Alesis QS8, QS7 manual Digital AUDIO/OPTICAL Hookup, Recording Digital Audio

	Connections: Chapter 3
	before powering up the QS; on power up, it will automatically sense the footswitch
	polarity and calibrate itself accordingly.
J	If your footswitch seems to respond backwards (notes sustain unless the footswitch is
	pressed), turn off the QS, make sure the footswitch plug is fully inserted into the
	footswitch jack, then turn the power back on. Also, make sure the footswitch is not
	held down when powering up the QS.

DIGITAL AUDIO/OPTICAL HOOKUP

The QS can output digital audio directly into an Alesis ADAT or ADAT-compatible multitrack digital recorder via fiber optic cable.

The digital connector follows a proprietary Alesis format that carries all four audio outputs of the QS (Main and Aux, Left and Right) on a single fiber optic cable. Either pair of outputs can be converted into standard AES/EBU or S/PDIF stereo digital audio format by using the Alesis AI-1 interface. Fiber optic cables of various lengths are available from your Alesis dealer. However, the shorter the cable, the better. The model OC cable is 5 meters long and is the maximum length recommended.

To hook up the optical cable between the QS and an ADAT or AI-1:

¿Remove the two pieces of clear plastic, tubular sleeving (if present) that protect the tips of the optical cable plug.

¡Insert one cable end into the QS [DIGITAL OUT] and the other end into the ADAT or AI-1 DIGITAL IN.

To test the cable and QS digital output, plug one cable end into the QS. The other end should emit a soft red light (it is not dangerous to look directly at this light).

RECORDING DIGITAL AUDIO

Once the fiber optic connection is made between the QS and ADAT or an AI-1, the QS will output audio on the first four channels of the digital bus (the bus is capable of handling eight channels of digital audio). The MAIN [LEFT] and [RIGHT] outputs are routed to channels 1 and 2, while the AUX [LEFT] and [RIGHT] outputs are routed to channels 3 and 4. Note that the [VOLUME] slider controls the level of all analog and digital output channels simultaneously. Set the volume to maximum for most applications.

When recording to ADAT (or some other digital audio recorder), it will be slaving to the digital clock accompanying the digital audio emanating from the QS. This clock can be set to either 48kHz or 44.1kHz, as determined by the Clock function (found in Global Edit Mode). The Clock function has four settings: Int 48kHz, Int 44.1k, Ext 48kHz and Ext 44.1k. The default setting is Int 48kHz. which is suitable when the digital recorder is using the 48kHz sample rate. However, if the recorder is using the 44.1kHz sample rate, the Clock function should be set to Int 44.1k. This ensures that the QS will be in tune with previously recorded material. See page 119 in Chapter 8 for more information on the Clock parameter.

48 KHZ IN

If your ADAT system has an Alesis BRC Remote Controller, the QS’s digital clock must be synchronized to the clock coming from the BRC. This requires that a connection be made providing the clock signal to the QS and that the QS’s Clock function be set to either one of its two external settings (Ext 48kHz or Ext 44.1k).

QS7/QS8 Reference Manual 25