Digital Connections - Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

DIGITAL CONNECTIONS

Overview

In addition to the analog inputs and outputs, the Q20 accepts and transmits audio on two digital protocols: ADAT Optical and S/PDIF. If your source and/or destination accept it, Ògoing digitalÓ is often the best way to connect the Q20. By using digital connectors, you avoid the slight noise and distortion caused by converting from digital to analog and back again. However, digital connectivity has its own pitfalls as weÕll see in this chapter.

The S/PDIF inputs and outputs conform to the consumer standard digital protocol, commonly found on DAT machines, CD Players and digital mixers. S/PDIF is a two channel protocol, so you donÕt need to worry abut setting the input and output channels like on the ADAT Optical inputs and outputs.

The Alesis Optical digital interface provides the means to communicate with other ADAT Group digital audio devices, such as Alesis ADAT Multitrack Recorders. The Alesis optical interface uses a proprietary 8 channel buss, from which the Q20 can provide processing for 2 channels. This means you can come into the Q20Õs digital input from one or two tracks of an ADAT, and go out of the Q20Õs digital out to one or two ADAT tracks.

Alternatively, you may wish to use the Q20Õs analog inputs to process an instrument and record digitally direct to the ADAT or S/PDIF digital outs. This is possible because while the Q20Õs inputs are set to either analog or digital, all of the analog and digital outputs are always active. Note that, on the ADAT outputs, you must determine which 2 channels (of the digital bussÕ 8 channels) to assign the Q20Õs digital outputs to.

Going digital is the preferred method of recording if you use the Q20 with an ADAT. Since the DSP effects are created in the digital realm, why not let them remain there while being transferred to a tape medium?

This chapter is designed to illustrate the precise ways of connecting the Q20 to various digital audio peripherals, and how to manipulate the Q20Õs digital routings. It is divided into two parts. The first half of this chapter details the connections to various digital audio sources and destinations. The second half talks about the routing possibilities that are available on the Q20 for processing digital audio sources and transmitting to digital audio recorders.

Q20 Reference Manual

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