Mutec MC-3+ Smart Clock

[Carlo]

Dear All,

What do you think about the Mutec MC-3+ Smart Clock? I need to connect two d8b's with my MOTU 2408.

any help?

C

[Carlo]

Hi Guys,

Do you have any ideas and comments about the MUTEC WORD CLOCK GENERATOR DEVICE?

[the boss]

Hi

You don't need this device to connect this things together.
I have 2 d8b's with 4 x motu 2408 mk3 and a motu mtp.

You need two apogee sync card.

1 set your daw as master.
2 connect your first d8b sync in on apogee card to sync out on your motu card.
3 set first d8b to word clock in.
4 connect first d8b word clock out to apogee world clock in on d8b 2.
5 set d8b 2 to worldclock in.
Set your d8b's to sync sample rates in options.
REMEMBER to always boot up your d8b's first.
After fully boot start the motu interface.

Good luck

[FrankH]

What do you think about the Mutec MC-3+ Smart Clock?

Seems to have excellent specs and feature set.

Considering it is priced well below the competition:

Apogee Big Ben $1495
Antelope OCX $1295
Mutec MC-3+ $759 (seen at least one listed for $699 on eBay)

It's a good deal. Personally, using a master clock in your setup is the ideal way to go....as long as both D8Bs are equipped with Apogee Clock cards.

Another, less expensive alternative is hunting down a Lucid GenX 192 on eBay...along with any of the others listed above. There are deals to be had.

[Carlo]

Dear All,

Thanks for your help.

Well, i have the system connected similar to what you have recommended but with a small difference: i have my first d8b set to INTERNAL clock (i.e. MASTER d8b) and the 2nd d8b as Word Clk IN (Slave) but im hearing some clicks and pops on the second d8b. Are the lengths of the BNC cables a concern here? The two d8b's are side by side however i have a very long (3m) BNC cable between them. What do you recommend? Shall i buy a short cable?

You recommended the DAW as master...im using CUBASE 5. Any idea how to set the DAW as MASTER so that i set up the system like yours? You mentioned the Sync OUT of the MOTU PCI424 Card? What cable do i need to connect from the MOTU sync card to the BNC sync in on the d8b? Is it from a 9pin to BNC? I couldn't find this type of cable since the only option consists of 5 BNC connectors to one 9pin DSUB. Your help is greately appreciated?

NB: since im using 2 sound cards (2408 MK2) is it enough to connect the BNC to only one MOTU 2408? Should i connect another BNC cable to the second 2408 as daisy chain from the first MOTU?

Thanks for your help guys

Carlo

[Carlo]

Is it true that the sound improves with a clock generator device or is it a myth?

[hyaena]

Hi Carlo,
A simple yes to the question of your last post. A good clock generator, like the mutec or - in my case - the LUCID, does improve imaging as well as a certain openness in frequency response.
It´s unbelievable, I know, but it certainly does something physically, which people as unknowledgeable as me call magic.

Your first question about syncing the 2 d8bs to a MOTU PCI 424 card:

In case, you´re using a master clock, everything is slave except the clock generator.
For the MOTU system ( that I had before I switched to a RME RAYDAT ) the relevant connector is the BNC on the breakout box.
So a "Master Clock" usually has 4 - 8 BNC outputs.
Distribute the clock to d8b 1 Apogee IN, d8b 2 Apogee IN and Motu 2408 BNC IN.
No matter PC or MAc, you have an App for the driver of the MotU system.
In this you configure SYNC external - or Clock IN.
In CUBASE - I never used it - might be a setting regarding the sound card, in which you are able to configure the setting as well.
But the sound card app has the first claim on the clock.

The length of the BNC cable, if it doesn´t exceed the 3 meters you mentioned, is of no or small concern to the sync signal.
I guess, your MotU wasn´t forced to sync.

I hope, I was helpful and maybe even correct.

Best
Manfred.

[Carlo]

Thanks Hyaena for your description

Carlo

[Carlo]

I tried the system proposed by "The Boss" but im hearing crackles like a digital distortion on the channels. Is this loss of sync? Although it is not heard during playback of the mix, it is noticable when soloing that particular track coming from d8b #2 to the return channels of D8B #1

[Carlo]

Was thinking of something...

Is it possible of having 2 PC's one for each d8b both synced to ADAT and play tracks of the same song on two pc's simultanously? Will this work? Both mixers will be patched through their network card and MIDI driven to follow MMC or MTC.

Any reasoning behind this?

The issue is that i need more than 24 tracks to record a band and im desperatly in need of this right now.