LaurentColletfr

In order to increase the MIDI polyphony of my configuration I would like to daisy-chain two Audigies. I would thus obtain 128 MIDI voices.
I understand that this can be done using a cable : linking the spdif ditigal output of an audigy, to the CD-Input of the other Audigy. However to do this I must make a special cable consisting of a 3.5mm mono male plug at one end and a 2-pin header female plug at the other.
I wonder if this kind of link could be achieved more properly wihtout cable, by defining an adequate kx configuration.
Has someone any experience about this ?
Thanks for your help
L.Collet

Maddogg6

Well, just having 2 does give you 4 hardware synths.

I *think* the issues start poping up when it comes to recording/playback audio, syncing issues *could* be a problem.
I beleive (correct me if Im wrong) - that when connected via spdif / the cards sync together better - or theres a way, when they are connected via spdif, that helps sync the 2 cards together.

I dont beleive this is ANY problem if your only interested in using MIDI only.
If this is the case, there are 2 things you can do to avoid making that connector and get all 4 midi synths.
1) - Connect CARD1 'line out' to CARD2 'line in'. - CARD1 is a 'master' and CARD2 is a 'submix'.

2) connect both cards outputs to a common external mixer, OR get an extra set of speakers (for 12 channel midi surround).

MIDI should sync fine as it takes little CPU to make the hardware synths work.

It'll be when you want to record audio (like the midi, or anything else) - when sync problems may arise.

dungle

There are no sync problems, there will simply be audio (either digital or analog) from one card to another. You can only assign the ASIO functionality to one card or other (at a time) in your audio host program. One thing that I have done is to make a simple two-pin to two-pin connector and use the internal header connectors SPDIF out->CD digital in. Works well.
There are no (non complex) ways of routing audio between cards across the PCI bus.

dj_stick

if you use the AD_EXT header of the card you won't have to use anything from the rear panel - i have a pair of cards hooked together atm

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LaurentColletfr

Thanks for these promising infos but I am lost with all the audigy connectors.
I want to connect an Audigy model SB0090 to an Audigy 2. In order to get the maximum sound quality I prefer connecting them via a digital rather than analog link.

One solution seems to be : "linking SPDIF out->CD digital in"
On the SB0090, I see a "CD-SPDIF" 2-pin connector : is this one the out connector ?
On the Audigy 2 I see a 4-pin CD-IN is this one the CD digital in ? And how do i connect the 2 pins of the out connector to the 4 pins of the input connector ?

Another solution seems to be using "AD_EXT" as the out connector.
On the SB0090, I see a "TAD" 4-pin connector : is this one the out connector ?
Or is it the "AUD-EXT" connector, but this one has 2 rows of 14 pins which ones should I use ?
Thanks for your help
L.Collet

Doug W

OK, below is the connector on the SB0090. Put your 2 pin SPDIF connector on pins 17 & 18 of the SB0090 and plug the other end into the CD_SPDIF in of the Audigy 2.

SPDIF cable, SB0090 end:
to Pin 17 (white conductor-SPDIF#0 out),
Pin 18 (black conductor-Gnd).

SPDIF cable Audigy 2 end:
The SPDIF cable terminates in the CD-SPDIF connector
of the Audigy 2 Host card (black cable to the left).

After rebooting, check to see that your SPDIF connection is good by right clicking the kX manager and choose:
Settings->SPDIF/I2S status:

The results will look something like this when it is working (this is a copy of what it looks like when you hook up 2 SBLives so yours will look slightly different).

SPDIF Inputs
spdif A: 2109204 Freq: 47991; R; S;
spdif B: unused
spdif C: unused or same as B
[R-Rate Locked; S-Stream Locked; V-Valid Audio]
I2S Inputs
0: 0 1: 0 2: 0




AUD_EXT Connector
---------------------------------------
PIN PIN
# #
---------------------------------------
1 O O 2
3 O O 4
5 O O 6
7 O O 8
9 O O 10
11 O O 12
13 O O 14
15 O O 16
17 O O 18
19 O O 20
21 O O 22
23 O O 24
25 O O 26
27 O O 28
29 30
31 O O 32
33 O O 34
35 O O 36
37 O O 38
39 O O 40

AUD_EXT connector pin descriptions
---------------------------------------
Pin Name Description
---------------------------------------
1 VCC +5V power supply
2 VCC +5V power supply
3 GND Ground
4 AC97CLK 24.5 MHz clock output
5 GND Ground
6 GP_SPDIFIN#2 SPDIF input signal
7 GND Ground
8 GND Ground
9 SPDIFO#3 SPDIF Out signal
10 GPO1 General Purpose Output #1
11 GPO2 General Purpose Output #2
12 GND Ground
13 GPO0 General Purpose Output #0
14 GND Ground
15 GP_SPDIFIN1 SPDIF Input signal
16 GND Ground
17 SPDIFO#0 SPDIF Out signal
18 GND Ground
19 SPDIFO#1 SPDIF Out signal
20 GND Ground
21 GND Ground
22 SPDIFO#2 SPDIF Out signal
23 GPI0 Digital Input (GP Input 0; Reserved)
24 GPI1 Digital Input, (GP Input 1; Reserved)
25 OUTMIDI MIDI Output
26 GND Ground
27 INMIDI MIDI Input
28 GND Ground
29 KEY
30 KEY
31 ADCSDO2 I2S audio data input.
32 GND Ground
33 ADCSDO1 I2S audio data input.
34 GND Ground
35 ADCSDO0 I2S audio data input.
36 GND Ground
37 I2SCLK I2S serial bit clock.
38 GND Ground
39 I2SFS Frame sync.
40 GND Ground

Doug W

If you happen to have one of the Audigy 2 Value cards, there is a 5 pin connector that you can also hook up to that looks like this.


1 - SPDIF out TTL level
2 - Ground
3 - SPDIF IN
4 - Ground
5 - +5V

Pin 1 is the pin closest to the where the card inserts into the motherboard.

LaurentColletfr

Thanks Doug, I have established the connection from AUD EXT pin 17&18 of the SB0090 to the CD SPDIF connector of the audigy 2.
Well ... It does not work yet.

Both the SB0090 and the audigy 2 cards are up and running under Kx Version: 5, 10, 00, 3538 - debug.

Speakers tests run OK on both cards.

But when I play MIDI on the SB0090 synth, I do not get output on the Audigy 2 Line out.

I have configured the Kx IO as follows :

on the SB0090 side, the SPDIF output is activated and its level set to the max.

Status :

SPDIF Inputs: [R-Rate Locked; S-Stream Locked; V-Valid Audio]

spdif A: unused

spdif B: unused

spdif C: unused or same as B

I2S Inputs: (0): 0Hz (!) (1): 48000Hz [R] (2): 0Hz (!)

SPDIF Outputs:

(0): 2109204 (1): 2109204 (2): 2109204 (24 bits / 48000 Hz)



On the Audigy 2 side, the SPDIF input is activated and its level set to the max.

Status :

SPDIF Inputs: [R-Rate Locked; S-Stream Locked; V-Valid Audio]

spdif A: 2109204 Freq: 48003 [R] [S] [V] || max. 20bits/SR unspec.

spdif B: unused

spdif C: unused or same as B

I2S Inputs: (0): 48000Hz [R] (1): 48000Hz [R] (2): 48000Hz [R]

SPDIF Outputs:

(0): 2109204 (1): 2109204 (2): 2109204 (24 bits / 48000 Hz)

SPDIF Extended status:

(0): 24bits/48000Hz (1): 24bits/48000Hz (2): 24bits/48000Hz

p16v: PB: (bypass) I2S Outbypass) SPDIF Outbypass)

Rec: (0): 0 [U] (1): 0 [U] (2): 0 [U] (3): 0 [U]

Do you have any idea what might still be wrong ?

Thanks

Doug W

I don't mess with MIDI since I do mostly analog recording. Hopefully at this point some MIDI authority will jump in on the thread.

Your cards are configured correctly, from this point on, it is a matter of getting the right sliders up to hear sound.

I take it that you want to bring the actual MIDI signal into the Audigy 2 and not just the analog sound from the SB0090 MIDI? Is that right?

This is where my MIDI ignorance makes me somewhat worthless here.

Just to get sound into the Audigy 2, make sure that the Audigy 2 "CD Digital" slider is up on the Ins n' Outs mixer. I forget exactly, but you need to turn up the slider on the SB0090 for either the "Generic SPDIF Out" or the "SPDIF 1" in the SB0090 "Ins N' Outs" mixer.

Make sure that you have chosen the Audigy 2 in the ASIO control panel, this sometimes gets changed around with a new installation.

But like I said, you need someone more fluent in MIDI to jump into the thread here.

TravelRec.

The cards are connected correctly, so the input on the Audigy2 shows the signal. Be sure you have loaded a soundfont into the SB0090 and connected the synth (FXBUS 2/3) in the DSP with the physical output (Generic SPDIF OUT). To play MIDI, you need to route an active input device, so UART 1, to the synths of the SB0090 (check windows multimedia tab). Then load a soundfont into the Audigy 2 and connect their synths to a physical output in the Audigy2 DSP. Route there also the CD-SPDIF input straight to a physical output (use the same as before over a mixer plugin or another output and mix the signals externally) connect the Audigy2-Synths via sequencer software or virtual midi patch cable (like MIDI-Yoke) with a MIDI input device and play the Keyboard. Use MIDI-OX for checking incoming and outgoing MIDI-signals. Good luck!

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Doug W

This is why TravelRec gets the big money.

TravelRec.

I get what?! No - I get nothing - still try to help, hopefully

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Maddogg6

hehe - you DO get the big 'POSTS' number next to yur name - whoo-hoo.

TravelRec.

OK, I see, unfortunately there´s not enough time for being here frequently - but sometimes.

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LaurentColletfr

Thank you all for your help. My two audigies are now connected thru a 2-pin cable as described by Doug W. The SPDIF OUT of one card being connected to the CD SPDIF input of the other as described by TravelRec. I have used the ProFX plugins (with the help of LeMury Guide) ; this configuration is incredibly simple and it works great. I now get those 128 MIDI voices (very useful for my virtual organ) and the sound seems crystal clear as compared to before.

Doug W

Welcome to the kX multicard cult.

TravelRec.

Yes, welcome! It was a pleasure

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