MPC 2500 Digital I/O to audio interface (Tascam US144)

Hello everyone.

I had a question regarding the MPC's digital i/o connection to my audio interface, Tascam US144.

I am hoping to use the digital connections between the MPC and the US144 but for some odd reason, the connection between the US144 digital out to the MPC 2500 digital in does not seem to work. The only way that I can judge this is that the MPC does not pick up any signals when I am trying to record (and I have changed the settings on the MPC's record function to "digital" instead of "analog").

On the other hand, when I am tracking from my MPC to my computer via a digital connection between the MPC and US144 (and all synced via MIDI), all the audio signals come through with great clarity. It's just that the other way doesn't work....

Currently, I am using my Macbook Pro OSX 10.6 to run iTunes to play music which is sampled into my MPC2500 via a connection to my audio interface. Because I cannot get a digital signal to record into the MPC, I have been using the analog connection.

Going into my MPC, the connection looks like this (but doesn't work) :

Macbook ---- (usb) ---> Tascam US144 digital out -------> MPC2500 digital in

Going into my laptop for tracking on Pro Tools 9, the connection looks like this (this works):

MPC2500 digital out -----> Tascam US144 digital in ---- (usb) ---> Macbook/ Pro Tools


Does anyone know why the digital pathway TO the MPC may not be working? I know that the US144 has some compatibility issues with Mac OSX but is a driver issue or am I doing something wrong within the connection?

If anyone has any thoughts, I would appreciate your input. If you need more information about my connections, please let me know.

Thank you.

-larkz

i do the same thing with my emu 0404 usb and doesnt work either way.

@larkz

Which DAW are you using and have you selected the digital output in your audio interface thru software?

Also can you somehow test the bi-directional integrity of your SPDIF cable and it is rated at 75 Ohms?

@tosfalma

I saw/ responded to your thread in the other forum which is similar, but you're not getting any signal in either direction.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=147860

Once we've established the source of these issues one or other of these threads may be closed. I suggest you keep one eye on this but post your info in your thread to avoid confusion.

Please don't tell me you are using standard RCA cables?

clint246clint wrote:Please don't tell me you are using standard RCA cables?

no doubt, no doubt

@larkz, this is a bit of a long shot but, i looked at the manual for a US144mk2 online just now and i noticed it said that using the digital connection it's possible for it to output sound at 24-bit/96khz using the digital output... which are the completely wrong bit and sample rates for your MPC...
Is there any way through any control panel software for the unit, or DAW software, or in system preferences change or verify that the digital output is sending sound at 16-bit/44.1khz..? which is what the MPC needs...
worth having a look at...

Looking at the Tascam manual more and here's some stuff to check out in the control panel setting (for the unit) and make sure they're set to these below... it's more likely this than what i suggested before.

1. Set you sample clock source to Automatic rather than Internal

2. Set your digital output format to S/PDIF rather than AES/EBU

3. Set the digital output to "ch1 & ch2" rather than "ch3 & ch4" It looks like the digital output defaults to "ch3 & ch4"... It even says that if you want to use the digital output for itunes to set it this way to "ch1 & ch2"

All of that combined with the cabling that clint suggested above should have it working properly for you.

Let us know if it works out...