vs840 spdif bit rate?

[happymookie]

hi. does anybody know what bit rate(and sample rate) comes out of the spdif on an original VS840? i want to use it as a front end for a digital soundcard so i'm not talking about what gets recorded, just about what goes through.
thanks.

[Alan]

The internal mixer is 24 bit,the effects are 20 bit,the sample rate is 44hz,the i/o converters are 20 bit all of which can be sent via spdif.I use this setup myself and although the converters are limited to 20/44 the quality more than makes up for it.Iv'e been in the market for a newer card because I need more outs coming from my PC but I can't match the quality of the VS in the $300.00-$400.00 price range yet(Iv'e heard and tried everything).I do have my eyes set on the RME Hammerfall and a Presonus or Rosetta front end though.

[happymookie]

thanks alan. i'm getting a m audio 2496 card this monday. it has two 24 bit a/d ins and a stereo spdif in. i can use all 4 inputs at once, if i like. most of the time i will probably just use 2 or 1 at a time.

so here are a couple questions: do you think i would be better off using the analog ins on the card as my first choice for inputting mic and guitar signals (with a tubepac preamp) since the bitrate is higher?
also when accepting signal thru the spdif from the VS840, what settings do i set the card(and/or recording program) for? do i specify the sample and/or bit rate (44.1/20)?
is it advisable to record that signal at 44.1/24 or even 88.2 or 96?
how do you do it? thanks.

[Alan]

I'm not sure which M-Audio card your refering to but the M-Audio 24/96 has no analog ins and no midi i/o,however the newer M-Audio "Audiophile" does have stereo analog via rca i/o in addition to spdif and has midi i/o(very important for sync transfers)and goes for $159.00 new at Bayview Pro Audio.I'm not at all sure that you can record spdif and analog at the same time on their cards as many other cards you have to switch between one or the other,you'll have to check your documents on this.As I said earlier the converters on the VS sound better at 24/44 than most audio cards in the 3-$400 price range plus the on board effects sound better than just about any plug in,so if your recording alone I would record straight to the PC(like I do) using your VS as a front end.Set your sequencer or audio program to 24 bit and on your card you might have to set it to lock in at 44hz.

[happymookie]

hey!
yeah, my audiophile 2496 is due to arrive in the mail on monday, and apparently it is possible to record on all 4 inputs at once.

so, you think i'd get better sound going thru the vs-into-the-spdif than just using the rca ins on the audiophile and skippiing the vs(when i'm recording 2 or less tracks)?

[Alan]

All you can do is try it and see what kind of results you get.I don't have this card so I couldn't really tell you.