hey...I'm a high school student. I just started my home studio like year ago. I started with a pc, 2 channels USB pre-amp, a keyboard, MXL condenser (no tube, i added the tube via my cubase se), and a Roland XP 10. Me & my school band is planning to build a bigger studio (8 channels, MAC, cubase se, live recording...not vst). I did some research on pre-amp, i got a pretty good deal too. My question is:
1. some pre-amp have optical in/out...what's that for actually?
2. Word Clock...what is that for? it's looks like an antenna input on tv & vhs player. Is word clock actually built to connect to tv or something?

thanks
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the optical I/O is for the ADAT protocol. It transfers 8 chanels of digital signal at 24-bits I think some PC interfaces take ADAT, but I think it's usually used on ADAT machines (Alesis Digital Audio Tape)

the word clock is for syncronization. it uses a digital signal, actually a square wave that keeps samples lined up when transfering digital audio.

these are on a mic preamp? is it an 8-channel? sounds cool

Yup...our band planning to purchase a MOTU 828 mkII (firewire interface), it has optical I/O and Word Clock. It has 2 channel XLR, 8 channel TRS. Hey, thanks for the infos.
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