888/24 spdif question.

[Allbaldo]

I'm trying to set up a mix room at my house. I'll be using an older G4, a D24 card, and a couple of mix farms.

I have an 888/24 I could use as an interface, but I'm not a big fan of their sound. I don't have much to spend, so I started considering getting another interface to connect to either the spdif or AES inputs on the 888/24. Is there any reason that using some kind of 2 channel interface connected to the spdif or AES inputs is a bad idea? Are the AES and spdif ins and outs of an 888/24 plagued by the other problems inherent to that converter, or are they a seperate entity?

Any ideas on this?

Any recommended reasonably priced 2 channel interfaces that would be a big improvement over the 888/24?

Thanks for any help!!

[trakbytes]

I've been reading on another forum about the Presonus Central Station monitor controller that has SPDIF inputs. It can control several sets of monitors and headphones as well. Has a remote (current promotion: free) and is pretty affordable. Here's a link:

Presonus Central Station

I don't know of any problems with the SPDIF or AES outputs of the 888|24.

Bob

[Allbaldo]

Thanks for the idea, and for answering!

I guess another thing I want to be able to do, is be able to route my final mix through outboard gear (avoiding the 888's convertors), then return it to Pro Tools. I also want to be able to use outboard gear as an insert in case I want to rework a track I don't like...(eq, compression, etc). I should have said that in my first post.

I just wasn't sure whether the spdif or AES in/outputs of the 888/24 would be affected by their "less than stellar" electronics, or if they're just a clean path in and out.

Any other ideas?

Stephen

[Seeee]

Oh hell yeah an external converter or even a clock improves the sound of the 888's

get a big ben or just about any appogee unit. especially the new ones. bench mark would help. Theres lots of options. I use an EMU 1212m on a standalone PC that I mix to and serves as a A/D through spdif and as master clock. this is ghetto though. get a real converter or clock.

[Chief Technician]

I just wasn't sure whether the spdif or AES in/outputs of the 888/24 would be affected by their "less than stellar" electronics, or if they're just a clean path in and out.

The only variable that should have an effect on this is the clock for the converter. General wisdom is that an external clock of some sort is a better option than the internal clock of the 888|24.