Digital Connections; Adat; Aes/Ebu - RME Audio Hammerfall HDSPe AIO User Manual

23. Digital Connections

23.1 ADAT

The ADAT optical I/O of the HDSPe AIO is fully compatible to all ADAT equipped units. RME's
unsurpassed Bitclock PLL prevents clicks and drop outs even in extreme varipitch operation,
and guarantees a fast and low jitter lock to the digital input signal. A usual TOSLINK cable is
sufficient for connection.
ADAT In
Interface for a device sending an ADAT signal to the HDSPe AIO. Carries the channels 1 to 8.
When receiving a Double Speed signal this input carries the channels 1 to 4, at Quad Speed
channels 1 and 2. Can also be used as SPDIF optical input.
ADAT Out
Interface for a device receiving an ADAT signal from the HDSPe AIO. Transmits channels 1 to
8. When sending a Double Speed signal, this port carries channels 1 to 4, with Quad Speed
channels 1 and 2. Can also be used as SPDIF optical output.

23.2 AES/EBU

The HDSPe AIO breakout cable provides one XLR AES/EBU input and output each. Connec-
tion is accomplished using balanced cables with XLR plugs. Input and Output are transformer-
balanced and ground-free.
Besides the audio data, digital signals in SPDIF or AES/EBU format contain a channel status
coding. The incoming channel status is completely ignored.
The output signal coding of the HDSPe AIO has been implemented according to AES3-1992
Amendment 4:
• 32 / 44.1 / 48 kHz, 64 / 88.2 / 96 kHz, 176.4 / 192 kHz depending on the current sample rate
• Audio use
• No Copyright, Copy permitted
• Format Professional
• Category General, Generation not indicated
• 2-Channel, No Emphasis
• Aux Bits Audio use, 24 Bit
• Origin: HDSP
AES/EBU and SPDIF can contain an Emphasis information. Audio signals with Emphasis have
a strong high frequency boost and thus require a high frequency attenuation on playback.
An Emphasis indication gets lost as there exists no standardized interface on computers to
handle this information!
Operation as second SPDIF I/O
Thanks to a highly sensitive input stage
SPDIF coaxial can be fed too by using a
simple cable adapter phono/XLR. To
achieve this, pins 2 and 3 of a male XLR
plug are connected individually to the two
pins of a phono plug. The cable shielding
is only connected to pin 1 of the XLR -
not to the phono plug.
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User's Guide HDSPe AIO © RME