1 Topic by Dasurfas (edited by Dasurfas 2011-01-05 17:53:27)

  • Registered: 2011-01-02
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Rme as master clock but not da/ad. Please help

Hi, I have a fireface 800 that I've always loved to pieces. I never realized the importance of a stable clock (as my fireface was always dead on stable) until I switched to a Apogee Rosetta 800. This interface sounds amazing but the clock is not nearly as precise as the Fireface, so here is my question:

Can I use the Rosetta as master AD/DA and the Fireface 800 as master clock? And if I was lucky enough, how would I set it up?

Thank you, and happy new year!

I should note; I can see it happen as this:

The FireWire from the Mac connects to FF800. FF800 connects to the Rosetta and the external HDD. A wordclock cable is connected between the Rosetta and FF800.

This should work, right? (is there anything else I need to do, a setup or something?)

Would there be any way to connect the FF800 as a standalone masterclock so that my inputs in Logic will be displayed in this order: Rosetta -> FF800 (or just Rosetta).

Sorry for all these questions, but I am not an expert when it comes to clocks.

My setup is:

Apple iMac quad 27"
Rosetta 800 with x-FireWire card
Fireface 800

Thanks, Soren

  • Registered: 2007-05-09
  • Posts: 174

Re: Rme as master clock but not da/ad. Please help

Dasurfas wrote:

Hi, I have a fireface 800 that I've always loved to pieces. I never realized the importance of a stable clock (as my fireface was always dead on stable) until I switched to a Apogee Rosetta 800. This interface sounds amazing but the clock is not nearly as precise as the Fireface, so here is my question:

Can I use the Rosetta as master AD/DA and the Fireface 800 as master clock? And if I was lucky enough, how would I set it up?

I'm intriegued as to what you feel this would achieve?  You like the "sound" of the Rosetta.  In what way do you feel an external clock would improve it?  What experience or measurement has led you to criticise the Rosetta clock?

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

Re: Rme as master clock but not da/ad. Please help

Search for PLL's and the jitter they contribute to.  If the AD/DA "re-locks" the incoming clock to clean up the jitter introduced by the PLL - then you aren't hearing the "Sound" of the external clock - you are still basically hearing the internal cock.

Basically - external clocks are used for syncing multiple units - and not for the "black art" of "improving sound with added jitter" ("Added Jitter" = a PLL :-)  )

But you could certainly set your FF as "Master" - and run it in "Standalone/Disconnect" mode so its I/O is not detected by your PC.  Then feed it's BNC out into the Apogee's WC Input (and PLL circuit) and slave the Apogee to BNC.  But I don't think I'd do that myself (I think that's what you wanted to do)...

cool

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