ADAT vs S/PDIF Optical Format Checker
Compare ADAT and optical S/PDIF port modes, direction and converter evidence before buying another TOSLINK cable.
Open tool →Digital studio connections
Plan the format. Count the links. Route the clock.
ADAT expansion is not just one optical cable. Choose the decision that is blocking your studio setup—before buying an expander or replacing a working cable.
ADAT Expansion Planner
Plan ADAT optical links for 44.1–192 kHz, explicit S/MUX support and endpoint channel ceilings. Unknown capabilities stay unverified.
Open tool →Digital Audio Clock Route Planner
Plan one leader, one follower and a real ADAT, S/PDIF or word-clock timing path, including a return path opposite to audio.
Open tool →Digital Audio Failure Isolator
Use clock lock, source and receiver meters, DAW input and a controlled cable test to isolate digital audio silence, clicks or missing channels.
Open tool →Four questions, four different outcomes
- “Both plugs fit. Are the formats the same?” Match ADAT or optical S/PDIF mode and output/input direction.
- “Will I get eight channels at 96 kHz?” Budget one-way optical links and exact endpoint channel ceilings.
- “My interface must lead. Where does timing return?” Plan one clock leader and a real follower input route.
- “It locks, but the DAW is silent.” Compare named-channel meter observations to choose the next controlled test.
You do not have to run every tool. A planned port budget cannot diagnose a mute, and a clock indicator cannot confirm a DAW channel map. These tools do not access your audio, inspect connected hardware or store a model database.
Start from a concrete example
An eight-channel expander at 96 kHz may need two dedicated ADAT OUT/IN pairs. Even with both pairs present, a host that must remain timing leader needs a supported clock route back to the expander. If timing locks but no signal reaches a DAW input, source-to-digital routing is a separate observation.
Keep the boundary explicit
Use exact-model manuals for rate modes, fixed clock roles, firmware and channel mapping. No cable can create a missing port, translate an unspecified digital format or guarantee synchronization. This workbench does not design multi-device BNC distribution or combine independent USB drivers.