Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

My understanding is that the baseline level for the SPDIF signal is
set where it is to allow for the extreme bumps in level that can occur
when employing various quantities in Resonance thru the filter
section. If you play around with those features (filter.freq.res.) you
will hear what I mean. Since it is a 20 bit D/A there should still be
plenty of quality signal there - but you may have to adjust it with a
digital mixer function - whether in or out of the DAW. However - thru
a good gain stage and converter the analog signals sound great. Thru a
bad converter they will sound....bad. The stuff that I tracked from a
Command station/P2000 thru an Apogee converter sounds really fantastic.

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, "pranaearth" <pranaearth@y...> wrote:
> I had the same problem with low levels. 
> I was told that Emu did this on purpose to avoid "overloading" the 
> SPDIF inputs on the recieving end, or other such nonsence.
> One of the main selling points for me was the SPDIF output. 
> I wanted to free up an analog input pair to my soundcard. 
> However, the output is so quiet, I couldn't hear it in relation to 
> my other gear. 
> Hence SPDIF=Useless.(for me)
> Very disappointed.
> I went out and bought a rackmount mixer to rout all my modules 
> signals through.
> A workaround, even though I had to spend extra money on a mixer, 
> rearranging my cables in my studio, finding a spot for yet another 
> power supply, and the time it took to do this rather than making 
> music.
> No Kudos to Emu.
> About the crackles, I had the same problem in my XL7. 
> I don't know if its a QC thing or not, but if my SPDIF cables were 
> bumped or moved near the XL7, I would get crackels and audio drop 
> outs.
> So in theory SPDIF looks cool on paper, but the execution is lacking.
> 
> That being said, I love most everything else about my XL7 and am 
> having a really fun time with it.
> 
> prana
> --- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, "diveintomercury" <diveintomercury@y...> 
> wrote:
> > I'm having extreme difficulty with the SPDIF output on my MP7. It 
> > would seem that the digital signal is very weak coming out of the 
> > box. At first I thought it may have been a cable quality issue, 
> but 
> > after purchasing a very high quality cable, the problem continued. 
> > I'm getting a lot of crackles in the signal. I have two soundcards 
> > with SPDIF input which i've been attempting to use, a Waveterminal 
> > 192L and an Audiophile USB. I've had difficulty with both, 
> although 
> > the Waveterminal seems slightly more tolerant. I notice that if i 
> > press my finger on the metal section of the digital jack while 
> > plugged into the MP7 the charge from my body boosts the signal so 
> it 
> > is crystal clear... Is there any other way i can boost the power 
> of 
> > the signal using the MP7 itself or a third party device?