18
Applications
It is impossible to anticipate exactly how you’ll use the ADA8824 (ADAT) in your studio, but
we can make a few educated guesses.
Digital Audio Workstation
In this application, the 8824 may find itself used alone or with accompanying ADAT machines.
The 8824 becomes the computer’s link to the analog and digital world. Since the unit performs
routing functions in addition to analog and digital conversion, it is a convenient way to route and
deliver digital and analog signals to and from your workstation.
In conjunction with most DAW applications, such as Cakewalk Pro Audio, the 8824’s configura-
tion application determines the ‘front panel’ settings of the unit. For analog sources, the 8824
converts these signals into 24-bit digital audio, and routes them to the computer via the lightpipe
interface. On the return trip, the 8824 can route signals to the S/PDIF connectors, to any of the
AES/EBU digital outputs, or to the analog outputs. For digital sources, the 8824 bundles them
into the 8-channel ADAT lightpipe format and ships them off to the computer. Returning from
the computer, the 8824 can deliver signals as AES/EBU digital signal pairs, analog audio, or S/
PDIF signals.
If you are mixing to DAT or for CD release, be sure that your workstation software has been set
to reduce the 24-bit signals to 16-bit and to perform dithering. The 8824 has no facilities for
dithering its output signal.
Note: You can not record 24-bit signals onto a DAT recorder unless your DAT machine is one
that has 24-bit recording capability. The DAT format is 16-bit by design. Trying to record longer
word lengths onto a DAT simply results in losing the extra bits (truncation). The resulting tape
will play, but the audio, particularly at the lowest levels, will suffer.
On the Wintel platform, it is easier to use the 8824 if you use a separate MIDI interface card
rather than that provided (if any) on your lightpipe interface card. A Windows 95/98 limitation
prevents one MIDI port from being used by more than one application. This limitation requires
you to open the configuration application alone, make your configuration adjustments, close the
configuration application, and then start your DAW application. Making any changes later re-
quires closing the DAW application first, reopening the configuration application, making the
configuration changes, etc. Not impossible, but certainly tedious. Having a physically separate
MIDI interface allows the configuration application to remain open while running your DAW
application.
When using any ADAT MDM machines and transferring data into your workstation, you’ll need
to disconnect the 8824’s output (lightpipe) connection so that you can move it to the ADAT
machine. The 8824’s ADAT lightpipe connections have no provision for thru operation. Of
course, if your lightpipe interface card has multiple lightpipe I/O connections (highly recom-
mended), then you can leave the MDM’s connected all the time and make the switch in software.
A
PPLICATIONS
& C
ONFIGURATIONS
S
ECTION
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