It seems that the SLL Alphalink MADI has a peculiar cryptic way of changing
its own settings from the front panel.
I consider myself a computer wiz of some sort , but this had me thinking again !
Sort of a binary system.... 0,1,2,4,8 etc according to the LEDs lit !
Anyway , ALL IS WELL now smile

  • From: Dublin Ireland
  • Registered: 2007-05-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: HELP ! RME HDSPe MADI and SSL Alphalink MADI AX - Sync , but NO sound

@ Dr Bell

Could you post your impressions of the ALPHALINK and RME MADI combo?

Cheers

1 RME MADI HDSPe & RAYDAT/Nuen5.1/Cub6/WL 7
2 i7 940/9G/RME 9652/VSL1
3 4Cr/4G/MOTU 2408/VSL2
  • From: New Milford , CT USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 347

Re: HELP ! RME HDSPe MADI and SSL Alphalink MADI AX - Sync , but NO sound

DrBell wrote:

Yep... but not only just that !
It seems that the SLL Alphalink MADI has a peculiar cryptic way of changing
its own settings from the front panel.
I consider myself a computer wiz of some sort , but this had me thinking again !
Sort of a binary system.... 0,1,2,4,8 etc according to the LEDs lit !
Anyway , ALL IS WELL now smile

Hi Dr Bell,
SSL support is great but the manual for the Alphalink kinda sucks.
There is a PDF on their support site that has some useful Alpha MADI setup guides.
To be fair the Alpha Link were designed before SSL owned Soundscape.
It looks like the new MADI devices they are putting out have more user friendly configurations.

Chris

Chris Ludwig | ADK Pro Audio
www.adkproaudio.com
https://www.facebook.com/adkmg

ChrisADK's Website

  • From: Athens, Greece
  • Registered: 2008-10-31
  • Posts: 30

Re: HELP ! RME HDSPe MADI and SSL Alphalink MADI AX - Sync , but NO sound

Hello there Chris,

I am afraid I'll have to agree with what yoou said about the AlpahLink's manual.
I am sure they could do better, but if it does what it does and at such competitive price
I don't think there is an alternative even close to this price range.
The purists could say "Go for the RME ADI 8" but if you add the price of 3 ADI-8s
(not necessarily the MADI equipped ones)
........ you get the idea !

Cheers,
greetings from Dimitri !