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Digital Connections - Chapter 7
Q20 Reference Manual 105
CHAPTER 7
DIGITAL CONNECTIONS
Overview
In addition to the analog inputs and outputs, the Q20 accepts and transmits audio on
two digital protocols: ADAT Optical and S/PDIF. If your source and/or destination
accept it, Ògoing digitalÓ is often the best way to connect the Q20. By using digital
connectors, you avoid the slight noise and distortion caused by converting from digital
to analog and back again. However, digital connectivity has its own pitfalls as weÕll
see in this chapter.
The S/PDIF inputs and outputs conform to the consumer standard digital protocol,
commonly found on DAT machines, CD Players and digital mixers. S/PDIF is a two
channel protocol, so you donÕt need to worry abut setting the input and output channels
like on the ADAT Optical inputs and outputs.
The Alesis Optical digital interface provides the means to communicate with other
ADAT Group digital audio devices, such as Alesis ADAT Multitrack Recorders. The
Alesis optical interface uses a proprietary 8 channel buss, from which the Q20 can
provide processing for 2 channels. This means you can come into the Q20Õs digital
input from one or two tracks of an ADAT, and go out of the Q20Õs digital out to one or
two ADAT tracks.
Alternatively, you may wish to use the Q20Õs analog inputs to process an instrument
and record digitally direct to the ADAT or S/PDIF digital outs. This is possible
because while the Q20Õs inputs are set to either analog or digital, all of the analog
and digital outputs are always active. Note that, on the ADAT outputs, you must
determine which 2 channels (of the digital bussÕ 8 channels) to assign the Q20Õs
digital outputs to.
Going digital is the preferred method of recording if you use the Q20 with an
ADAT. Since the DSP effects are created in the digital realm, why not let them
remain there while being transferred to a tape medium?
This chapter is designed to illustrate the precise ways of connecting the Q20 to
various digital audio peripherals, and how to manipulate the Q20Õs digital
routings. It is divided into two parts. The first half of this chapter details the
connections to various digital audio sources and destinations. The second half talks
about the routing possibilities that are available on the Q20 for processing digital
audio sources and transmitting to digital audio recorders.