No Optical Clock Source Option - For adding more channels though Behringer ADA8000

[conradconrad]

In PT, I used to have an option for Hardware Setup / Under "Clock Source:" I would choose "Optical". I would choose that to hook up my Digi003 to my Behringer ADA8000 so I could get 8 more inputs. This worked for years. I didn't need it for a year so I didn't check up on it. However, "Optical" no longer shows up as an option (using PT 2020.05). For "Clock Source" options, I only have Internal, S/PDIF, ADAT, Word Clock, for both "Optical Format"s of ADAT, S/PDIF.

Screenshot of my options

I got a new light pipe even though my original one was still putting out a light, I thought I'd at least try to rule that out - still no 'optical' as an option.

I have my Behringer ADA8000 set to Master 44.1. Optical cable going from the "Out" to the Digi003 "In". There is light coming through.

I have PT 2020.05 (because 2020.09 would glitch out entirely when trying to mess with this option), on Mac High Sierra.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[originalscottyg]

They probably just changed to nomenclature to be more specific. Optical can refer to SPDIF, ADAT, even MADI. You want ADAT, which is what carries 8 channels (44.1/48K) over optical cable and is how the optical ports on the back of the Behringer are labelled.

[conradconrad]

Thanks for the clue. I have both "Optical Format" and "Clock Source" set to ADAT. I see the sample rate on that same screen as 44.1. I have the Behringer set to Master 44.1. I have the session at 44.1. The Digi003 one the front has the Sync ADAT light steady lit. But I'm getting the familiar crackle sound when trying to record from an ADAT input. In the past, to me, that meant I had the session set to 48 and the clock to 41.1. But I've checked and rechecked and created new sessions and rebooted. I'm not sure what I'm missing.

Thanks for your help!

[ChuckS]

I'd attach both ADAT Ins and Outs to the ADA8000 and the 003, set the clock source of the 003 to internal and set the ADA8000 to follow the clock. I have used ADA's for years and never clocked anything to them. Better to clock to your primary device.

[conradconrad]

So I take it you mean to use two light pipes in/out and out/in from the 003 to ADA, then I need to set the switch on the back of the ADA to "Sync - ADAT"? Sound right?

[ChuckS]

Correct.

[Obsidian Dragon]

It's been a while since I did this but I'm not sure if "Sync ADAT" is enough. It is simply using the ADAT protocol for sync purposes. You do want that, but what I find more important is to make sure that one device (usually your 003) is set to "master," and the Behringer ADA is stet to "slave." If two devices are set as "master," you will get pops and clicks because both are trying to be the master clock and neither is listening. If I remember, the 003 is set as master via software, and the Behringer ADA is set as slave via switches. Having said that, a faint memory in me seems to recall that I had to reverse it and set the Behringer ADA as "master" and the 003 as "slave" but I don't remember exactly now.

[albee1952]

It can work with either being the master. I would try both ways and see if you can hear any difference(or if one sounds better than the other). I would not be surprised if you don't hear a difference either. Adding the second lightpipe for the 003 OUT to the ADA IN, will allow you to have PT control the sample rate(and I would use 48K for a few reasons). Advantage of this; Pro Tools is always set to use Internal Clock and the ADA(assuming correct settings on it) will always track the session sample rate, even if you switch for any reason(like an older 44.1K session if you choose 48 as your "usual"). As said, this combination will ONLY use 44.1 or 48K, but that's not likely to be an issue for you(it isn't for me and I've done several dozen commercial releases).

Another advantage of adding the second lightpipe is that now you have access to 8 more physical outputs which can be very handy for adding more headphone mixes(I ran 5 stereo headphone mixes when I had my 003/Focusrite OctoPre/DBX 386 setup). Check the manual for the Behringer on how to clock to external, and with your setup, I would be tempted to grab a BNC Wordclock cable and run that from the 003 WC out to the Behringer WC in(because the BNC connection is more reliable IMHO) If your ADA is the old silver-faced unit, I would recommend updating to the newer ref-faced ADA8200as the newer Midas-designed preamps sound better.