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

I am having the same SPDIF problems as described in this thread with 
my PX-7. I have it going into an alesis masterlink via a tc finalizer 
express, alesis deq320d and m audio c03. Whichever combination of re-
routing, and whichever settings on the px-7 I use (aes / spdif) the 
masterlink loses sync with the px-7 every 20 seconds or so. Most of 
the gear has status lights and I have narrowed it down to the px-7 
only (or the one cable) but I only just unpackaged the cable today 
from new, and it is a proel top of the line spdif.

What proves it to me is that the exact same setup has worked without 
a single glitch for 6 months when mastering from a d8b and mx2424.

No, it's definitely the emu hardware.

So how do I go about earthing the cable? Just a couple of crocodile 
clips and some solder!??

Alan

--- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, "glennjamison" <glennjamison@h...> wrote:
> I have had problems with the s/pdif output on two separate MP-7s.  
I 
> haven't been able to get either to work and I also have no problems 
> with any of my other s/pdif gear. I've tried plugging the MP-7 into 
> various s/pdif ports with various cables, and since I've had the 
> problem with 2 separate MP-7's, I'm assuming it's not a problem 
with 
> the unit.  I have set it to s/pdif and not aes/ebu in the settings 
in 
> the MP-7.  What I do get when I hook it up is a whole lot of 
digital 
> noise.  I've tried synching word clock to the s/pdif port on the MP-
7 
> and I've also tried using a sample rate converter so that I don't 
> have to sync to the MP-7's s/pdif port, but nothing seems to work.  
> If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
> 
> Glenn
> 
> --- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, "clintfisher" <clint@f...> wrote:
> > --- In xl7@yahoogroups.com, aeon <aeonlux@c...> wrote:
> > --snip---
> > > I am not experiencing it, nor are others on this list, so I'm 
> > thinking
> > > something is wrong with your cable, clock sync or method.
> > 
> > Actually, others on this list *are* experiencing this, which is 
why 
> I 
> > decided to chime in.  I'm connecting the XL-7 to an Aardvark Q10 
> and 
> > have tried all clock sync methods available in the driver.
> > 
> > It's important to note that no other SPDIF gear I have has a 
> problem 
> > connecting through my Hosa "digital" (SPDIF) cable to the Q10.  
> Units 
> > tried:  Apogee Mini-Me, CO2 (optical-spdif converter), C03 
(higher-
> > quality optical-spdif converter).  All perform flawlessly.
> > 
> > Oh yes, I have tried different (and shorter) cables with the same 
> > results.
> > 
> > Others here have indicated a weak signal coming from the XL-7.  
> > Granted, I have not done anything *myself* to measure the actual 
> > SPDIF signal strength coming from the XL-7 versus my other 
devices, 
> > but this does concur with the behavior I am experiencing.
> > 
> > My next test will be to use a *very* short cable out to the CO-2 
> and 
> > hopefully use it as an amplifer in between my Q10 and the XL-7.
> > 
> > The bottom line is that other equipment works fine while the XL-7 
> > suffers.  I believe it to be a defective design or output 
circut.  
> > Others on this list have corroborated this.
> > 
> > The biggest reason for me wanting to use the SPDIF out, aside 
from 
> > the panacea of "perfect digital quality" is that the Q10 has ten 
> > input channels, 8 analog, and 2 digital via SPDIF.  This 
> effectively 
> > frees up two analog channels for me, which is invaluable.
> > 
> > Any information anyone can offer on a way to *resolve* this issue 
> > would be most appreciated.  I'll try hardwiring the cable ground 
> too.
> > 
> > -Clint