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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: acidjack on June 10, 2011, 11:01:58 AM
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I attempted the "R-44 clock sync using a USBpre2" method the other night and it didn't work. I'm trying to figure out why, as I'd read up on this pretty extensively and thought I had everything in place.
Each R-44 was set to 24/48.
The R-44s were connected via a 1/8" cable to each other's SYNC ports
One R-44 was set to the default MASTER setting; mine was set to SLAVE
R-44 #1's digi-out was connected to the digi-in of USBpre2. Mics were also running into the USBpre2.
The USBpre2's digi-out was connected to my R-44 #2.
I don't think the USBpre2 did what I wanted - passing the mics still into R-44 #2 - but more importantly, the decks simply didn't start-stop together. My understanding was that if you just hit "REC" on deck #1, deck #2 (slave) should start at the same time. In this case, nothing happened at all. I tried putting deck #2 on PAUSE also, but the pause didn't seem to work, either.
I assume to get the USBpre2 to pass the right signal, I need to change a DIP switch, but from reading the manual it's not clear which one makes sure it passes the mics all the time instead of what it's getting through the digi-in. And then as to syncing the R-44s, well, I guess I don't understand why that didn't work.
Anyone see anything I definitely did wrong here?
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1) I wouldn't bother trying to use the r-44 cable, I'd just concentrate on the clock sync.
2) I can't remember the dip switch settings, but did you have it set to mic-in and did you see the spdif lights come on at all (flashing or full on)?
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NO dip switch setting change needed to use the usbpre2 sync setting. Use just like it was your preamp then run spdif signal from the "other" deck into it. so in my case it is USBPre2 phantom power on, dip switch for pads on, dip switch for 24/48. that's it. I have no idea what the slave setting does to the second r-44. It's been too long since I owned one. But from what I remember even when you have the decks synced they do not start and stop at EXACTLY the same time. Close to the same times but not exactly.
You will need to line up the two sources in your DAW but once it is done there is no drift. I have used my usbpre2 like this a lot and it has been great for this.
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^^ OK, thanks. I guess if the clocks are synced it should be as simple as it is aligning SBD/AUD to just line the two decks up. I'll take another run at this.
Still curious how to make R-44 master/slave thing work, but I'll get to that another time..
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If this doesn't work.. i'm going to start suspecting that usbpre2!!! :P