Hi all. Anyone know if you can use the SPDF Optical Out to send main speaker audio output to the digital input of a powered speaker. I would like to connect my audio output from the 816C to a pair of Genelec 8330a speakers , which have a AES/EBU Digital Input (XLR type). I know I will probably need some sort of interface between the optical cable and the digital XLR cable. But just wondering if anyone has done this & if it will even work?
I think I saw another post (from 9 years ago & different interface) where someone was saying the main output knob did not work when using the digital out jack. Anyone know if this is true for the UR816C?
The digital connection will just work with the right optical to AES3 or S/PDIF converter.
S/PDIF is an unbalanced connection that is close to the balanced AES3 connection.
Something like this:
I have no idea about the behaviour of the UR816C in particular.
The RME box is way overkill for the job and 10x overpriced.
You can buy small boxes or dongles for a small fraction that will provide the exact same audio quality.
You can even build your own for a few $…
If you want to build your own, you can use the following diagram.
But if you simply short pins 1 and 3 and ignore all the resistors (yes, all!), you have a 90% probability that it will work fine on a short distance!
But the answer still remains largely the same since you can find easily (ex. Amazon) cheap boxes to convert optical SPDIF to coax SPDIF.
You then use the $10 cable mentioned in my previous post, or similar variants.
Even if it’s a total of about $25, rest assured the end result audio quality will be 110% the same (bit-per-bit) as if you used a $1000+ RME converter or similar.
As an additional comment, in a context where all you needed would be something to drive your Genelec Digital (SAM) monitors, you do not need a UR816C, or any audio interface for that matter.
All you need is a $22 dongle, like:
That’s exactly what I do in one setup to drive my Neumann KH750-DSP (+2x KH80) for bit-perfect music from any content on an iPad or laptop straight to the speakers.
(note in this case, the KH750 needs a straight RCA-to-BNC cable, instead of XLR).
And it is a perfectly good one! Sorry if I sounded like I was discarding it too harshly.
I meant that it’s unlikely to need all the functionalities of this RME unit, and for this single simple task, there are much cheaper alternatives that will yield the exact same sound quality, thanks to the 100% digital path.
Appreciate the input from everyone on this. I am trying to take audio out of the 816C for music production specifically into the Genelecs, rather than just out of the PC. The RME looks like a quality converter but it does cost more than the 816C, so probably going to aim for a converter like this to begin with & see how it goes: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006072184064.html
