How can I get 16 S/PDIF outs?

[Narrenschwamm]

Hi Planet Z Forum,

this is my first post in this community and it starts with a question: Is there a way to get 16 S/PDIF outs?

I currently use 2 Scope Boards. One SRB and one with the usual 2ADAT I/O, analog I/O, S/PDIF I/O, Midi.

I want to experiment with a multiple speaker system. To reduce the costs, those speakers are gonna be selfmade. Of course I could use the 2 ADAT outs to go analog, but it would be more elegant (what with the Amps) to use digital inbox amplification.

I plan on getting the z.matrix surround panning tool to handle the speaker setup.
Cheers, Senge

[Neutron]

that way you send adat to sp/dif convert it, and then send it to speakers
instead of adat to speakers its still goint to be changed to analog at some point, since speakers are analog.

also sp/dif is stereo so you would actually only have 8 sp/dif if tyou did manage to do it that way.

oh, you could just use a cheap RCA analog switch box. they work fine but the unswitched inputs will have no clock. sp/dif is supposed to mute when there is no clock so it should be fine.

[astroman]

you probably misunderstood him - he wants to use the z.matrix plugin to control 16 dedicated speakers simultaneously with 'live' panning.
I'd rather vote for an analog approach, as digital cables longer than 5m are a bit cumbersome imho.

cheers, Tom

[Neutron]

oh. in that case i think it would be easier to use an a16ultra or whatever AD/DA you like, they are super quiet, but if you really need it to be sp/dif, maybe you can use one of these

http://www.proaudiosolutions.com/product-p/dmx32.htm

[Narrenschwamm]

Thanx Neutron,

that's what I was looking for. Unexpectedly expensive though. Well, I haven't done anything in that direction yet.
Plus selfmade active digital speakers seem to be a bit more complicated than passive and analog.

Cheers,
Senge

[Neutron]

you are kind of reinventing the wheel anyways. digital amplification might save you a little power, but you are more or less stuck with whatever amplification you choose.

i would just build 16 chipamps based on 8 lm4780

you can get ready made circuit boards for them from www.audiosector.com
it would be cheaper for you to get the components yourself though rather than ordering those kits. (the boards are a bit expensive anyways, maybe you could get a discount for 4 sets)

[Narrenschwamm]

...and again, Thanx,

I've been resaerching this op-amp-thing, and it seems to be what I want. Good luck, there are a lot of german Forums where I can get more information about that topic.

Cheers,
Senge