Steinberg VSL2020 Audio Card User Manual

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1. Introduction
Thank you for choosing the Steinberg VSL 2020 audio card. The VSL 2020 digital audio card/
interface is designed specifi cally for use with VST System Link, Steinberg’s networking technology, 
allowing sample accurate sync between several computers connected using simple optical digital 
cables. 
VSL 2020 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 VSL 2020 card and V-STACK 
increase the available music making power in your studio.
VSL 2020 and V-STACK can also turn your PC into a live virtual instrument station. The VSL 2020 
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 VSL 2020 audio interface. All this in the 
same pristine 32 bit fl oating point audio quality users of Cubase SX/SL and Nuendo have become 
accustomed to.  
						

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2. Package contents
VSL 2020 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 
						

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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 specifi cations
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 VSL 2020.
b.)   Before removing the VSL 2020 from the protective bag, discharge any static in your body
           by touching a metal surface.
c.)   Open your computer‘s housing and insert the VSL 2020 into a free PCI slot. Make sure
           that the card is locked fi rmly 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. 
						

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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 
VSL 2020 folder on the V-ST
ACK CD. If the wizard informs you that the driver is not certifi ed, 
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 VSL 2020
8.1 ADAT
The VSL 2020 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 both ADAT 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 VSL 2020 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 fi nd two RCA analog inputs and outputs, for example to connect 
directly to your local hifi  system. 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 VSL 2020 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 VSL 2020 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
MIDIAnalog
ADAT  
						

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9. Control panel
The control panel is used to confi gure 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 fi nd 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 fi nd all corresponding outputs. The names denote stereo busses, i.e. 16 ADAT 
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 fi eld above the master controls in the top right of the 
window.
Below the master controls are two pop-up windows.
The fi rst 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 fi nd 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 specifi c 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.