transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

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jaguarundi
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transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by jaguarundi » Sat Jan 15, 2005 6:20 pm

freakin computers...

ok, so I'm transfering DAT that was recorded at 16/48 through an optical chord into a digital mixer (Event EZBUS)--through USB and into Logic Platinum on my OSX powerbook G4.

my setup sucks for recording (mainly USB), i've learned this through experience, but the DAT step is a new addition.

in the transfers I'm hearing this sporadic digital clicking distortion. i mean, after it's on my harddrive and I play it back, i hear it, and the originals are clean. its similar to what the 'wrong clock' source if selected wrong, sounds like, but I've tried different things. including:

on the digital mixer, selecting different clocks: internal 48 / optical 48. its still there.

could it be a bad optical chord that would do that.

any thoughts?

(help!?)

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AnalogElectric
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Re: transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by AnalogElectric » Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:00 pm

Hmmmm, no... it's not sample rate.

Um, it's not just computers.

I don't have a solution for you cuz I've had nothing but problems going optical no matter what I've tried to connect. I've had $5000 DAT's to $10,000 CD-R's sync'd optically and I've had plenty of nasty digital distortion more than once, even at low level recordings.

Although this was YEARS ago and I could've made some setup errors but regardless, I don't use optical x-fers any longer (it's been almost 7 years since).

The optical cord I used at the time was brand new plus I a/b'd a known good optical cord but with the same results (even in different studios/environments). I just don't trust them. Very rarely it worked but when it didn't the results were devistating. Considering mostly what I did was a safety/listening-copy it was easy for me to say, "Whoops, sorry, let me make you a better CD-R".

To sum up, I've found that optical is just the absolute worst... unless there's a trick I'm missing out on. I've had both components set up EXACTLY how it told me in the manuals plus (after it distorted over and over again) I asked many different people that I knew and considering all the variables I investigated the only thing they told me is simply, "don't use optical cables cuz they're an unreliable interface". I have spent many many hours upon hours giving optical a chance for the sorta same application you propose but really unless there's something I'm missing you'd be better off finding a different avenue.

Anyone else have ideas?

-- Adam Lazlo
AnalogElectric Recording
Gilbert, Arizona USA
http://www.analogelectric.com
http://www.myspace.com/adamlazlo

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AnalogElectric
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Re: transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by AnalogElectric » Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:04 pm

BTW -- cute kitty on your webpage :)

-- Adam Lazlo
AnalogElectric Recording
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http://www.analogelectric.com
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Re: transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by apropos of nothing » Sat Jan 15, 2005 11:14 pm

Is there an option somewhere on the DAT machine internal vs. external clock synch?

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Re: transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by jaguarundi » Sun Jan 16, 2005 10:48 am

wow, I had no idea optical was unreliable, but now that you mention it, the times its been good to me in the last year I've been using it have certainly been the lucky exceptions.

as far as the clock option on my dat, as far as I know I don't have that. its a consumer grade Sony machine.

on my Dat, the only other option to go out is analog, but I guess that may be my only choice huh? (coaxial only has an in)

~~Adam

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Re: transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by AnalogElectric » Sun Jan 16, 2005 2:48 pm

apropos of nothing wrote:Is there an option somewhere on the DAT machine internal vs. external clock synch?
That could be the issue as well... I do remember something about that many moons ago when I was x-fer'ing from my DAT to CD.

Also, it COULD be a copy bit protection issue? I've run across problems with that before regarding distortion optically and AES/EBU. If you haven't messed around with those sort of settings then it's probably not an issue (factory defaults Copy Bit's off). Copy Bits protect digital media from being copied, the copy will be distorted/clipping, or completely unplayable.

The "internal/external" clock settings between the components is a good place to start tho. Thanks "apropos of nothing" for wiping the cobwebs off that section of my brain, heh.

-- Adam Lazlo
AnalogElectric Recording
Gilbert, Arizona USA
http://www.analogelectric.com
http://www.myspace.com/adamlazlo

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Re: transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by apropos of nothing » Mon Jan 17, 2005 10:34 am

Hmm. Which Sony DAT is it?

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Re: transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by JohnDavisNYC » Mon Jan 17, 2005 10:55 am

cord, not chord.

john
i like to make music with music and stuff and things.

http://www.thebunkerstudio.com/

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Re: transfer crisis--mysterious distortions--help!

Post by jaguarundi » Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:41 pm

it's a DTC-790 DAT. what are the proper internal/external clock settings?

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