New AES3/USB interface?

I believe the Mutec has two AES outputs- one XLR and one BNC. The reset thing is an interesting problem though. Following because I’m thinking of buying an MC3+USB.

@hedkase-

Just out of curiosity- what happens when the reset you’re describing occurs?
I assume you’re sending USB from Mac to Mutec- does a sample rate change ever trigger this? 

@hedkase 

This is kind of where I was going when I suggested sample rate change- perhaps I should have worded it as losing synch or not being locked. I wonder if you have something going on where the clocks are losing synch?

You mentioned a mix- is this a DAW setup? Are you running any memory intensive plugins or seeing large latencies in any other way? Just trying to learn from your experience here as I’ve not used a monitor with internal DAC before.

I think your thought process is correct with regards to the I/O. From what I’ve read it seems that the MC looks for a reference- and whether that’s via an AES/SPDIF input or an individual BNC Word clock input (rear input connections) it would correlate to the selectors on the front panel. My assumption was that if you’re using USB for signal and clock reference none of the others would need to be selected. I don’t understand why it would want another timing source if only USB was used. I’m assuming you had the Mac and USB all connected with a source playing while setting up the MC3? My question to Mutec would be “why do I have to select other input references to have audio throughput when I’m using USB as a source”.

BUT- there might be something in all of this that means the MC3 is outputting something strange to your speakers DAC and/or signal network. Just my guess.

@hedkase-

I would be very surprised if it were cable quality- I’ve pushed $2 USB cables into video processors that were doing more work than that without issue. It’s a weird problem. 
Is the Mac the Master and does the Mac see the Mutec as the device on the other end of the USB interface OR does the Mac see the PMC on the other end of the USB (device/midi control in Mac OS)

@hedkase 

is the MC3 set to act as a clock generator or distributor?

@hedkase-

Ok- thanks for the pic. I may be guessing here but from what I’ve read in the manual it looks like you might have missed a step when setting this up. If not- my fault but it won’t be any worst than it is now!
Have you tried “DE-selecting” the three reference selections and setting the clock output selector to the max sample rate that either is sent via usb OR that of the DAC within each speaker?

It seems that by having the three selections on the reference input column selected the unit is expecting a clock reference from the associated input on the rear of the unit. The manual is not very explanation of just how far the USB input will take you but it seems you’re missing a clock rate (unless that comes on when the unit is operating of course). 

I might have a different reference than you- I pulled the manual off their web site a couple of weeks ago. The setup notes in the copy I have state the following:

»INTERN« & »RE-CLK« (Internally referenced Audio re-clocking)
The »INTERN« and »RE-CLK« LEDs will light up when »RE-CLK« mode is selected, indicating that the re-clocking mode based on the internal clock oscillator is now active. As a factory default, »USB-PCM« and »USB-DSD/DoP« are selected as the first available audio reference in the »REFERENCE« menu (the first three LEDs in the column are illuminated). Press the menu key once and you’re entering the »REFERENCE« menu. Toggle the »SELECT« key to select one of the four available audio referen- ces: USB (PCM & DSD/DoP), AES3/11, S/P-DIF op, S/P-DIF bnc. This will now be re-clocked with the internal ultra-low jitter clock signal, format-converted, and passed on to all audio outputs with the same sampling rate simultaneously.

Anyway- sorry I couldn’t help you out more on this but I am interested in these units as I’m thinking about testing it to distribute signals from my playback server to multiple DAC’s. Hoping it would be the right piece for the application.
 

@hedkase 

Just wondering if you were ever able to get this sorted out and what was giving you the problem?