Do I Need an External Word Clock?

[Sparky1]

Hey there.

I've been tracking stuff @ my place - then taking the tracks to a larger commercial studio for mixing.

I use a PT LE (6.4) - and the studio has a TDM system.

Often - many of my tracks will have an occasional & audible spike.

The engineer at the TDM studio thinks I may have a clocking issue.

I'm still using a 001 on a G4 - because it suits my needs - and don't really want to spend money replacing it - if I don't have to.

So - I'm really wondering if the majority of people here do actually end up purchasing an external word clock...

Thanks,

Sparky1

[holbrook]

Sparky,

If you are 'often' getting spikes in your audio, something is certainly wrong with your rig or it's configuration.

Before running out to get a master clock make sure you don't have any clocking errors or conflicts in your current setup.
Likely culprits include: Anything you are sending digitally to your 001 (digital verbs etc.) Sample rate conflicts between session and interface settings. And make sure your session setup prefs are allowing for a large enough buffer if this problem seems to occur when more tracks are in use.

Let us know the state of these issues and tell us when the spikes occur and we'll be able to give you a better idea of what may be going on.

Cheers,
-holbrook

[Sparky1]

Thanks for the guidance holbrook.

My set-up is either a Mic or guitar - into a Great River MP2NV - into a BSS DPR 402 for a little compression - into an Apogee Rosetta - into the Digi 001 via S/PDIF.

Everything seems to be set to 44.1 & buffer is set to min for recording & max for playback when I go to listen & mix a bit...

I don't hear any audio spike when I'm recording - but they just kinda creep up randomly later. These spikes are visual - and I can usually fix 'em by re-drawing the wave form.

Also - I've started to notice that if I bring stuff home from a TDM rig - my system will introduce random spikes into the audio...

Thanks,

Sparky1

[flommer]

Make sure that PT is set to get it's clock data from the Rosetta.

The settings are under Setup->Hardware

You should choose external/SPDIF RCA (not optical) as the clock source

If your rig's clock source is currently set to "Internal" that's probably your issue.

Not sure about the TDM tracks issue...

[Avid]

Not a "spike" like you mentioned, but if you are getting clipping, see this Answerbase item:
Why does my Pro Tools LE session clip when I open it on TDM hardware?
http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?...4&itemid=15523