Thread Possible to use 6i6 as dac-pre?
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canoosa
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First post
1 Posted on 01/31/2018 at 04:37:59
Re: Focusrite Scarlett 6i6
Good Morning from The Rockies!
Let me first state that I am not an Audio Engineer, nor do I have anything to do with Home-Studio recording.
I wish to use the 6i6 strictly within the context of a computer-based, music-playback system. As such, its role is to serve as a DAC-Pre, upstream of a stereo amplifier. My question regards the issue of connectivity, and I require confirmation of the following:
The music server has a Lynx Audio AES16 card with a D-Sub breakout cable.
The cable’s xlr connector (at the downstream end, going to a dac, in this case the proposed Focusrite 6i6) will have an xlr-rca adapter.
As I understand it, and using the Focusrite 6i6 Userguide.pdf page 7 as a reference to the Rear Panel Hardware Features, I can insert the breakout cable’s rca connector into the 6i6 SPDIF input (feature #14) to transfer the computer’s data. Then, using the Line Outputs 1 and 2 (feature #11), I can use cables with TS jacks on one end, one each for Line Output 1 and 2, as interconnects to two rca inputs on the Stereo Amplifier, each of which drives one pair of stereo, passive, vintage loudspeakers (this is a custom-ordered modification by the manufacturer - Odyssey Audio for a Khartago amplifier, Extreme version - to drive two sets of headphones, originally); both pairs of speakers have good input sensitivity, one ~ 90db, the other 98 dB.
I did write the manufacturer with this same question, but got no reply, hence I thought I'd attempt this route....
I am trying to make use of different, "left-over" components to increase the quality of the cheap playback system in our oft-frequented shop.
Can someone, please, confirm that this will actually work?
Best Regards!
Good Morning from The Rockies!
Let me first state that I am not an Audio Engineer, nor do I have anything to do with Home-Studio recording.
I wish to use the 6i6 strictly within the context of a computer-based, music-playback system. As such, its role is to serve as a DAC-Pre, upstream of a stereo amplifier. My question regards the issue of connectivity, and I require confirmation of the following:
The music server has a Lynx Audio AES16 card with a D-Sub breakout cable.
The cable’s xlr connector (at the downstream end, going to a dac, in this case the proposed Focusrite 6i6) will have an xlr-rca adapter.
As I understand it, and using the Focusrite 6i6 Userguide.pdf page 7 as a reference to the Rear Panel Hardware Features, I can insert the breakout cable’s rca connector into the 6i6 SPDIF input (feature #14) to transfer the computer’s data. Then, using the Line Outputs 1 and 2 (feature #11), I can use cables with TS jacks on one end, one each for Line Output 1 and 2, as interconnects to two rca inputs on the Stereo Amplifier, each of which drives one pair of stereo, passive, vintage loudspeakers (this is a custom-ordered modification by the manufacturer - Odyssey Audio for a Khartago amplifier, Extreme version - to drive two sets of headphones, originally); both pairs of speakers have good input sensitivity, one ~ 90db, the other 98 dB.
I did write the manufacturer with this same question, but got no reply, hence I thought I'd attempt this route....
I am trying to make use of different, "left-over" components to increase the quality of the cheap playback system in our oft-frequented shop.
Can someone, please, confirm that this will actually work?
Best Regards!
canoosa
New AFfiliate
2 Posted on 01/31/2018 at 09:07:59
Re: Focusrite Scarlett 6i6
Good Morning from The Rockies!
I wish to use the 6i6 strictly within the context of a computer-based, music playback system. As such, its role is to serve as a DAC-Pre, upstream of a stereo amplifier. My question regards the issue of connectivity, and I require your confirmation of the following:
The music server has a Lynx Audio AES16 card with a D-Sub breakout cable. The cable’s xlr connector (at the downstream end going to a dac, in this case the Focusrite 6i6) will have an xlr-rca adapter.
As I understand it, and using the Focusrite 6i6 Userguide.pdf, page 7, as a reference to the Rear Panel Hardware Features, I can insert the breakout cable’s rca connector into the 6i6 SPDIF input (feature #14) to transfer the computer’s data. Then, using the Line Outputs 1 and 2 (feature #11), I can use cables with TS jacks on one end, one each for Line Output 1 and 2, as interconnects to two rca inputs on the Stereo Amplifier, which then drive two pairs of stereo, passive loudspeakers (this is a custom-ordered modification by the manufacturer - Odyssey Audio for a Khartago amplifier - to drive two sets of headphones, originally); both pairs of speakers have good input sensitivity, one ~ 90db, the other 98 dB.
I did write the manufacturer with this same question, but got no reply, hence I thought I'd attempt this route....
I am trying to make use of different, "left-over" components to increase the quality of the cheap playback system in our oft-frequented shop.
Can someone, please, confirm that this will actually work?
Best Regards!
canoosa
New AFfiliate
3 Posted on 02/02/2018 at 12:52:13
So, here it is: THE SOLUTION
Focusrite did finally respond via Daniel Morton who focused directly on the central problem, namely the possible/probable Impedance Mismatch depending on how the connection between the Lynx Aes16's XLR and the 6i6's SPDIF IN is achieved in order to transfer the computer's data.
We both did some digging, and came up with this: Use a passive adapter, e.g. Neutrik's NADITBNC-FX, as a proper resolution to that problem; another example is the somewhat less expensive Sescom SES-AES-EBU-1.
The rest was easy....Yes, the 6i6's preamp function will easily drive the speakers via interconnects to the unbalanced, stereo amlifier; as interconnects, something like a Mogami's Pure Patch Pro 06 will do very well.
That leaves the digital audio cable between the passive adapter's BNC and the 6i6's SPDIF. A cable like Belden 1694A is very reliable, and appropriate terminating can be a matter of doing it oneself (I've not come across a consumer patch cable of that configuration) or possibly having one made by.......Blue Jeans Cable, perhaps??
Anyway, I thought I'd post this for the next person who just might have this seemingly unusual question to deal with.
Best Regards To All!
Focusrite did finally respond via Daniel Morton who focused directly on the central problem, namely the possible/probable Impedance Mismatch depending on how the connection between the Lynx Aes16's XLR and the 6i6's SPDIF IN is achieved in order to transfer the computer's data.
We both did some digging, and came up with this: Use a passive adapter, e.g. Neutrik's NADITBNC-FX, as a proper resolution to that problem; another example is the somewhat less expensive Sescom SES-AES-EBU-1.
The rest was easy....Yes, the 6i6's preamp function will easily drive the speakers via interconnects to the unbalanced, stereo amlifier; as interconnects, something like a Mogami's Pure Patch Pro 06 will do very well.
That leaves the digital audio cable between the passive adapter's BNC and the 6i6's SPDIF. A cable like Belden 1694A is very reliable, and appropriate terminating can be a matter of doing it oneself (I've not come across a consumer patch cable of that configuration) or possibly having one made by.......Blue Jeans Cable, perhaps??
Anyway, I thought I'd post this for the next person who just might have this seemingly unusual question to deal with.
Best Regards To All!
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