Connecting my TC Electronic M One XL to my current rig

[hiiipower]

My current rig includes:

Motherboard: Asrock Z77 Extreme6 ( http/www.asrock.com/mb/intel/z77%20extreme6/ )
CPU: Intel i7-3770k
GPU: Gigabyte GTX 660 ( http/www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4361#ov )
Case: Corsair 600T ( http/www.corsair.com/en-us/special-edition-white-graphite-series-600t-mid-tower-case )
OS: Windows 8

Audio Interface: Steinberg UR 22 ( https/www.steinberg.net/en/products/audio_interfaces/ur_serie/modelle/ur22.html )
Effects Box: TC M One XL ( http/www.tcelectronic.com/m-one-xl/ )
Audio Monitors: Tannoy 501A Reveal

I'm putting together my first little home studio so I am by no means a computer or audio expert yet. I recently purchased my first effects box, a TC Electronic M One XL and would like to connect it to the rest of my rig. I am trying to connect my computer to the M One XL via the computer's rear panel SPDIF output (optical) to the M One XL's SPDIF (coax) input and then bring the signal back to the computer through the M One XL's SPDIF out (coax) but my motherboard lacks a SPDIF input.

How can I make this work? Will a SPDIF (coax) to USB converter allow me to take my SPDIF out (coax) from the M One XL to a USB input on my computer? Do i need to go through my interface even though the signal remains digital before going to my audio monitors?

 

[getochkn]

You kind of need an audio device with a effects loop channel. This is a dedicated set of inputs/outputs on the mixer or audio interface that effects plug into so that you can send audio to the effects and get it returned with the effects applied.

An effects box like that really isn't of a lot of a use with a small 2x2 audio interface. Even if you did have a effects loop, you could say, take a drum track for your audio software, play it through the effects and then have that track returned. That also means you can't use the interface for anything else, unless you "record" that drum track back with the effects. A very tedious process if you want effects on a 32 track song that is 5 minutes each.

In reality, for your siutation, you are better off returning the TC and buying virtual effects for the computer instead. This way you can apply as many effects as your want, you can play them in realtime, you can tweak them in realtime, you don't have to "record" them and commit to them, you can change them anytime. all the effects send/return is handled by the software.

What is your intention with the effects box and your "home studio" anyways? What kind of music, what do you want to record/produce?

EDIT

Your interface comes with a copy of cubase AI which allows 32 tracks, 4 insert effects, 4 send effects per channel. To do this with a mixer, is almost impossible and that equates to allow you to run 8 separate effects per track, times 32 tracks, 256 different effects. Can't do that with your TC.

If you new to this, I would return the TC, play with the software and see how you like it. then look into buying effects.

 

[hiiipower]

Thanks