New Member and yes I'm sorry, another S/PDIF Apollo question (SOLVED)

mdj999

Member
Just got my AXE FX III and FC12 last week. The sound definitely feels like an upgrade from my Helix rack so I'm stoked about that.

Currently I have been trying to use the AXE FX digitally with my Apollo setup. BTW all this headache is because Luna won't accept the DI or let me reamp over USB and I'm trying to avoid an extra conversion using analog.

I have 2 x8p's and have them word clocking fine off the AXE S/PDIF. Obviously clock on AXE is set to INTERNAL and set to SPDIF on Apollo. BTW Apollo tells you the clock is good on the front of it as it will highlight EXT in white if external clock is good. Also everything is at 48K on the Apollo and Luna.

If I go analog instrument into the AXE and S/PDIF to the Apollo the signal path works fine and I can record wet in Luna. I'm using one of the toslink converters recommended on one of the threads of this forum.

Challenge is I was hoping to go S/PDIF into the AXE from the Apollo and run my guitar through the HIZ on the Apollo. Plan was to record dry in Apollo and send to AXE S/PDIF IN and use the already working return S/PDIF OUT path for the wet signal. I'm using the same converter and cables to go back just switching the converter unit so it recognizes a digital input instead of the coaxial. I have the AXE set to receive DIGITAL on Input 2, I have my blocks set up for both Input 1 and 2 and I just turn off the one I'm not using. I also have the DIGITAL source to SPDIF.

Problem is I see 0 input levels at the AXE. Also I was unable to have the whole solution clock off the Apollo either and I suspect its because something is blocking a working connection FROM the Apollo to the Axe. To make sure the Apollo was actually sending S/PDIF signal I looped back the digital S/PDIF from one unit to the other and I see signal there and record it in Luna fine. So I know the Apollo output is working and at least the optical cable is right.

I have 2 more converters arriving tonight to see if its a bad box but I'm stumped on why the signal seems to be going out from the Apollo but the AXE can't see it?

If any of you have any ideas please weigh in!
 
A couple things. To reamp with the fractal via spdif it needs to clock external, not internal.
also, I don’t shoot audio out of console to the fractal. I do that from the DAW. I never tried this in real time.
 
Switching the Clocking worked. Have wet signal but with a ton of pops now.

Going to investigate that now. Thanks Bruce!!
 
I'm at 48K on console and Luna and I can clock fine off AXE on the return path. But it was recommended to make the Apollo the master.

AXE says it can't see the clock off the Apollo for some reason. Signal is still going through getting affected by the AXE and coming back to Apollo over SPDIF just with a lot of pops due to clocking. Not sure why the AXE doesn't clock off the signal and still says "No Clock". Is it possible the Apollo isn't sending clocking info over SPDIF out? Its set to INTERNAL on the Apollo.
 
Yes apollo internal on your apollo, external on your fractal. Do you have input 2 source set to spdif? Thats how I bring spdif back into the fractal.
 
Windows? I dont think it matters but I keep my windows sample rate at 48k, too. I’m also assuming your UAD interface is the windows interface, right? Not the Fractal.
 
UADs thunderbolt drivers are a third trimester abortion as well. Extensive history of that on their forum and its pretty documented its somewhere in between cutting their fingernails and cleaning up the garage on their to do list. This might explain the clicks and pops.
 
New converter (different type also recommended in the forums), new cables and still no luck. Still working on it I'm suspecting something on the Apollos side but not sure.
 
I'm at a loss on what to try next. I have tested the Apollo slave to the SPDIF clock from the AXE and receive wet signal working without issue.

But I still can't get the axe to see signal from the Apollo using the same type of converter box in order to create a re-amp loop.

Also, it won't see clock from there either if I try to switch clock masters.

Has anyone gotten their AXE to RECEIVE SPDIF signal from the Apollo and accept its clock vs. the other way around?
 
As I understand it, you want to go from Apollo Hi-Z input to Axe fx digital input (SPDIF)?
I just did that on first channel in my Apollo sound card interface, through Hi-Z input. Axe fx received the signal to the input and playing my signal chain (rig, amp block and effects etc)
I have one Apollo 16/18 in/out, Silverface and are connected via SPDIF, but normally, I go opposite from Axe fx to Apollo digitally. (I also go just analog out, depends)
Make sure your preamp in apollo channel one is turned up to level. Also you fader on your Hi-Z channel (1 or 2) in Apollo, have to be turned up to level.
My Apollo interface have SPDIF in/out, and I need no converter..

Input 1 source: Digital
My output source for SPIDF is output 2. You will then need an output block 2 in Axe fx. For my part I use also output 1 for analog out, without effects, like reverb, delay.

Wordclock: SPDIF/AES IN.

All is in 48 kHz.
 
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Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm using the exact same settings for wordclock, sample rate, output blocks, etc.


Makes me wonder if something is happening in the conversion from toslink down to coax that is causing the Axe not to see a valid digital data stream?
 
Will this help..:

From start page 25 to mid page 27
I've been using that, the AXE manual, the wiki, and the Apollo console manual as well for sure.

I'm becoming convinced that the adapters we've been using work great going from coax->optical but the reverse isn't working. I've tried 2 different types of adapters now and they all work great going from the AXE to the Apollo but not the reverse conversion.

I'm still researching other adapters that claim not to convert signal and just reproduce the exact same signal on the coax.
 
are you able to reamp straight from the DAW as is now? I've never tried your signal flow, but over here setting my DAW track out to SPDIF and another channels input to SPDIF works for me. I have an X8, so Im coaxial to coaxial though.
 
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