Topic: Sound Devices USBPre 2

[Todd R]

I'm not sure what you mean by bit rate.  Are you talking about bit depth or sample rate?  If it is sample rate, these are set by DIP switch B according to the manual, switches 8, 9, and 10.  Are these switches not working?

Sorry, still trying to understand what your issue is.

[bhadella]

I'm not sure what you mean by bit rate.  Are you talking about bit depth or sample rate?  If it is sample rate, these are set by DIP switch B according to the manual, switches 8, 9, and 10.  Are these switches not working?

Sorry, still trying to understand what your issue is.

Bit depth. 

I had no luck getting locking to the digital out at any of the sample rates and corresponding sample rate on my R44. 

The dip switches adjust sample rate (44, 48, 96 etc) but how do you set bit depth (8, 16, 24)?   I'm hoping that bit rate setting (default or controlled) might be a potential reason why I'm not locking to the signal. 

[rastasean]

I thought the machine it was connecting to was 'responsible' for setting the bit rate. set the r44 to 48/24 and the preamp should adjust.

is that the problem, fails to do that?

[bhadella]

In standalone mode, you set the sample rate via dip switches.   When using the USBpre 2 in interface mode, you set the sample rate in the Windows/MAC OS. 

Per a phone discussion with Sound Devices, the USBpre 2 always sends a 24 bit digital signal out when in either standalone or interface mode.

When I get home I will continue playiing around with the dip switches (to try other rates) and trying another device to accept the digital signal (audiophile 24/96 soundcard). 

[Todd R]

Well, that's disconcerting.

Many recorders need to be set to the same sample rate as the external A?D (meaning, it won't auto-select).  Have you tried making sure the R44 is set to what you're setting the USBPre to? (e.g., 24/48 for both units)

[kirk97132]

OK so I run a Tascam 680 and am having the same problems.  I got NO digi lock at either 48Hz or 96Hz.  Yet the POS MT-1 shows signal   Using the same cable I get perfect lock with my Apogee    Trying to work through it with Nic @ SD but I am a little concerned to say the least.  I'll let Ya'' know what happens. 

[bhadella]

Well, that's disconcerting.

Many recorders need to be set to the same sample rate as the external A?D (meaning, it won't auto-select).  Have you tried making sure the R44 is set to what you're setting the USBPre to? (e.g., 24/48 for both units)

Yep, I've set the R44 to the same sample rate as the USBPre 2 but no luck. 

OK so I run a Tascam 680 and am having the same problems.  I got NO digi lock at either 48Hz or 96Hz.  Yet the POS MT-1 shows signal   Using the same cable I get perfect lock with my Apogee    Trying to work through it with Nic @ SD but I am a little concerned to say the least.  I'll let Ya'' know what happens. 

I wonder if they have something in the s/pdif "protocol" that the USBPre 2 is sending that the R44 and the 680 don't like.........I've had no problems accepting the digital signal (via a bnc to coax connector) from a 744 before.

[bhadella]

Is this the first Sound Devices box that outputs s/pdif instead of bnc (aes) digital signals?

[kirk97132]

With SD pre set @ 48 and Tascam @ 44.1 I get a lock

[kirk97132]

OK so it get weirder...If I set the Tascam to 44.1Hz and the SD pre to 48Hz I get a lock.   If I set the SD pre to anything else, I get a lock but no signal coming in.  If I set the 680 to anything else it won't lock to the SD preamp.  It seems like an issue with the signal the SD preamp is putting out.  The Tascam has never had an issue locking to a UA-5, An AD-1000 or even a Yamaha digital SBD.   Waiting to hear back for the SD peeps.  I bet they are freaking out with the engineers right now.  Keeping my finger crossed for a simple fix via an update.  But I think it might require something inside the unit.



Update @ 1PM PDT.  Waiting for word back from engineers and Tech.  Said they would have something by this afternoon.  I don't know crap about the digital end of things and A/D chips etc, but the only setting that my Tascam will give me a lock at is 44.1Hz.  BUT the USBPre2 has to be set for 48Hz.  Man I am really hoping it can be solved with some sort of update you can download.  I did check my 680 with a UA-5 and an AD-1000 and they both lock in at 48Hz like they are supposed to. 

[Todd R]

With SD pre set @ 48 and Tascam @ 44.1 I get a lock

Someone else was having troubles getting cheaper A/D's locked to his 680, with two different A/D's.  Check these posts in the 680 thread:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=137231.msg1803601#msg1803601
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=137231.msg1811156#msg1811156

This may be a problem with the USBPre, but something might be weird with the 680, or a lot of 680's might have problems.  I've used my 680 with a V3 sending signal without a problem, as have others.  And people have used UA-5's successfully too.  I've got a friend though with a 680 who can't get a digital signal from his V3, but he can get a signal from his Mytek.

And you can get a signal from your AD1000, but not the USBPre.    Who knows what the issue is, but with all these problems with getting a digi signal locked on the 680 side, it might be the 680 and not the USBPre.

[kirk97132]

Well I don't know where the problem is but the fact that with the Tascam set to 44.1 I can get a digi lock at ANY setting on the USBPre2 makes me think it could be the preamp.  SO far, I've used the 680 with a V3, 2 different UA-5's, an AD-1000 and a Yamaha digital SBD.  All with out an issue.  The other thing is that I am the only person so far with issues on the 680 and only the second person to have an kind of locking issues.  So I have no clue what the problem is.

[rastasean]

it does seem like the issue would be with the usbpre2.

Did you hear anything more, kirk?

[Todd R]

Could well be the USBPre, but you aren't the only one with troubles with getting a digital signal to lock using the 680.  You're having problems, the guy in the 680 thread failed to get a digi signal using 2 different external A/D's, and my friend can't get his V3 to work with the 680, even though his mytek works fine.

As much as I like my 680, all these issues people are having feeding a 680 a digital signal are disconcerting.  Hopefully at least the USBPre>680 issues can be tracked down and solved with a new firmware or something. 

I've been thinking of getting a V3 or USBPre to go with my 680, and though I've used one borrowed V3 successfully to feed my 680 a digi signal, all these issues make me nervous about plunking down to get a new A/D just to find that it might not work with the 680.

[rastasean]

Well if its a SD issue and can be tracked down to that, I'd rest assure knowing SD would fix it. I don't see how we as end users could do a firmware upgrade/update since no drivers are needed for the computer, so maybe these units will have to be sent to them.

I don't see anything in the sound devices forum...yet.
http://forums.sounddevices.com/index.php