phetamine

will there be any problems with, i dunno, clk sync or something?

I'm planning on possibly getting another 10k2 card to use as a 4 channel FX processor. I want to use 2 SPDIF out's from my main A1 card (4 mono channels) connected to 2 SPDIF in's on the FX card... add DSP hungry FX there... and have 2 SPDIF out's connected back to the in's on my main card.

I know i can physically do this, there's enough in's and out's on SB0090...

The question is will it behave?

Doug W

I have read threads here where other people do similar things but never tried it myself. I believe it will behave. I suppose there could be a slight added latency but I can't imagine that it would be much.

Do you have the 2nd card picked out yet?

phetamine

that sounds reasonably promising!

yeah i think i'll probably go with another sb009x (Audigy 1). They're reasonably cheap on ebay, well supported by KX, and i beleive they have the most possible ins/outs. I got one with it's accompanying AudigyDrive and it was the best darn bargain 12 track (thats right, 12 track) interface one could get for $100 AU!

I've got 8 ins straight from that card and AudigyDrive, plus 2 via spdif from A2Value (with CL driver), plus another 2 from my onboard sound via Spdif. I'll be replacing the A2Value with the proposed A1 coz it's got a bunch of spdif's on it that the A2value doesn't (plus the a2value isn't supported properly anyhow). This is, of course, if i can get verification that i wont have troubles with the spdif connections back and forth. Latency doesn't worry me much, it's only for headphone monitoring of Guitar, Drums, Bass and Vocals while me and the boys jam (and record). The actual recording is straight from inputs to ASIO.

Problem now is that i don't have enough DSP resources to make my (overly complex) monitoring work without having some compression and reverb etc done elsewhere.


Anyone have any experience with connections like i speak of?

phetamine

i found this thread

Two cards synchronization problem

doesn't sound good!
So Doug W you didn't end up testing that config then...?

Doug W

I must confess that I didn't. Right now I have an Aud 2 connected to an Aud 1, I use 2 SPDIF cables between the 2 but both acting as inputs to the Audigy 1. I will try to redeem myself by connecting an S/PDIF cable from one of the SB0090 outs to the CD_SPDIF in of the Aud 2 and see what happens.

dj_stick

i have an audigy 2 zs and and audigy ES cross linked with no problems (it all works)

and AU$100 - very nice price, where'd you find that (i'm in melbourne myself, and considering purchasing a front bay drive)

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phetamine

It all works dj_stick... that's what i wanna hear! It'd be good if more tests could be done though coz i don't wanna fork out and be dissapointed. Thanx in advance to you doug (or anyone else for that matter) who gives it a shot and post's results.

I might hassle my mate for a lend of his dell OEM Live to do a test. Actually, I could even try connecting to the spdif in pins on my mobo sound right now... yeah, ill do that and post results.

dj_stick, i must admit i rounded that price down to make me look better, it was actually $133.50 including postage, from an ebayer in melb... theres another one on there now "Audigy 1 including face plate" ...or something "buy it now" $125.

dj_stick

hmmm i couldn't find that listing you mentioned on ebay…

i'll keep looking around though

also one thing to note, be careful with your DSP routing, you don't want to cause a feedback loop (i have no idea what that will do to your cards)

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Doug W

I tried it out tonight going from my SB0090 to the SB0350 and back again, here is what it looks like:

http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/image...ost-reverb.jpg
http://www.maxminn.com/emily40/image...ent-reverb.jpg

phetamine

Alright, i can verify that It works with my onboard sound.

I made a simple DSP just for testing

WAVE connects to SPDIF_OUT
SPDIF_IN connects to ANALOG_FRONT_OUT

Playing an MP3 in winamp results in the audio data going directly out of spdif into the motherboard sound, (where i can see activity on the VU meter), then via the motherboards spdif out back into the sb0090, where i can hear it!

Petty it's not a 10kx card though... the only effects i can add is crap reverb, plus, i want 4 channels (2 spdifs). I think i might start looking for another 10k2 card.

As for the ebay item dj... i just had a look. I'd prolly get it if it didn't come with the audigyDrive, i don't need another one of them. hmm maybe we can go halvies DJ.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Sound-Blaster...QQcmdZViewItem

If that doesn't work, search ebay for audigy and its there with a picture

phetamine

thanks for trying it mate...
it worked i assume?

Doug W

It worked fine.

phetamine

Well i'm pretty much convinced that it's worth getting another card... thanks for everyone's input

dj_stick

also don't forget, using a re-pinned mobo audio bracket (for the audio jacks) connected to the CD_IN or AUX_IN points on an Audigy 1 or 2 card, you can enable a second stereo line input with kX

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phetamine

Yep thats right dj_stick, but instead of using a pre-made audio bracket i got an expansion card backing plate, drilled a hole and installed a 6.3mm stereo jack, snipped one end of a CD audio cable and soldered to the appropriate connectors on the jack. The ProFX AC97 plugin then allows me to configure the cards analog inputs so i can use Line in and Aux at the same time

dj_stick

that'll do the job, i couldn't be bothered doing that myself (i just used what i had on hand)

Btw check your PM

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phetamine

okay, this post is long but explains alot.

i've borrowed my mates Live CT4870 which I'm now using as a reverb unit (with EFX ReverbStation - great kx plugin, but very resource hungry) hooked up via spdif from Audigy1 then back again. To do this I ran a cable from the AudigyDrive's coax spdif out to cd_spdif on the Live card, using one of those plastic plug things used for connecting PWR_LED, HDD_LED, etc to motherboards. For the return path i used another plastic plug thing connected to pins 19 & 20 of the Live's AUD_EXT, with the other end connected to AudigyDrive's coax spdif in.

Obviously I had to make some changes/additions to my DSP configuratiions to make it work but it's working perfectly with no noticable latency issue or anything.

I'm also using the Live for another 2 analog inputs for the Audigy1. To do this i used a 3.5mm mono plug connected to Live's digital socket on the rear of the card, wired to cd_spdif on Audigy1... using yet another plastic motherboard plug thingy (yeah the pentium 75 doesn't work anymore, i know). Using the ProFX AC97 plugin i've setup the live's dsp to route LEFT LINE and RIGHT MIC to the digital output and voila, 2 more inputs at the audigy.

Furthermore, for when i wanna watch TV, I've hooked up my motherboards spdif out to pins 15 & 16 on the Live's AUD_EXT, and set up a DSP config that routes this input to the audigy1 (via the same spdif cable used when i require the line/mic). This config also utilizes the MoreBass and EFX ReverbStation plugins for my listening plesure.

As for my 4 channel FX processor that i originally wanted... well as far as i know i've only got one usable spdif out on the audigy1... located on the AudigyDrive. I need 2. Obviously i would have more if the AudigyDrive wasn't connected because i could use the AUD_EXT pins but it is connected and i use it so i can't. At first I thought i could use the A1's rear bracket DIGITAL/ANALOG plug but I can't without toggling "digital output only" mode... and this just wont work for my setup. I use several analog out's for a) my speakers, and b) my bass amp and vocal amp.

Jeez, i can't beleive how powerful these "consumer" cards are with KX! Running my bands bass and vocals through the computer first has given us a waaaaaaaay better sound whilst jamming. 10 band EQ, compression, Reverb, Delay, whatever! it's unbeleivable for the money i've spent, thanks KX team. Not to mention how good it sounds when we jam with our headphone's on and the drums sound like we're in a massive stadium, the bass is phaaaaaaaat, my guitar has perfect precence and the vocals fit in with mix with adjustable compression, verb and 10 band EQ. Just brilliant. I'm happy!

Russ

You should be able to use the analog and digital connections at the same time, but you have to do it manually (enable DOO mode, and then unmute the analog outputs using kX Console (modify the appropriate AC97 registers)). You just cannot use any analog outputs that are shared on the digital jack (i.e. analog center/lfe on most 5.1 models) at the same time.

<edit>
BTW: I am not sure about your card, but with my card (Live! 5.1 (SB0228)) I would do the following:

Enable DOO mode.
Open up kX Console and type:
sac97 2 0
sac97 18 808
sac97 36 0

The above would give me all 3 digital outputs (from the orange jack on the rear of the card), as well as analog front and rear at the same time.