The "optical digital" connections on your Tascam unit are optical S/PDIF signals. You will need to make sure that your R16 is outputing that same type of signal via the optical connection. I doubt it defaults to S/PDIF.

On the Tascam itself, you will need to ensure that you have the correct INPUT source. Press the INPUT button until you read Digital Optical. You may also need to set the word clock to slave from the Toslink. Check the manual for that.

Also, you will be limited to only recording at 44.1k sampling.

Thanks, i know the zed is only adat in/out..It does not default to spdif unless there is a work around i don't know about.
Im familiar with the imput select on the tascam(set to digital).
This one might be in the "can't be done" categorie.

boxcar, post: 355601 wrote: I've done alot of serches on this but i still don't get it.
I have a zed r16 with 16 chanels of adat in/out and a tascam cdrw2000 cd recorder with digital in.
Tha connectors are the same(toslink cable).
Im trying to send 2 master tracks from the zed to the tascam to record a mix digitally but no luck getting a signal on the tascam so far.
Is it even possible to go from adat out to digital in or is there some kind of converter..
Or..can't be done.
Thanks for reading.

If you are using the ZED R16 as a firewire interface to your DAW then only one ADAT connector (ADAT1) is available when using FW and the switch engaged to that.
The ADAT1 connector will only provide channels 1-8 in and out at either 44.1 or 48.
The master channels 17/18 on the ZED are not channels available over ADAT.
They are only available as digital channels over FW.
So if the Tascam can record 8 tracks you would need to assign channels 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 or 7/8 from your DAW output bus in order to get the ADAT channels you want into the Tascam.
I'm not sure your Tascam recorder even has ADAT inputs because it is a stereo two track CD recorder (master recorder, not a multi-track) so it would make sense that it only has a 2 channel stereo optical SPDIF input.?
On the other hand why not use the balanced XLR analog inputs on the Tascam and then you'd be using the Tascam A/D converters directly to CD?
That seems like a much better way to interface the ZED & Tascam together for best possible signal chain and the best results in terms of sound.
If the Tascam is only optical SPDIF...than I don't think the ZED has that as far as I know....only ADAT...I looked in my manual and I see nothing on SPDIF.
By using the ZED to do a 2 track master mixdown and sending that analog into your Tascam you will be getting the benefit of all the analog sweetness the ZED can provide!
I would use the XLR 2 track outputs from the ZED into the two XLR inputs of the Tascam!..

If the ZED has no option for optical S/PDIF then it can't be done. If you had a different interface that did have a SPDIF connection of some type (either phono or optical) then you could do all you mixing and finalizing with the ZED, bounce the final file down to 16/44.1k and then send it to the CD recorder after switching to the other interface. Convoluted but then you would not have to go through the crappy (IMO) AD converters in the Tascam 2000.

(@DJ: in your scenario one could easily just substitute one of the buses as the "main" pair but ultimately good info to have)

Definitely Jack you could assign any of the ZED ADAT channels to anyplace you like...that's one of the things that I think is so nice and flexible about the ZED.
If boxcar hooked up the optical connectors between the ZED and Tascam and then set the channels from his DAW to output on say A1/A2 would they appear as stereo SPDIF channels at the Tascam?....maybe not?...that would be too easy huh...SPDIF is a different protocol than ADAT??.not sure about the sync/clock issues either...
I'm not up on the Tascam CD recorder and wasn't aware of it's poor conversion...still I would think the analog path would be a more straightforward method only because the Tascam was designed to take professional balanced analog levels in and burn a CD....at CD sample rate and bit depth surely it's converters must be fairly adequate to produce a decent professional CD..??
Another thought that came to mind was an ADAT to SPDIF converter?
Is there anything that spits out a two channel SPDIF from multi-channel ADAT?
I looked up the Tascam and noticed it also has AES/EBU so that would be another option for the digital path...

djmukilteo, post: 355608 wrote: If you are using the ZED R16 as a firewire interface to your DAW then only one ADAT connector (ADAT1) is available when using FW and the switch engaged to that.
The ADAT1 connector will only provide channels 1-8 in and out at either 44.1 or 48.
The master channels 17/18 on the ZED are not channels available over ADAT.
They are only available as digital channels over FW.
So if the Tascam can record 8 tracks you would need to assign channels 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 or 7/8 from your DAW output bus in order to get the ADAT channels you want into the Tascam.
I'm not sure your Tascam recorder even has ADAT inputs because it is a stereo two track CD recorder (master recorder, not a multi-track) so it would make sense that it only has a 2 channel stereo optical SPDIF input.?
On the other hand why not use the balanced XLR analog inputs on the Tascam and then you'd be using the Tascam A/D converters directly to CD?
That seems like a much better way to interface the ZED & Tascam together for best possible signal chain and the best results in terms of sound.
If the Tascam is only optical SPDIF...than I don't think the ZED has that as far as I know....only ADAT...I looked in my manual and I see nothing on SPDIF.
By using the ZED to do a 2 track master mixdown and sending that analog into your Tascam you will be getting the benefit of all the analog sweetness the ZED can provide!
I would use the XLR 2 track outputs from the ZED into the two XLR inputs of the Tascam!..

Thanks for the reply.
That is what im doing now, im using XLR out to the tascam.I still prefer that to an internal bounce or burn.
I thought i might be able to hook up the digital as well for convinience but doesn't look like that will be possible unless like Jack says, i use my onyx 1200f as a transfer point.It has spdif out.
I thought there might be a little converter box for $60 or so.

are you still lovin the zed? I know i am.
Im going to get the gs r24 but not before the first price drop.Next year?

I don't think the Tascam CDR's digital ins will be able to sort out the very specific 8-channel ADAT protocol.

Maybe somebody's conquered that, but I've never read about a way to use ADAT lightpipe for anything but ADAT protocal.

TheJackAttack, post: 355610 wrote: If the ZED has no option for optical S/PDIF then it can't be done. If you had a different interface that did have a SPDIF connection of some type (either phono or optical) then you could do all you mixing and finalizing with the ZED, bounce the final file down to 16/44.1k and then send it to the CD recorder after switching to the other interface. Convoluted but then you would not have to go through the crappy (IMO) AD converters in the Tascam 2000.

(@DJ: in your scenario one could easily just substitute one of the buses as the "main" pair but ultimately good info to have)

Yeah, the digital hook up is more for convinience, i do have an onyx 1200f that i could do what you referring to with but im thinking of selling it.
Now i understand that ADAT can't be converted to SPDIF so on with the next song.
Thanks for your help.

The 1200F can be used in stand alone mode, yes? Simply set it up to take ADAT channels 1/2 input (from the A&H) and send it out the S/Pdif or AES of the 1200F and into the Tascam. No conversion will be done or necessary.

Well you didn't mention the 1200F!...LOL
That's where you should be taking the SPDIF from...not the ZED!
I have an RME FF800 that I use as my main FW interface into Cubase and I have all ADAT channels 1-16 between the ZED R16 and the RME. It takes four optical cables to do that and you can only record at 44.1 or 48.
If you were to do that with the Onyx 1200F you could have everything...
Just a thought...I do like the ZED because of the EQ mostly and the hands on mixing...
I don't know if my setup is the best use of the ZED and I've been thinking about going back to just the RME with this computer and putting together another computer and DAW for the ZED....the GSR24 looks like it has it all going on and should turn out to be an amazing board....so yeah we'll see...I think it's way out of my price range budget or needs though...

I like Jacks idea!
That should work perfectly...
If you do that maybe you could also use the extra preamps and channels of your 1200F too...if you need them.
You have a lot to work with there...
but Jacks is the best approach by far and would get you the SPDIF your looking for!

Maybe i'll hang on to the 1200 then.lol
The onyx pre's are quite good but i was going to sell it cause i don't need more than 16 pre's but hey, you can never have to much gear i've been told.

Jack: The onyx does work in stand alone mode but not sure if the adat banks are available without it being hooked up to the software and computer.
Will try that tonight, that would be a very effective/expensive adat to spdif converter.lol

boxcar:
I think I know exactly where your at!
I bought my RME FF800 about three years ago and it is one of the best machines for the price with great preamps (which I still use) but like the 1200F there's no hands on mixer....lots of ways to do mixing ITB...but I'm old (school) and really missed the actual knobs and buttons which is why I bought the ZED...which is fantastic!....it had everything I wanted and more....being able to move faders and mix by ear and feel is more enjoyable and the ZED R16 is all that...
So I'm still struggling and debating selling one or the other but just can't part with the FF800 because I really love the way it sounds just as much as the ZED. They are different sounding for sure...So that is why I created the setup with both units.

My latest idea now is to move either the ZED or the RME over to a friends Win7 machine in his studio. He needs more inputs than I do and wants to try out Sonar.
I tend to write my own stuff/ideas in my studio on my own...it's been rare to have anyone else here recording...something I thought might happen but it isn't....
So my friend who I play with alot has a larger space and more equipment....The FF800 has always worked perfectly for my needs with my older WinXPro and Cubase 4.
I've even considered selling both units and going for a high end small interface....LOL
so let me know what you end up doing....it might help me....
I would love to hear some stuff you've done using the ZED and 1200F if you have something you can share...
Do you prefer the sound of the ZED over the Onyx?

djmukilteo, post: 355627 wrote: boxcar:
I think I know exactly where your at!
I bought my RME FF800 about three years ago and it is one of the best machines for the price with great preamps (which I still use) but like the 1200F there's no hands on mixer....lots of ways to do mixing ITB...but I'm old (school) and really missed the actual knobs and buttons which is why I bought the ZED...which is fantastic!....it had everything I wanted and more....being able to move faders and mix by ear and feel is more enjoyable and the ZED R16 is all that...
So I'm still struggling and debating selling one or the other but just can't part with the FF800 because I really love the way it sounds just as much as the ZED. They are different sounding for sure...So that is why I created the setup with both units.

My latest idea now is to move either the ZED or the RME over to a friends Win7 machine in his studio. He needs more inputs than I do and wants to try out Sonar.
I tend to write my own stuff/ideas in my studio on my own...it's been rare to have anyone else here recording...something I thought might happen but it isn't....
So my friend who I play with alot has a larger space and more equipment....The FF800 has always worked perfectly for my needs with my older WinXPro and Cubase 4.
I've even considered selling both units and going for a high end small interface....LOL
so let me know what you end up doing....it might help me....
I would love to hear some stuff you've done using the ZED and 1200F if you have something you can share...
Do you prefer the sound of the ZED over the Onyx?

Yeah, same here, i only record my own stuff and friends of friends, things like that.
I like the r16 pre's better than the onyx,to me they handle the low end better or maybe it's that they are more colored in a way that i like.More analog sounding but that could be a result of the whole circuitry of the r 16.
For me as well i have to mix analog, i mixed analog with the 1200 as well,sending stems to a mixer.Love the knobs.

I do know where it's heading though.I will be buying the r24 in a year or so after some price drops.
I have no problem waiting cause it won't sound any better than the r16.Same circuits/e.q's/pre's.but right now im using 15 of the 16 pre's.and the r24 will let me set up the live rehearsals on the last 8 chanels without changing a mix im working on.

As far as hearing some stuff, i have never uploaded a song in my life.Don't even know how.lol
How old school is that.

Yeah the GSR24 looks like everything but the kitchen sink on top of what the R16 does already....meter bridge, tube channels, solo in place, 32 FW channels, motorized faders....wow!
I think you have the right idea waiting too...bugs to work out, price drops etc etc...makes alot of sense...
Your description of the ZED's sound is right on and is exactly what I would describe as the difference between my RME and the ZED. THe RME is very clean, transparent perfect sound...but the ZED adds some warmth or color that has to be analog circuitry going on...when I start to mix a bunch of tracks the sound and feeling really doesn't compare to ITB at all...so it makes it that much more exciting to have a different experience.
Hope you can post some music...it's always nice to hear different recordings using different equipment...
Here's a few I've done...newer ones are done on the ZED/RME combo and the older ones on Soundclick were done with the RME ITB and some really old ones were done using a Lexicon Omega, some Alesis stuff and even some analog Tascam 2,4,8 track tape!

[="http://soundcloud.com/doonaloon"]Doon - Tracks - SoundCloud[/]="http://soundcloud.c…"]Doon - Tracks - SoundCloud[/]

[[url=http://="http://www.soundcli…"]Music page of The Doon - MP3 music page on SoundClick[/]="http://www.soundcli…"]Music page of The Doon - MP3 music page on SoundClick[/]

djmukilteo, post: 355645 wrote: Yeah the GSR24 looks like everything but the kitchen sink on top of what the R16 does already....meter bridge, tube channels, solo in place, 32 FW channels, motorized faders....wow!
I think you have the right idea waiting too...bugs to work out, price drops etc etc...makes alot of sense...
Your description of the ZED's sound is right on and is exactly what I would describe as the difference between my RME and the ZED. THe RME is very clean, transparent perfect sound...but the ZED adds some warmth or color that has to be analog circuitry going on...when I start to mix a bunch of tracks the sound and feeling really doesn't compare to ITB at all...so it makes it that much more exciting to have a different experience.
Hope you can post some music...it's always nice to hear different recordings using different equipment...
Here's a few I've done...newer ones are done on the ZED/RME combo and the older ones on Soundclick were done with the RME ITB and some really old ones were done using a Lexicon Omega, some Alesis stuff and even some analog Tascam 2,4,8 track tape!

[="http://soundcloud.com/doonaloon"]Doon - Tracks - SoundCloud[/]="http://soundcloud.c…"]Doon - Tracks - SoundCloud[/]

[[url=http://="http://www.soundcli…"]Music page of The Doon - MP3 music page on SoundClick[/]="http://www.soundcli…"]Music page of The Doon - MP3 music page on SoundClick[/]

Cool, i'll listen to some of those tomorrow morning.