SPDIF out is working - but sounds crispy?

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FPFL

FPFL

Experienced
Hello!

I'm happy to be using the SPDIF out with my new MOTU Ultralikte Mk5. I'm new to SPDIF.

The SPDIF out works, I get stereo into Studio One 5 - but everything sounds a little crispy - bright, thin and a little hashy like the levels are too hot.
Nothing I can see in the levels says its too hot, the crispiness seems universal across factory presets.
I'm looking in I/O, at the levels within the presets... etc.

I also just upgraded to 16.0 and maybe that has something to do with it? I am tempted to roll back and see if this is partially the new firmware. The cyngus change is extreme if this is just that.

Be well
Paul
 
Need to set your interface sample rate to 48kHz. Also, if you can set your clock source to SPDIF, that also can help get rid of additional noise, even if the sample rate is correct.

Edit: By additional noise, I mean the crispy sound should go away at 48kHz; however, if my interface clock is set to internal instead of SPDIF, I get clicks and pops every once in awhile.
 
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FPFL said:
I also just upgraded to 16.0 and maybe that has something to do with it? I am tempted to roll back and see if this is partially the new firmware. The cyngus change is extreme if this is just that.

Be well
Paul
Click to expand...
I'm suspecting this may very well be the problem.
 
I'm using Axefx3 (fw16.1) SPDIF IN (linked to Input2) from Axefx2 with Axefx2 (Axefx3 SPDIF IN) as Master Word clock and out from Axefx3 Output1 via SPDIF to Roland Octacapture Interface (Axe3 is Master/Octacapture picks up 48kHz) - no problems, however, I have noticed in the past that my order of devices startup is important, and, from time to time, when I did not boot devices in the right sequence I've gotten the "crispy" SPDIF output from Axefx3 (and/or audio interface) that you describe. If I start up devices in the following order, I never have issues with SPDIF or USB:

1. Mac Pro
2. Axefx2
3. Axefx3
4. OctaCapture Audio Interface.
 
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Zedhed said:
I'm suspecting this may very well be the problem.
Click to expand...
I think I had two things hitting at once.
SPDIF is finickier than good old XLR and 16.x is the first "Wow, that's different" firmware in the life of the III for me.

As of right now I don't know if I like Cygnus more bc it broke all my old sounds. They sound so different they need rework and I'm a clean to 80s high gain kind of player. I'm not doing anything extreme, boosted Plexis and mod 800s are my bread and butter.
 
So, the FM3 SPDIF sounds different. I thought it was my imagination with tracks I was recording but using my Focusrite 8i6 control panel and with a track playing, I can switch between using the fractal's s/pdif with 48k and external clock to the focusrite 44k / internal clock and the latter sounds much better, much more clear and less "middy". I'm guessing this is just during monitoring as I haven't had a chance to compare the recorded material done through S/PDIF but played back with the focusrite's internal clock but along with the super annoying crackling i get using s/pdif I'm back to using XLRs to record and leaving focusrite in 44k/internal clock mode. Pretty disappointing though...
 
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jzucker said:
So, the FM3 SPDIF sounds different. I thought it was my imagination with tracks I was recording but using my Focusrite 8i6 control panel and with a track playing, I can switch between using the fractal's s/pdif with 48k and external clock to the focusrite 44k / internal clock and the latter sounds much better, much more clear and less "middy". I'm guessing this is just during monitoring as I haven't had a chance to compare the recorded material done through S/PDIF but played back with the focusrite's internal clock but along with the super annoying crackling i get using s/pdif I'm back to using XLRs to record and leaving focusrite in 44k/internal clock mode. Pretty disappointing though...
Click to expand...
1. Wrong forum.
2. SPDIF is a digital, bit-for-bit copy of the signal sent to the D/A converters (pre-fader). If it sounds "different" then the problem is with the interface or its setup.
 
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