I tried asking this in a "pro audio" forum, but didn't get any replies. Hopefully there are a few real audio experts in the AT crowd.
Ego Systems tech support was kind enough to provide a pinout diagram for the connector signals. I intend to make my own (pci-card)<-->(breakout-box) connector cable... a shorter version, using teflon-insulated copper in twisted pairs, omitting some things (clock signals wires, midi).
The system has 4 audio inputs and 8 audio outputs, and I noticed something that seemed strange to me in the diagram: It appears that the wires for all the adjacent L/R channels (channels 1/2, 3/4 in; 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 out) respectively, are twisted together as pairs, with no ground lines involved. These are digital, not analog, signals, but from what I remember, on most audio cabling diagrams that I've seen, even digital signals are usually paired up with a ground, not another signal line, to minimize interference.
I think they may have done this to minimize cable thickness, and to minimize the number of pins needed on the connector (it uses a 44 pin connector as it is).
Here are my questions. Should I follow their plans, pairing adjacent signal channels, with no grounds involved? Or, should I pair each of the 12 signal lines with a ground, which should theoretically reduce interference... and, if so, most importantly, where should the new ground lines be terminated (that is, to what should they be soldered for grounding?) Should they be connected on both ends of the cable, or left unconnected on one end?
Ego Systems tech support was kind enough to provide a pinout diagram for the connector signals. I intend to make my own (pci-card)<-->(breakout-box) connector cable... a shorter version, using teflon-insulated copper in twisted pairs, omitting some things (clock signals wires, midi).
The system has 4 audio inputs and 8 audio outputs, and I noticed something that seemed strange to me in the diagram: It appears that the wires for all the adjacent L/R channels (channels 1/2, 3/4 in; 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 out) respectively, are twisted together as pairs, with no ground lines involved. These are digital, not analog, signals, but from what I remember, on most audio cabling diagrams that I've seen, even digital signals are usually paired up with a ground, not another signal line, to minimize interference.
I think they may have done this to minimize cable thickness, and to minimize the number of pins needed on the connector (it uses a 44 pin connector as it is).
Here are my questions. Should I follow their plans, pairing adjacent signal channels, with no grounds involved? Or, should I pair each of the 12 signal lines with a ground, which should theoretically reduce interference... and, if so, most importantly, where should the new ground lines be terminated (that is, to what should they be soldered for grounding?) Should they be connected on both ends of the cable, or left unconnected on one end?
