96K Recording to Pro Tools 24 with Apogee

Using the PSX-100’s 96K “double-wire” mode, you can record full 24-bit/96K (or 24/88.2) audio to a standard Pro Tools 24.

A normal 44.1K or 48K AES/EBU output contains both the left and right channels in one cable – the left and right channels are interleaved so that one sample is the left channel and the next sample is the right channel (LRLRL and so on…).

Using Apogee’s double-wire method, the left channel is output from PSX-100 AES/EBU output #1 and the right channel is output from AES/EBU output #2 — each output at a sampling rate of 48K (or 44.1 if recording 88.2). Every sample from output #1 is left channel only (output #2 right channel only), effectively doubling the number of left and right channel samples (e.g., 48,000 left channel samples per second instead of the normal 24,000 left channel samples per second).

Pro Tools “sees” each of these AES/EBU inputs as a normal AES/EBU signal pair and thus records them to two Pro Tools tracks for each AES/EBU input (e.g., left channel on tracks 1&2 and right channel on tracks 3&4) — so, a stereo 24/96 signal is recorded on to four tracks in Pro Tools. These tracks can be edited (CUT, COPY, PASTE) but should not be further processed with EQ, plug-ins, etc. The tracks can then be routed back into the PSX-100’s AES/EBU inputs and output via any of the existing analog or digital outputs (ADAT, TDIF, SPDIF, etc.).

1. Connect PSX-100’s AES/EBU outputs 1 & 2 to two corresponding AES inputs pairs on your Pro Tools interface.
2. Make sure that DIP switch number 9 on the PSX-100’s back panel is set UP for double-wire x2Fs operation.
3. Press and hold the A/D SYNC silver button adjacent to the “x2Fs” LED until the LED lights.
4. Create 4 new tracks on Pro Tools and arm them for recording.

To listen back to the 24/96 (or 24/88.2) recording:
1. Place the PSX-100 into either Confidence Monitor mode or Digital Copy mode (see PSX-100 instruction manual for details). The difference between these two modes is that in CM mode, the Pro Tools tracks will be output from the D/A converter only (and the A/D converter will function normally). In DIGITAL COPY mode, the Pro Tools tracks will be output from all the digital outputs and the analog outputs (the A/D converter is not functional in this mode).
2. Make sure that the “x2Fs” LED is lit indicating that the unit is in FAST mode.
3. For D/A INPUT, select AES 1 and AES 2. In FAST mode, just selecting one or the other will automatically select both.
4. Play back the Pro Tools tracks.

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