A few inSync readers have begun to get the wrong idea from reading our Word Clock definition in the Word for the Day Archives (see WFTD archive Word Clock). The questions vary, but the theme is something like:
“How can we do digital transfers if a digital machine only has the standard connections for S/PDIF or AES/EBU, and not word clock (see WFTD archives S/PDIF, AES, and EBU above).
This is a very fair question; one of those that is so obvious to those in the know that we never even think about it. The AES/EBU or SPDIF signal that is used to transfer digital audio is based on word clock. The word clock provides the timing pulse that the actual data rides within. The deck that is receiving (and recording) the digital signal will synchronize its clock to the word clock data coming over the cable. You don’t have to do anything but hook it up, switch the receiving deck to accept a digital input, and record. Some devices have separate word clock connections for other applications, but for making a DAT dub just hook up the AES or S/PDIF cable and you’re fine.