I am using a Tascam DM-24 to mix 96k lightpipe (S/MUX) from an Alesis
HD24XR. I initially had each unit set on internal clock, but
clicks/pops resulted, so I changed the clock source setting on the
HD24 so it would slave to the DM-24 clock via the lightpipe. No more
clicks and pops. But now I'm noticing, particularly on fast musical
passages, that there is distortion between the notes. This might be
silly, but it sounds as if the converters are somehow too slow to
process the notes and a certain amount of hash results between the
notes. (FYI, the signal chain is solo piano--Schoeps CMC6/MK5--Sytek
MPX-4Aii--HD24XR--DM-24--Grado SR-125 and JBL LSR25P)

Is this jitter or what? What's the best solution, trying to find a
2-channel D/A with word clock out to cable to the DM-24 (with WC daisy
chained from the DM-24's WC "thru" jack to the HD24), or buying a
master clock (eg, Lucid)? I know master clocks are generally only
thought to be necessary when there are more digital units to lock up
(I just have the recorder and mixer to worry about right now), but is
a master clock the way to go instead of a D/A? FYI, the HD24 has WC
in (but no WC out); the DM-24 has WC in and WC out/thru. Would it
help to connect the DM-24 WC out to the HD24 WC in instead of relying
on the clocking in the optical signal? (I'm also going to get shorter
and better lightpipe cables--right now I've got the nearly 7 foot Hosa
cheapos and they definitely aren't straight.) One other problem is I
can't find a 2-channel D/A with WC out; the latest Benchmark, Lucid,
Mytek, and Apogee 2-channel 96k D/As don't have WC out. Would one of
these D/As help my problem, even without WC out?

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

Derel

Derel wrote:

Is this jitter or what? What's the best solution, trying to find a
2-channel D/A with word clock out to cable to the DM-24 (with WC daisy
chained from the DM-24's WC "thru" jack to the HD24), or buying a
master clock (eg, Lucid)?

It's mostly quality of D/A conversion and jitter is part of it.
You need a quality D/A which is jitter immune. It'll help sound ten fold
more than a house clock driving lousy converter.

Our Stereo96 DAC is completely jitter immune without any WCK IN or OUT,
they are simply not needed.

http://www.mytekdigital.com/stereo96.htm

Regards

Michal, Mytek Inc.