USB Audio Interface with AES Input

[Bartholemue]

Been scratching my head wondering why I can't find any USB audio interfaces that have an AES input to record AES digital audio into my computer. What am I missing?

I have several older devices with AES output and it would be useful sometimes to capture audio directly from their built-in converters. For instance, I have a couple Liquid Channel units with AES XLR in/out and it would be useful to record the digital audio straight from the unit at the different sample rates it supports.

I thought there would be some simple little boxes with AES XLR sockets on one side and a USB-B socket on the other. Best I can figure is the spec is just old and there's no market for it. Thought I could at least find some PCB on AliExpress, but no, all they have are devices that convert digital audio to AES output.

If y'all know of a device I could use, even something old I could find used, lemme know. Thanks.

[Wonks]

It may come down to budget. A quick search for ‘AES to USB’ turned up quite a few devices. But none of them are what I’d call cheap, as they are produced by small specialist companies for professional use. Not the typical find on Ali Express.

https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/95-8 ... nd-AES-EBU

(SOS is a UK-based magazine/forum with an international membership so for me, a lot of recommended products will be ones available in the UK the search engines put forward).

[DGL.]

Of course with an adaptor AES is compatible with S/PDIF, in theory you're supposed to use a balun but the fact that the likes of Thomann sell straight cable adaptors means that in most cases an adaptor cable/plug from a 3pin XLR to RCA will work just fine and S/PDIF is found on even some cheaper interfaces.
Cheapest I've seen on Thomann is this @ £76
https://www.thomann.de/gb/esi_u24_xl.htm
2 channel with 6.5mm analogue line, plus optical and coax S/PDIF in/out from a reputable manufacturer.

[Hugh Robjohns]

RME Digifaces AES?

https://www.rme-audio.de/digiface-aes.html

But as others have said, you can connect AES to coaxial S/PDIF (and vice versa) very easily, and many interfaces have S/PDIF connections.

[The Elf]

I have a number of AES/SPDIF cables in the studio - in both directions. I've never found a problem with this approach.

[merlyn]

... I thought there would be some simple little boxes with AES XLR sockets on one side and a USB-B socket on the other ...

That's not going to be a lot of use because of sync. The fact is that USB is not a pro audio standard as, in the spec, there is no way to sync multiple USB interfaces. So if you had two Liquid Channels each with its own USB box they wouldn't be in sync, and you'd have to use something like an aggregate device on a Mac to get them in sync.

Also, AES and S/PDIF are stereo, so how would two Liquid Channels work with that? For multi-channel digital audio ADAT or MADI is required.

[Bartholemue]

I appreciate everyone's help. Thank you. The PAC2 is the closest device, I think. The MOTU 8D is also close and around the same price.

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Also, AES and S/PDIF are stereo, so how would two Liquid Channels work with that? For multi-channel digital audio ADAT or MADI is required.

Responding to this--I'd have to read the manual again, but I know I can digitally stereo-link two Liquid Channels together using one as the master clock and I believe it would then output both channels over one AES output from the master unit. I don't remember 100%.

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The truth is, I don't really need my liquid channels, but I figured I could breathe some new life into them this way and avoid spending a lot of money on a smaller interface to replace my big 32ch mixer. I've accumulated stacks of expensive rack units and desktop devices over the last couple decades and it always stings to sunset them.

I don't need USB, specifically. I could go for a thunderbolt over USB-C interface into my 2022 MBP M1Pro. I suppose I'll keep researching.

Thanks, again.

[merlyn]

To make your life easy, the general rule is to just have one USB interface. If you can chain the Liquid Channels, then you only need one S/PDIF input along with an AES to S/PDIF cable, or convertor if it's an optical in, and you have some choice as a lot of interfaces have an S/PDIF input.