Audient ASP008-AES Breakout cable for AES/EBOU Output - question?

[Manozi]

Hi all,

I hope someone would be able to help me out with the following amateur question - pardon if it sounds too simple/obvious

I am planning on buying the Audient ASP008 preamp with the AES/EBU digital output card that outputs 8-channels of AES/EBU thru a 9-pin DSub.

I will be using the Audient as my main preamp for my live orchestra recordings in South America this summer and was considering the following option as a backup:

Using the following cable:

Audient | ASP8-AES-CABLE AES Breakout Cable | ASP8AES-CAB | B&H

I want to go from the 9-pin DSub AES/EBU output on the back of the Audient, to my MBox, taking the 2 of the 8 XLR endings on the breakout cable that correspond to my main pair mics, and plugging those into channel 1 and 2 of my MBox respectively.

So basically, the cable is a 9-pin DSub on one side, and 8 male XLRs on the other. I want to take 2 of those XLRs and plug them into my MBox, so the signal from those goes into the MBox and into Pro Tools (on my other laptop) for backup purposes.

Is this making any sense? And if so, is it possible, and worth trying?

I'd appreciate some help from those of you with more experience/knowledge than I have


Thank you kindly,
Manol

[0VU]

The cable is a 9-pin DSub on one end and FOUR male XLRs on the other.

Unlike balanced analogue, in AES/EBU digital interfacing, each XLR carries two channels of audio plus clock and some other stuff. So the XLRs on the cable carry respectively Chan1/2, 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8. If you want to feed only a single pair of mics into the preamps and through to your MBox, you only need to use the one AES/EBU output XLR corresponding to the pair of channels into which you have plugged your mics as this typically carries both channels of audio.

The plan does however fall down if you for some reason choose to plug your mics into channels 2 and 3 or some other such even/odd channel combination. Then you'd need to use two XLRS and be able to route signals from these to take channel 2 of XLR 1 to one track and channel 1 of XLR 2 to the other track. But that really is making work for yourself so stick to using an odd/even channel pair like 1/2 or 3/4, etc., and you'll be ok with one XLR.

Of course, all this depends upon your MBox having an AES/EBU input. I've never used one so I don't know about this.

[Dr Bob]

All the MBoxes (the original one, the MBox 2 and the MBox 2 Pro) have S/PDIF digital ins and outs rather than AES/EBU. These are in the form of RCA jacks intended for 75 ohm co-ax digital cables. There are no AES inputs but you are in luck. There is a better solution:

The Audient ASP008 digital interface has a switch that allows you to select either AES/EBU or S/PDIF. Select S/PDIF and use this cable (the Audient S/PDIF cable) instead:

Audient | ASP8-SPIDF-CABLE S/PDIF Breakout Cable | ASP8SPDIF-CAB

This is a breakout from 9 pin to four S/PDIF outputs (on RCA connectors). Each of the four carries two channels.

With this you should be set.

Bob Miller

[Gerax]

Hi

I was about to say this same exact thing...as Mbox doesn't accept AES.

On a side note...200$ is not a bad price at all for a cable that could cost 1/10 in components and half an hour of soldering with a pinout schematic that can be downloaded everywhere from the internet...just makes me wonder how much these large sellers or stores charge over the markup price...

[Manozi]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

So AES/EBU carries two channels per XLR - learned something new today - thanks

I was wondering about the 4 plugs on the other end of the harness...

The SPDIF seems to be the better option, but yeah, that cable is pricey...

Just out of curiosity, what components would I have to buy, and what schematics would I need if I am to solder up that cable myself?


Thank you!
-Manol

[Gerax]

Originally Posted by Manozi

Thanks for all the replies guys!

So AES/EBU carries two channels per XLR - learned something new today - thanks

I was wondering about the 4 plugs on the other end of the harness...

The SPDIF seems to be the better option, but yeah, that cable is pricey...

Just out of curiosity, what components would I have to buy, and what schematics would I need if I am to solder up that cable myself?


Thank you!
-Manol

Mmmm....1 DB25 connector, 4 RCA connecotrs, 75 Ohm 8 pair cable (the length you need)...Google for AES pinout or something like that...

[0VU]

Originally Posted by Gerax

Mmmm....1 DB25 connector, 4 RCA connecotrs, 75 Ohm 8 pair cable (the length you need)...Google for AES pinout or something like that...

Not quite.

You need a 9 pin D Sub - not a 25 pin one, 75 Ohm FOUR channel cable (SPDIFdoesn't use balanced pairs) not eight channel cable, and you need the SPDIF pinout not the AES pinout. The manual for the ASP008 contains the pinout and can be found HERE

If you want to make an AES breakout cable you'll still need a 9 pin D sub, but you'll also need 4 male XLR connectors, an appropriate length of four pair 110 Ohm AES cable (or four lengths of single pair cable) and the AES pinout for the 9 pin connector (on the same page in the manual as the SPDIF pinout).

[Gerax]

Ooops, you're totally right. I still had to get my coffe when I wrote this in the morning ...and I ended up doing a mix of the two...I'm sorry, I stand corrected.

L.G.