Sample Rate Conversion for Axe FX inside Eclipse

[zap]

Can someone please explain how i would go about this:

I will be using an axe FX for guitar modeling digitally into eventide eclipse before my sound card… but the Axe Fx only has an internal clock of 48k and with no option to set its digital output to 88.2, i have no idea why… but anyways, if i go in SPDIF to the eventide first, then what are all the options i should be aware of in the sample rate conversion section of the eventide if I want the eventide to convert the signal to 88.2 k so i can match the sample rate of my sound card as I will go spdif in optical also to the sound card.   i will review the manual again for sample rate conversion but there seems to be a few things the manual does not clarify for a person to be aware of.

is this going to be possible so by the time the signal hits the sound card it will be 88.2?

[nickrose]

The Eclipse has Sample Rate Conversion on its digital inputs so you should be able to do what you want (why 88.2 ?). Some manual reading will be required – you should set the Eclipse clock to internal 88.2, then enable the SRC on the digital inputs.

[zap]

ok but fractal replied and said to not use the SRC on the eclipse and just allow my DAW to to the SRC because of the outdated hardware-based SRCs on eventides in general which are lower quality than software based SRC these days.  He says the technology is old school on the units. 

The problem though is that I am concerned about mismatches through spdif whic can cause that dreaded blue screen on a PC. Please help.

[achaput]

That's surprising. Our SRC measures 128dB DR, with very low jitter. Cirrus (the manufacturer of the part used in the Eclipse) still recommends this part (CS8420) for new designs. It is the industry standard part.

The Eclipse also has stellar ADC and DAC performance. There are thousands of Eclipses in use every day meeting the industry's most stringent requirements. We encourage users to compare our performance to any other product.

[TKing]

Hi Zap,

I came to this forum to respond to your post after hearing about it from a friend of mine who works at Eventide. I think there's been a misunderstanding of Fractal's answer to your question about SRC.  Sorry if we played a part in that – I'd like to set the record straight.

We conveyed to you that we don't know what SRC the Eclipse uses.  Based on a few earlier emails having nothing to do with the Eclipse we recommended that software might be a viable way for you to accomplish your goal.  With regard to the Eclipse's SRC, Eventide is the best source of information for that.  If Eventide represents that the Eclipse's SRC is well suited to handle that task your inquiring about, we are not in a position to dispute that (nor would we have reason to).

As we stated in our response to your question, we feel that the Eclipse is an excellent product.  In addition, we have respect for friends that work for/with Eventide as well as the company in general.

Thanks for listening.

Sincerely,

Tom King

Fractal Audio/Atomic Amps

[zap]

Thanks to Nickrose, achaput, and Tom for clarifying.

But since everyone recommends
in the Fractal forum for me to use the Analog outs of the Axe FX when I
get it because of the deep character of those converters,  would you
say it is better to convert like that to the eclipse A/D conversion before going into m-powered pro
tools (since I have a crappy 1st generateion m-audio sound card with
low end ad converters which makes me have to use either spdif or optical or adat))… or should I I use the Spdif out on the Axe to
go to the eclipse digitally and rely on the eclipse sample rate
coverter?  In this method, would I lose out on any special tonal character of any of the AD/ D/A converters in any of these two units?

So in a nutshell,  should I go out of the Axe FX analog to the Eclipse to try to rly on the Eclipse A/D conversion before my lightpipe entry into my
sound card?  Is the Eclipse A/D conversion anywhere comparable to the H8000 A/D conversion?  If not. then is the Eclipse Sample rate conversion anywhere near the quality of the H8000 sample rate conversion?   I really need to know this info. and the reason is because I want to be able to match the hyper realistic quality of My access virus synth and have as good quality electric guitar sound.

[cyanosaurus]

I would try both methods and use my ears to make the decision. If a difference cannot be heard then what does it matter anyway.

[Author]

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