can't get s/pdif working with focusrite 18i/8

jzucker said:
boxed up the presonus, ordered the gen 3 focusrite 8i6... Hopefully the S/PDIF issues are not caused by the fm3 itself. This will be the 3rd audio device I've tried it on...
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I have a Focusrite 8i6 Gen 3. Using its SPDIF input from the FM3 with no problems. Cable is some no-name-low-end-claims-to-be digital audio cable, somewhere between 6 and 10 feet. This on Windows 10.
 
frankencat said:
Hi Jack! hope you are well my friend. :)

Here is how I do it on my FM3 into my Scarlett 18i8 Gen 2. Just click on the settings icon in Focusrite Control and it opens the Sync menu.
View attachment 97570

View attachment 97573

I am running a 6ft Monster SPDIF cable and it sounds amazing. Maybe try another cable if you continue to have problems.

All the best,
Frank
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i got an 8i6 and the spdif is working fine but if I'm not running my DAW, the spdif is not routed to the main outs. Is there a way to do that in the mixer? I can't seem to find it...

[edit] Found it. Had to hit the + to add SPDIF to the mix control
 
Well, @frankencat, @GitGuy513 and others...Turns out I'm not going to be able to use s/pdif afterall. The 8i6 driver (or windows) has a bug where when it's in 48k/spdif clock mode, if I turn off my FM3, the audio interface stops working. (And note, I am not using the FM3 USB audio driver). I can restart it by switching to 44k and internal clock but it's a pain in the @ss to have to go back and forth between the two settings everytime I want to turn on and use the fm3 or turn it off. If i have it in 44k/internal mode and switch off the fm3 everything's fine. I think it must be trying to sync with the s/pdif clock and when the device is powered down the driver doesn't know how to handle it and stops responding to requests.

So sadly, after all the trials and tribulations and 2 new audio interfaces, i'm back to xlr inputs...

Ironically, the presonus 68c didn't have that issue although it had no way to monitor s/pdif through the user interface. Can't believe in 2022 we still have to deal with this !@#$
 
jzucker said:
Ironically, the presonus 68c didn't have that issue although it had no way to monitor s/pdif through the user interface.
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Are you sure? In Universal Control, spdif is no different than any other input: select your main mix and bring up the spdif fader.

However, USB might work better than spdif for you. For the kinds of things you're trying to do with spdif, the FM3 can be a little awkward.
 
jzucker said:
Well, @frankencat, @GitGuy513 and others...Turns out I'm not going to be able to use s/pdif afterall. The 8i6 driver (or windows) has a bug where when it's in 48k/spdif clock mode, if I turn off my FM3, the audio interface stops working.
Click to expand...

I'm not having this problem on Windows 10. My audio interface is set to 48k, and I can turn off the FM3 without losing audio. If you give me a repro case, I'll try it on my system.
 
jzucker said:
Well, @frankencat, @GitGuy513 and others...Turns out I'm not going to be able to use s/pdif afterall. The 8i6 driver (or windows) has a bug where when it's in 48k/spdif clock mode, if I turn off my FM3, the audio interface stops working. (And note, I am not using the FM3 USB audio driver). I can restart it by switching to 44k and internal clock but it's a pain in the @ss to have to go back and forth between the two settings everytime I want to turn on and use the fm3 or turn it off. If i have it in 44k/internal mode and switch off the fm3 everything's fine. I think it must be trying to sync with the s/pdif clock and when the device is powered down the driver doesn't know how to handle it and stops responding to requests.
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That's how S/PDIF works. The FM3 is the Master device and the Scarlett is the Slave. Once the Master is turned off, the Slave loses sync of the external clock, that's why you need to turn back to internal.

That's the gripe I had with the AX8 and FM3 only having Digital Out. With my Axe-FX I have it hooked to my 18i20 with both S/PDIF I/O and the 18i20 as Master device, no more switching and even the convenience of digital reamping without USB when all USB ports on my laptop are already in use.
 
GlennO said:
Are you sure? In Universal Control, spdif is no different than any other input: select your main mix and bring up the spdif fader.

However, USB might work better than spdif for you. For the kinds of things you're trying to do with spdif, the FM3 can be a little awkward.
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i didn't see an spdif input fader. I think the monitor mix feature is only in the Studio 1824c and StudioLive Series III interfaces. But it's moot now because I returned it.
 
I'm not sure how I'd use USB device. Wouldn't i have the same issue where the USB input into the computer wouldn't be echoed back to the main outputs of my audio interface? In reaper that problem would be circumvented by clicking on the track monitor but but I'd lose the ability to just play/practice through the computer. Or am I misunderstanding the workflow?
 
GlennO said:
You'll find instructions here. I recommend you work through the simple cases first before you advance to more complex configurations. You can substitute an audio interface for a mixer in configuration 2 if you don't have a mixer.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/
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thanks, i guess option 2 with my 8i6 subbing for the mixer answers my question. What are the advantages to doing that over just utilizing the analog outs being recorded directly from my interface? With the ability to handle multiple inputs and also loopback, it seems like that might be the better route.
 
Configuration 5 shows how to integrate an audio interface into your rig if you need it for some reason. For example, if you need more inputs because you're recording a microphone in addition to your Axe-FX.
 
GlennO said:
Configuration 5 shows how to integrate an audio interface into your rig if you need it for some reason. For example, if you need more inputs because you're recording a microphone in addition to your Axe-FX.
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seems like that would double the USB latency since it has to do usb trip to the computer and then to the audio interface as opposed to just using the analog outputs of the FM3 to begin with...
 
No, not at all. In any case, I'd suggest starting with the simplest configuration, #1. Follow the instructions carefully and get that working. Then, if you find that doesn't meet all your needs, progress to the more complex configurations.
 
GlennO said:
No, not at all. In any case, I'd suggest starting with the simplest configuration, #1. Follow the instructions carefully, then progress to more complex configurations after you get that working.
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Sorry, i was referring to #4, not #5. As I mentioned, it's a problem doing s/pdif because the fm3 only has out so the interface can't be a master and it's tedious to keep having to change the clock on the interface from internal to spdif depending on whether the fm3 is off or on.

But #4 has to increase the latency because USB is a polled i/o port which means the OS periodically polls the usb bus, gathers updates and then has to service the send from the incoming FM3 poll to the outgoing audio interface which then sends it to the monitor outputs. It might be an insignificant latency but it's definitely there and depending on your interface and buffersize it may be audible
 
No, #4 does not double the latency. Don't take my word for it, try it :). In any case, assuming you're following the directions and monitoring direct, latency is generally irrelevant.

I'm simply observing that you seem to be having a lot of problems related to spdif, so I'm suggesting you try a configuration that does not use spdif. For example 1, 2, or 4. You might find that works better for you.
 
GlennO said:
No, #4 does not double the latency. Don't take my word for it, try it :). In any case, assuming you're following the directions and monitoring direct, latency is generally irrelevant.

I'm simply observing that you seem to be having a lot of problems related to spdif, so I'm suggesting you try a configuration that does not use spdif. For example 1, 2, or 4. You might find that works better for you.
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i've already solved the problem without spdif. I just use the analog inputs of my interface from the main outs of the fm3. With the focusrite, I have complete control over the mix levels of all inputs including balancing loopback with music playing on the computer and potentially even recording that in reaper...
 
[edit]

It turns out with the focusrite control for Gen 3, it's really easy to switch the clock sync and sample rate. The gen 1 was painful but it's so trivial that I'm currently using the s/pdif but I have the analog inputs hooked up too...
 
jzucker said:
[edit]

It turns out with the focusrite control for Gen 3, it's really easy to switch the clock sync and sample rate. The gen 1 was painful but it's so trivial that I'm currently using the s/pdif but I have the analog inputs hooked up too...
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For short cable runs it's not really going to matter if you use SPDIF or analog in/out. I can't tell a real difference at least.

Using analog I/O gives you the flexibility to use any sample rate with your audio interface though instead of being locked to 48 KHz.
 
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