SPDIF compatible interface for OX Box?

ryanverbena · March 2023

I'm not looking to do any serious recording, just the normal amateur type for videos and ideas for new riffs. I'm in the market for a 2 channel interface to use with my OX and have read that using the SPDIF out will result in less latency as there will be less conversion stages compared to using the 1/4 inch line out.

For my application, does anyone have an intuition whether it will be wise to choose a SPDIF compatible interface, like the Focusrite Scarlett? Or is this something that would only really be noticeable in a more professional setting?

SteveF · March 2023

I use mine with A Focusrite Scarlett (albeit the 18i20). It's nice and easy, but I wouldn't say I particularly noticed any difference in latency. It does just take the one cable though, rather than 2 for the stereo signal. Also means you can leave the other inputs in your interface free for other things.

octatonic · March 2023

Honestly, don't bother.
The ADA converters are very good in the units and using a digital output will complicate clocking and sample rate.

More nerdy information below.

S/PDIF isn't a professional digital format- it is consumer.
If you ever need to change sample rate then you will need to manually change it in the Oxbox unless your audio interface does on the fly sample rate conversion, which it probably will not.
If your audio interface has shit converters then fix that issue- I've done extensive AB testing with Kemper and Axe FX against the AVID MTRX converters (which are exceptional) and there is no real world difference.

You also don't have wordclock IO on the Oxbox so clocking will be over SPDIF, which is suboptimal.
It will work, sure- but it won't sound appreciably better, or have significantly better latency.

AD or DA latency is well under 1ms.
You can't feel that.
Yes you DAW will have higher latency but that is because it runs through and audio buffer- the conversion from analogue to digital (or the other way) will be probably about 0.3ms per conversion.

SteveF said:

I use mine with A Focusrite Scarlett (albeit the 18i20). It's nice and easy, but I wouldn't say I particularly noticed any difference in latency. It does just take the one cable though, rather than 2 for the stereo signal. Also means you can leave the other inputs in your interface free for other things.

Coaxial S/PDIF is a single cable for 2 channels of IO.
2 coaxial cables give you 2 channels of input and output.

ryanverbena · March 2023

Many thanks guys, wisdom for both. This helps a lot

octatonic · March 2023

No worries, happy to help.

I have several devices with S/PDIF output- I only use one of them, which is to serve up a UA Apollo X8 to my Dante network.
That uses on the fly SRC.
Otherwise I avoid using it as much as possible.

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SPDIF compatible interface for OX Box?

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