[ardour-users] RME

[Sampo Savolainen]

On Thu, 2007-01-25 at 14:18 +0000, david headon wrote:
> The issue many of us soundcard shoppers face is largely M-Audio
> Delta1010 versus the RME Hammerfall.
> 
> THe HDSP 9652 has a breakout cable facility unless you go for the MADI
> version, which is for Multiface usage.  

The multiface has nothing whatsoever to do with MADI. The multiface has:
 - 8 analog inputs
 - 8 analog outputs
 - Stereo headphone output (not an extra output in software, but you
   can route a signal in there with the hdspmixer)
 - SPDIF or AES-EBU i/o (depending on configuration)
 - ADAT input (8 channels on <= 48kHz, 4 channels when > 48kHz)
 - ADAT output (ditto)
 - Wordclock i/o (for synch)
 

> There are loads of reasonable ADAT-optical based converters out there,
> but i wonder which is best for money?
> The manufacturers of card-box-XYZ are liable to give relatively
> non-helpful information on their websites - for us JACK/ARDOUR users
> anyway.

If your soundcard works in Linux and has ADAT i/o, any ADAT box will
work with it. There's nothing software / OS specific about that.


> IS there a message board or forum somewhere that is independant of
> music stores or manufacturers?

I read up on reviews on http://www.harmony-central.com/ , take them with
a grain of salt though.

> Perhaps one that is JACK specific?

JACK is just a piece of software to pump audio samples around. It
doesn't matter whether those samples come from a "traditional" sound
card, an ADAT interface, or a random generator.

> i'm hoping to collect an RME card soon, and i want to use the optical
> ports with whichever is the best AD/DA -ADAT option out there.
> I'm assuming the RME will 'see' any ADAT device that is attatched. Is
> that realistic or over-optimistic?

ADAT just works. As long as you take care with synchronizing which you
need to do every time you connect two pieces of digital equipment
together.


  Sampo