1 Topic by out4b (edited by out4b 2012-09-21 04:04:03)

  • out4b
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Topic: AIO cabling question

Hello all, I bought a HDSPe AIO card and would like to connect it to my JBL 4328p monitor which has both digital AES / analog XLR balanced input. So I was wondering about a few questions below:

1. If I want to use the AIO digital AES output to connect to my monitor, I have to buy additional BO968 break-out cable instead of the default analog balanced break-out cable included in AIO package, is this correct?

2. May I expect sound quality improvement using digital AES output than analog XLR? I checked my 4328p's system block diagram and found that, its analog input is A/D'ed and then D/A'ed across its internal DSP, while the digital input is sent to DSP directly. Does this mean I should prefer feeding it with digital input for possible less signal loss and better sound quality?

P.S. I'm not a pro user and just bought AIO for my home use, so sorry if these are somehow naive question. Thanks for your time reading this.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,690

Re: AIO cabling question

1) If you replace "instead of" with "in addition to", it's correct. Or replace "buy" with "use"... cool
2) I would consider it safe to assume that on monitors of this quality, the AD stage will not cause any audible or otherwise significant loss of signal quality, but of course the AES/EBU connection is the more direct one...

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • out4b
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Re: AIO cabling question

RME Support wrote:

1) If you replace "instead of" with "in addition to", it's correct. Or replace "buy" with "use"... cool
2) I would consider it safe to assume that on monitors of this quality, the AD stage will not cause any audible or otherwise significant loss of signal quality, but of course the AES/EBU connection is the more direct one...

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Thank you for the clarification. I have question 1) above since the card is still on its shipping way and I'm not sure if a digital break-out cable is included in the AIO package. So from your reply it seems this is included already. :-) Thanks again.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,690

Re: AIO cabling question

A digital adapter cable (phono / XLR to D-sub 9-pin) is included.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

5 Reply by Lorenzop (edited by Lorenzop 2012-10-10 20:01:13)

  • Registered: 2012-06-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: AIO cabling question

Hello I am also going to bump this as I have a very similar question and am also not a pro user (yet! wink

I am running AIO with Cubase and have been monitoring over the Headphones jack with headphones.

I now have a set of alesis m1 mkii passives monitors connected to a monitor amplifier which will accept analog ins either TRS jacks, or XLR or RCA.

My questions are:

1) what is the best (standard?) way to connect my monitor amplifier to the AIO for monitoring my mixes?

2) Can I connect my monitor Amplifier to the Headphones TRS using a split TRS jack? The Headphones TRS actually carrying a stereo TRS signal, yes?

3) Also, can someone please clear up my understanding of the digital outs: on the Spdif in/out, is this one channel or can it carry a stereo channel? Same for the AES/EBU digital XLR, is it one channel or stereo?
4) If as I believe SPidif can carry a stereo channel, can these 2 digital ins out (the spdif and Aes/EBU on the same breakout cable)  be used at the same time as two indipendent stereo or mono channels?


Sorry again for the somewhat unclear questions, but they reflect my own confusion regarding the subject of channels and patching possibility with the AIO!
Many thanks in advance !

Lorenzop

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-21
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Re: AIO cabling question

Hello,

1) I would recommend using balanced connections to avoid stray noise pickup. Either XLR -> TRS or XLR -> XLR. You will need the optional balanced breakout cable for the AIO card.

2) You could, but I don't recommend it. The signal is unbalanced stereo on this jack.

3) Both are stereo for normal operation.

4) Yes, these are separate outputs, and can carry completely different signal.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2012-06-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: AIO cabling question

Thanks Jeff

That clears up quite a lot. Just to be 100% sure however:

1) Basically do you not recommend I use headphones out just because it's unbalanced? I might give it a go to see if it's acceptable.

3) excellent! Do xlr connections then carry digital? What kind of wiring is that exactly ? Off the top of my head I can't remember reading anything about that in the AIO manual.

Finally should I get an external DAC for my monitors, would the spdif stereo out be the preferred standard of choice for connection (kind of dumb question I know!)

I'm beginning to get interested in the RME converters.... wink

Thanks!
L.

  • vinark
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Re: AIO cabling question

From my experience you are overthinking this. The AIO has rca out (analogue) and your amp RCA in. Use that. Using xlr might give some noise improvement (MIGHT), but when there is no noise problem (which is easy to check and 99% of the time not the case) improvement will be 0%. The AIO converters are good, yes there are better available but you need very good monitors to appreciate any difference and  alesis m1 mkii are not in that class yet (although perfectly fine).

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Registered: 2012-06-27
  • Posts: 7

Re: AIO cabling question

Hi Thanks Vincent
Yes that's why I also thought I don't need to connect my monitors balanced.

BUT I do want to keep my 2 analogue/RCA outs free for connecting outboard gear as either mono or stereo inserts with Cubase!!

That's the reason/ origin of this whole "problem" of course.
I'm also a fan of older, 80's semi vintage outboard gear that doesn't necessarily have spdif digital I/O so I figure the best solution really would be using one of the AIOs digital outs or the headphone out to connect my monitors!

Thanks for all the fast replies very helpful!

L.

  • vinark
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Re: AIO cabling question

You could use the headphones out as send from cubase. While not perfect it will work ok, especially for 80´s outboard. A standard insert cable with stereo jack on one side and 2 mono jacks on other side will do the trick. (Yopu could use the headphones for monitoring too, but my choice would be sends on the phones and rca for monitoring)
There are also input and output boards available for the AIO.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632