The synth is equipped with the USB audio interface and SPDIF OUT. Would it make any difference for sound quality if I connected the synth to a computer via USB or SPDIF/an audio interface/a computer? Both connections are digital?

 

It depends; there's no single answer. In principle, both are modern and shouldn't produce any sound differences. However, sometimes there is interference from the PC affecting the USB connection. SPDIF is usually better protected, but as I said, it's impossible to give a general answer remotely. Try testing it and see if you notice a difference. I'm generally a fan of fiber optic cables because they are noise-free.

 

the reason it has a spdif output is in case you do not want to give it a usb port on your computer. Usb is better because it can be used for two way data back and forth, not just audio. With USB it can carry midi data, data from any program Novation includes like patch librarian, etc.
Spdif is one direction, audio only; and it carries its own clock.

Spdif coaxial is not much more than a convenience. Spdif Optical has the benefit of no noise because it is a lightpipe.

 

Don't really know, but it's imho spdif and usb are both digital.... Trs, rca, (mini)jacks, xlr are analog, but might be go from digital output (converted by DA, from digital to analog, so you need to capture with AD to digitize)...so slightly different vibe, such as aliasing, conversion artifacts, noise, hum, filtering, thd, imd, blah blah.....

 

It doesn't. The audio packets remain untouched data, they are just wrapped differently for the spdif output. It's 24bit 44.1khz internally, so there is no upsampling or dither. Same as the Virus TI.

 

I don’t see any practical usage of SPDIF in synths if more than one synth is used in the studio. Audio interfaces don’t have multiple SPDIF INs. And then still it will finish in the USB connection to a computer. It can useful in connecting several audio interfaces.

By the way, does SPDIF need any syncing clock or whatever?

 

Last edited: Nov 27, 2025

S/PDIF has its own clock, so it digitally locks devices as master/slave and doesn’t need power. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s mostly there as a backup or convenience. Maybe you do not want to take up a usb port for one synth. Hubs aren’t great for audio over usb. Coax S/PDIF can go about 2x farther than usb and can also be converted to optical, AES/EBU, or DB‑25 in a bigger studio or live scenarios . It's overkill for just one synth, but handy in “pro” setups. If you want to go as far as a coaxial spdif but stay over usb, you can use a repeater cable. www.data-alliance.net is a good source. Optical can go even further with no noise, but the cables are much more expensive.

 

Simple answer: No!

 

Thanks guys. Are there any updated versions of SPDIF like USB? And for closing this thread my last question: what cable would you recommend for SPDIF? I think I could use with my Fast Track Ultra and Scarlett 4gen.

 

for something short run and in your own project studio type setting? I'd just get a couple of HOSA cables. I'd never suggest Hosa for any analog audio cable, but for spdif coax they are fine and cheap. You don't even know how much use you are going to get from them so spending 4 times as much for Canare or Mogami doesn't really make any sense. You could tear up 2 or 3 Hosa cables and still be money ahead. They aren't going to sound better, but the more expensive ones can be shielded a little better and more durable (maybe). I've had some Hosa spdif cables for well over 10 years that still work fine. If you were getting optical cables, there can be a bigger difference because they can break internally. You could make your own if you are so inclined, or buy some on head-fi.org. Those people make any kind of cable you can possibly imagine on there.

 

Last edited: Nov 30, 2025

Long answer "yes, but"
the recieving part of any spdif connection needs a clock. But that clock can be generated from the signal itself. It gets complicated when you have multiple devices with digital outputs. done properly all devices plus the recieving part like a mixing desk would need to be clocked externally. Some devices accept muliple non synced inputs, but that means they're going to do some resampling to get all those drifting inputs mixed together. for bit perfect multi digital inputs you need to have a master clock.

 

Are there newer SPDIF versions, similar to USB?

No, SPDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) hasn't evolved into "versions" like USB (e.g., USB 1.0 to 4.0) since its introduction in the 1980s. It's a fixed standard for transmitting digital stereo audio (two channels, PCM up to 24-bit/192 kHz or compressed formats like Dolby Digital/DTS) based on the IEC 60958 standard. SPDIF comes in two variants—coaxial (via RCA connectors) and optical (TOSLINK)—but there are no newer iterations with higher bandwidth or features like USB. Instead, more modern interfaces like HDMI or USB Audio (e.g., USB-C with Audio Return Channel) have largely taken over this role, as they support more channels, higher resolutions, and video. So, SPDIF is still great for simple, noise-free stereo connections, but it's not an "evolved" protocol.

SPDIF output: phono socket (RCA jack) carrying digital version of main outputs 1 & 2 in S-PDIF format.

Cordial CPDS2 CC S/PDIF Interfacekabel - 12,90 EUR
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