Random recording questions

[insomniac2295]

im starting this thread for people that have random recording questions, because i have many such as what is a word clock I/O??

[insomniac2295]

oh and could i use the presonus digimax fs 8 microphone pre amp as substitue for compresson/limitation? because on musicians friend they have it under compressors/limiters and i know that alot of the time they mis place things in categories so yeah, anyone wanna talk to me and maybe tell me alittle bit about what the pre amp does?

[wfhscoyotes]

A word clock is a synchronization tool. I have never used one, but from what I have read and been told, it keeps all your digital equipment together in synch. When you have a bunch of digital things you are running your signal through you need a way to 'keep them all on the same page', I suppose. Am I correct? Anyone?

[EC_Beast]

A word clock does indeed keep everything locked to the same time code. Poor clocking can result in "jitter", muddy sound and a bunch of other sound problems.

A good clock, such as the big ben by Apogee will eliminate the "jitters" increase the punchiness in the bass and make the highs all that much sweeter.

Direct from Sweetwater's Expert Center Glossery

Word Clock
Digital data is comprised of "bits" (see WFTD "Bit") which are organized into "words" representing sample values. Word clock is a synchronizing signal based on the sample rate or the speed with which sample words are sent over a digital connection. Word clock is used by the receiving digital device to decipher where in the data stream each sample word ends, as well as whether the word belongs to the right or left channel (in a stereo signal).

When transmitting digital audio signals from one piece of gear to another, it is therefore important that their clocks be synchronized (i.e. the receiving device is made to "slave" its clock to the transmitting device's internal clock, or the whole system is locked to an external house sync signal or master clock), otherwise the sample words in the data stream will not be "lined up" correctly in the receiving device, possibly causing clicks, pops and other audio degradations.

[TimOBrien]

As with most other basic questions, Wikipedia has answers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_clock

(it's always a good place to check FIRST for definitions...)

[dpd]

And, if you want to read up about Jitter and Word Clocks, here's a great article (http://www.digido.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15)from Bob Katz.

Key quote from Bob's article:

"(I repeat: jitter does not affect D-D dubs, it only affects the D to A converter in the listening chain)."

[DAS]

Key quote from Bob's article:

"(I repeat: jitter does not affect D-D dubs, it only affects the D to A converter in the listening chain)."

Slight correction - jitter also affects the quality of asynchronous sample rate conversion (not to mention the A/D converter).

[dpd]

^^^ good point - but, still, only real-time SRC