Ideal (cleanest) Connection to Audio Interface?

[camrockbell]

Hey all!  I just made the thrilling leap from HX Stomp to Helix Stadium today, but I’m now uncertain what to do with all my new connectivity options (yeah, an embarrassment of riches, I know).
 

In short, I want to connect my Stadium (not XL) to my Apollo Twin X.  With the Stomp, I do this with 1/4 TRS out to XLR in cables and have never had any problems. But because the Stadium has XLR outs, I’m wondering if it would be better to just go XLR to XLR. I have heard some say to stick to TRS all the way because it’s all line level anyway, some who say using all XLR will “color” the signal, and others who suggest using an S/PDIF (Helix) to optical (Apollo) connection. All I want to know is: 1) which cable connection option will yield the cleanest/most transparent signal? 2) of the two analog options here (Xlr vs trs), which is best? Thanks!

[waymda]

The least 'lossy' approach wouold be use the Stadium USB out direct to your PC/crapple device so it all remains native digital. And use the Apollo for playback.

 

Then would be SPDIF (Stadium) to Optical (Apollo) via a converter - keeping it digital.

 

Then XLR - no idea where the idea it will colour the sound comes from - are you a member of an audiophile BS group? They love to say ship like that (ensure the copper in the cables is aligned facing mecca or you'll be dissapointed).

 

All of that said - if you can hear the difference between any of the above, congratulations you have 24k gold ears.

 

 

[TimAndSmith]

I 2nd the previous recommendation... just take the Stadium's USB-C output straight into your computer. Set Stadium as the "input" device and Apollo as the "output" device. There's no reason I can think of that makes sense to go from an audio interface (stadium) into another audio interface (Apollo) as you just end up doing multiple stages of digital to analog conversion. However, you want to make sure you monitor off the stadium to avoid latency. If you only listen back through your DAW and Apollo there will be be a delay in what you hear. That usually means you need a small mixer in your setup so you can listen back to both Apollo and Stadium at the same time. Any little mixer will do as it's for your playback and won't affect your recorded signal. 

 

hope that helps!

[rwandering]

I have an Apollo x4 and that is my audio interface. 

 

I go SPDIF into a MOTU 828es (which used to be my interface), and then out through ADAT into the x4.  The D10 likely will work to go straight to ADAT when it gets released.

 

My reason to not use USB is because the PC can only really handle one ASIO device at a time, and switching between devices has its challenges.  With one interface always set up correctly, there are zero software changes I have to make when shifting to/from recording guitar.