Can S/PDIF output 4.0 Surround Sound to AV Receiver from Ableton Live 12 Suite?

[agharta]

I want to experiment with 4.0 Surround Sound in Live 12 Suite.
I know it doesn't support surround sound natively but I have seen 3rd party tools that allow it.
I have two sets of HiFi speakers and two stereo HiFi amplifiers which will be fine as a starting point and temporary solution, albeit a bit messy.
I'm curious though, how I can use the S/PDIF out on the Scarlett 18i8 3rd Gen to connect to an AV receiver?
Will it have to be encoded to Dolby Digital 5.1 or Atmos?
I think of Dolby as being an expensive option!
I'm looking for a 4.0 solution, so is there a free or inexpensive Dolby renderer that works with Ableton in real-time?
This is only for performances, so not thinking in terms of a Dolby Atmos deliverable final format.

[BertKoor]

For s/pdif to do multi-channel, you need to encode it indeed. Sorry, no idea how to do that.

But with two hifi amps, why not use four analog outputs of your 18i8 interface? Because with s/pdif you need it decoded again. How were you planning to do that?

[lfm]

An AC3 encoder is what you need. I used for video mainly and PowerDirector allow that to happend.
- AC3 can make like Dolby 5.1 on a single spdif up to 48k sample rate.

So I used 6 channel wav output from daw(Cakewalk at the time, some surround enabled daw)
- took this into PowerDirector
- rendered video for AC3 audio Dolby 5.1
- played back that video with a spdif as output into surround decoder
- worked fine

In Windows I made 6 WDM channels in RME panel for audio interface, then it pops up a 8 channel device for ADAT in windows.
- this allows a host to sense there is multi channel capabilities

Search internet for AC3 encoders as plugins.

I found this as a quick result
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/pr ... g-plug-ins

There is a gap to exactly what you want to do, but some hints anyway to get started.

Have fun....

[agharta]

But with two hifi amps, why not use four analog outputs of your 18i8 interface? Because with s/pdif you need it decoded again. How were you planning to do that?

As stated, I intend to start by using the two Hi-Fi setups as that keeps it in the analog domain.
I'd like to know in advance what the options are if I decide in the future to move to a digital output to a single AV receiver.
The reason being is that I want to start with a workflow that can be easily migrated to digital output.
AV receivers still accept S/PDIF, so that is a possibility.
But AC3 5.1 over S/PDIF is old tech, so want to know if I am better off looking at a basic Atmos 4.0 setup.

[agharta]

An AC3 encoder is what you need. I used for video mainly and PowerDirector allow that to happend.
- AC3 can make like Dolby 5.1 on a single spdif up to 48k sample rate.

Thanks. A lot of the search results are very old, so I will need to dig deeper to find what the current options are for Windows.
AC3 Dolby 5.1 seemed the obvious solution, although DTS was also a consideration.
They are both compressed which isn't ideal but I doubt it's an issue.
I'm also tempted to go old skool and buy an old A/V receiver that has 5.1 analogue inputs.
They can be found very cheaply.

[lfm]

They are both compressed which isn't ideal but I doubt it's an issue.
I'm also tempted to go old skool and buy an old A/V receiver that has 5.1 analogue inputs.
They can be found very cheaply.

If interface has optical ADAT you can run 8 channels 48k or 4 channels 96k.
- uncompressed 24 bit

There are plenty DAC units with ADAT inputs, like Behringer ADA 8200 etc.
- both preamps and DACs for analog out
- just use outs then.

So 8 analog close to A/V receiver and can have a longer optical if you want.
- 10m should not be a problem

Daw is just setup with a ADAT driver like I mentioned running analog outs through those ADAT outs.

[BertKoor]

> for performances

I's say Stereo is overrated already for live sound. Quad? Are you Roger Waters, planning to let a spitfite fly through the venue?

Want to have the audience experience immersive sound? Rent 100 "silent disco" wireless headphones. Simply stereo.

> options to move to a digital output

There has to be a DA converter somewhere. Best have it within reach. Analog lines always work and are always accepted.

[agharta]

They are both compressed which isn't ideal but I doubt it's an issue.
I'm also tempted to go old skool and buy an old A/V receiver that has 5.1 analogue inputs.
They can be found very cheaply.

If interface has optical ADAT you can run 8 channels 48k or 4 channels 96k.
- uncompressed 24 bit

There are plenty DAC units with ADAT inputs, like Behringer ADA 8200 etc.
- both preamps and DACs for analog out
- just use outs then.

So 8 analog close to A/V receiver and can have a longer optical if you want.
- 10m should not be a problem

Daw is just setup with a ADAT driver like I mentioned running analog outs through those ADAT outs.

Thanks.
We might be talking at cross-purposes here as you appear to be talking about adding more than 4 analogue outputs via an ADAT output on the AI.
The AI has 4 analogue outputs which is already enough.

Using something like the Behringer ADA8200 got me thinking about ADAT for extra inputs.
That way I can use a small format desktop AI such as the Audient iD14 MKII for every day usage.
Then when I need extra inputs for surround, I can add the ADA8200.
The advantage is that the ADA8200 can be located somewhere more suitable than my desktop.
I have looked at the Presonus Studio 1824c and similar as a single solution.
Most have too much depth but the 1824c is okay, but they are usually rack format in width which is a pain, so good to have more options.

[agharta]

> for performances

I's say Stereo is overrated already for live sound. Quad? Are you Roger Waters, planning to let a spitfite fly through the venue?

Want to have the audience experience immersive sound? Rent 100 "silent disco" wireless headphones. Simply stereo.

It's not a public performance, so I don't have to concern myself with related issues.