Steinberg VSL 2020 User manual
VSL2020 — 2
1. Introduction
Thank you for choosing the Steinberg VSL2020 audio card. The VSL2020 digital audio card/
interface is designed specifically for use with VST System Link, Steinberg’s networking technology,
allowing sample accurate sync between several computers connected using simple optical digital
cables.
VSL2020 provides 32 ADAT channels for pristine transmission of audio and MIDI data to and
from the other computers in your network. Full support of ASIO 2.0 ensures stable, low-latency
multi-channel network operation with other computers running Cubase SX/SL or Nuendo. The
supplied V-STACK software hosts up to 16 VST instruments, and provides 8 send effects, 5 insert
effect slots and 4 master bus effects for your VSTi sounds. Let the VSL2020 card and V-STACK
increase the available music making power in your studio.
VSL2020 and V-STACK can also turn your PC into a live virtual instrument station. The VSL2020
low latency architecture allows dynamic real-time playing of VST instruments. V-STACK supports
VST, VST 2.0 and Direct X plug-ins, allowing you to load up to 16 VST instruments in V-STACK,
add high-quality effects and play them live through the VSL2020 audio interface.All this in the
same pristine 32 bit floating point audio quality users of Cubase SX/SL and Nuendo have become
accustomed to.
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2. Package contents
VSL2020 PCI card
V-ST
ACK
CD
Adapter cable (D-type with digital and analog inputs and outputs)
3. System requirements
Minimum system requirements:
Processor: Pentium 233 MHz
RAM: 128 MB of free RAM
Operating system: Windows 2000, Windows XP
Sound card: supports ASIO 2 spec for high-end multi-channel audio cards,
supports Windows MME & DirectSound spec for standard sound cards
Recommended system:
Processor: Pentium 4 or AMD K7 XP with 1 GHz
RAM: 512 MB of free RAM
Operating system: Windows 2000, Windows XP
Sound card: supports ASIO 2 spec for high-end multi-channel audio cards,
supports Windows MME & DirectSound spec for standard sound cards
VSL2020 — 4
4. Characteristics
PCI Busmaster interface
ADAT, S/PDIF and analog outputs can be used simultaneously
S/MUX technology for using the ADAT channels with 24 bits/96 kHz
Word clock in master and slave mode
Word clock input and output
5. Technical specifications
5.1 Digital
Low-jitter S/PDIF (32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz)
Low-jitter ADAT (32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz)
Sample frequencies: 32, 44.1, 48, 64, 88.2, 96 kHz
Coaxial S/PDIF I/O
Word clock I/O
5.2 Analog
RCA connector input and output (24 bits/96 kHz)
5.3 MIDI
MIDI input and output via adapter cable
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6. Hardware installation
a.) Make sure that the computer is switched off and that the power cable is disconnected from
the mains supply before installing the VSL2020.
b.) Before removing the VSL2020 from the protective bag, discharge any static in your body
by touching a metal surface.
c.) Open your computer‘s housing and insert the VSL2020 into a free PCI slot. Make sure
that the card is locked firmly in the slot and fasten the screw.
d.) Connect the adapter cable to the card.
e.) Replace the computer housing.
f. ) Reconnect all cables including the power cord.
VSL2020 — 6
7. Software installation
7.1 Windows ME
Once the hardware has been installed successfully (see section 6), Windows will recognize the
new hardware component and start the “Add new hardware wizard“. Please insert the Steinberg
V-ST
ACK
CD into your CD-Rom drive and follow the on-screen instructions. Afterwards, you
should restart the system to make sure that the card driver is recognized within your Windows
system.
7.2 Windows 2000 and Windows XP
The EWDM driver is easy to install under Windows thanks to the Plug and Play routine.
Once the hardware has been installed successfully (see section 6), Windows will recognize the
new hardware component and start the “Add new hardware wizard“. The driver is located in the
VSL2020 folder on the V-ST
ACK
CD. If the wizard informs you that the driver is not certified,
this is not a problem. Click “Install anyway“ and install the driver. Afterwards, you should restart
Windows to make sure the driver is working correctly.
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8. Connections of the VSL2020
8.1 ADAT
The VSL2020 provides different types of inputs and outputs, directly on the card and via an
adapter cable. Directly on the card you can see two ADAT inputs (ADAT In 1 and 2 on the left) and
two ADAT outputs (ADAT Out 1 and 2 on the right). In normal mode the ADAT connection supports
a sample rate of up to 24 bits/48 kHz. With the S/MUX technology it is possible to use the ADAT
inputs/outputs with 24 bits/96 kHz. ADAT can only transfer 4 channels at 24 bits/96 kHz via one
ADAT port, so you need to connect bothADAT outputs to get 8 channel transfer.
ADAT In 1 ADAT In 2 ADAT Out 2ADAT Out 1
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8.2 S/PDIF
The VSL2020 supports a coaxial S/PDIF input and output.
The supported sample rates are: 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 64 kHz,
88 kHz, 96 kHz.
The resolution is 24 bits (internal 32 bits).
8.3 Analog
On the adapter cable you will also find two RCA analog inputs and outputs, for example to connect
directly to your local hifisystem. This is an unbalanced (-10dBV) RCA-type I/O, which supports a
sample rate of up to 96 kHz and a resolution of up to 24 bits.
8.4 Word clock
The VSL2020 supports word clock input and output. The BNC connector (FS/256xFS) can clock
external devices via the word clock output and can be slaved to external devices via the word
clock input. You can adjust the word clock settings via the control panel.
8.5 MIDI
The VSL2020 also supports MIDI on the adapter cable. It is a 16 channel in/out interface with the
standard MIDI connector.
Word clock I/O S/PDIF MIDI Analog ADAT
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9. Control panel
The control panel is used to configure your audio card. Once you have succsessfully installed all
hardware and software and rebooted the system you will see a Steinberg logo on the right-hand
side in your taskbar. Click this icon to open the control panel. The control panel provides several
options that help you adapt the card to the requirements of your working environment (digital
mixers, AD-DA converters, V-ST
ACK
systems, etc.).
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9.1 Control panel window
In the control panel, below the menu bar, all ADAT bus names are listed. On the left you find the
inputs from ADAT-1 IN (1-4) to ADAT-2 IN (5-8), plus S for S/PDIF and A for analog. On the right-
hand side you find all corresponding outputs. The names denote stereo busses, i.e. 16ADAT
channel inputs/outputs on 8 busses (2 channels each).
Below the channel level indicators is a row of buttons for muting individual inputs/outputs. You
can mute all inputs or all outputs simultaneously by clicking the INPUT or OUTPUT buttons at the
bottom of the window.
The current sample rate is displayed in the field above the master controls in the top right of the
window.
Below the master controls are two pop-up windows.
The first is used to set the clock settings of the card. You can choose between Internal, ADAT-1 IN,
ADAT-2 IN, S/PDIF or External.
Internal is for the internal 2 pin sync connector, ADAT-1 IN is for the sync from the ADAT-1 IN,
ADAT-2 IN will sync to a clock signal received via the ADAT-2 IN, S/PDIF will sync to a clock signal
received via the S/PDIF-IN, External will sync to a clock signal received via the word clock input.
Below that you find the routing pop-up. The default setting is NONE. If NONE is chosen the routing
is 1:1, which means that ADAT-1 Out is routed to ADAT-1 Out, etc. Or you can route your signal to
a specific ADAT output (ADAT 1.1 or ADAT 1.2, etc.). You can also route your signal to the analog
out. You can also choose S/PDIF as the monitor-out.
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