ALVA offer a collection of durable audio products built to the highest standards. Forming a perfect complement to the products from our partners from RME, there's an extensive selection of professional cables and a range of other items designed to make studio or on-stage life easier.
Appsys ProAudio is a Swiss design and manufacture company dedicated to creating digital solutions for broadcast, post-production, live and recording studios.
Calrec Audio supplies audio broadcast mixing consoles which are relied on by the world's most successful broadcasters.
Originally formed as a microphone manufacturer in 1964, Calrec celebrated 50 years as audio specialists in 2014.
The company's reputation for build quality, reliability and audio performance has made it an industry benchmark across the world.
DirectOut GmbH specialises in developing essential pro audio connectivity, networking and bridging solutions for broadcast, studio, live and installed sound applications.
The product range offers solutions that build bridges between different audio worlds, with support for MADI, SoundGrid, Dante, RAVENNA and the standards AES67 and SMPTE ST2110-30/31.
Founded in 1977 in Skanderborg, Denmark, Dynaudio has over 40 years of experience in producing cutting-edge loudspeakers.
From the classic BM Series and contemporary LYD Series, to the
high-end Core and M Series ranges of studio monitors, Dynaudio's focus
on transparency and accuracy has made them a household name of the
recording studio and broadcast audio industries.
In the UK, Dynaudio can be found in major studios such as Abbey Road
and Air Studios, as well as the next generation of film and game studios
mixing for surround sound and Dolby Atmos.
As well as the highly respected B4000+ organ module, Ferrofish offers a range of quality ADAT <> MADI <> Analogue converters that can be used for studio, live, post-production and broadcast applications and at a price that will suit any budget.
iConnectivity is a renowned professional audio manufacturer known for creating innovative and versatile products.
Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta Canada, the iConnectivity range includes audio and MIDI interfaces that are perfect for both studio and live sound.
The mioXL MIDI 1U rack unit is a favourite among studio and live sound professionals as a robust MIDI hub, whilst the unique PlayAUDIO1U interface allows for the connection of multiple host computers via USB.
High-end monitor controllers, headphone amplifiers and microphone preamps from Konstanz, Germany.
Founded in 1986, Lake People has been designing and manufacturing top-tier professional recording solutions for over 30 years in the Lake Constance region.
Renowned for their exceptional sound quality and reliability, Lake People products proudly carry the acclaimed "Made in Germany" seal of quality.
Lauten Audio design and manufacture high quality studio microphones with a unique and distinctive character.
Based in Northern California, the company regularly collaborates with industry professionals when creating fresh and original sounding microphones.
RME is a German company founded in 1996 by a small group of professional audio engineers and designers.
From day one, the team have stuck to a strict philosophy of truly innovative design and unparalleled reliability in the field of digital audio.
Award-winning headphone and speaker calibration software / measurement microphones from Sonarworks.
Calibrate your headphones and studio monitors with Sonarworks' SoundID Reference software. Create, mix and deliver with confidence, trust every mixing decision, and deliver an accurate studio reference sound every time.
Used and loved by over 200,000 sound recording studios globally.
Handmade pro audio equipment from Madrid, Spain. Combining eco-friendly materials with premium analogue sound, the Tierra Audio range includes Microphones, Preamps, EQs, Compressors and more, and in a variety of different flavours - from clean and precise, to warm, colourful and full of character.
Every component is built to the highest of standards, guaranteeing high-end sonic performance and maximum durability for studio recording, mixing and mastering applications.
A selection of Ex-Demo, B-Stock and Open-Box products from our brands including RME, Ferrofish, Icon and Lauten Audio.
Available at reduced prices from new so grab yourself a bargain!
Synthax Audio UK is a
professional audio distributor supplying the recording studio, live
audio, broadcast, installation, education and scientific application
markets.
Representing a number of established pro audio manufacturers, we keep immediate stock of all key items
from our brands including RME Audio, Calrec Brio and Type R, Ferrofish,
Dynaudio studio monitors, DirectOut, iConnectivity, Appsys ProAudio Multiverter and SRC, TIERRA Audio, Lake People, and
Lauten Audio Microphones.
Comments Off on Synthax Japan and RME work together at Kansai University
RME hardware chosen for installation at Kansai University’s newly designed Socio Sound Studio
RME's range of professional audio devices can be found at the heart of commercial and project studios around the world. Over its 20 year history, the company has built up a strong reputation for providing cutting-edge audio solutions that are both flexible and rock-solid in operation. As a result, RME devices can also regularly be found in many other audio sectors where accuracy and reliability are top priority, with the company providing systems to broadcast, scientific and academic circles as well.
We've previously spoken about how RME audio interfaces, mic preamps and converters have been used by both the De MontFort and Falmouth Universities in the UK. And now the Kansai University in Japan have recently installed a selection of recording and interfacing devices from the German manufacturer, to form the main hub of their new campus facility.
Cutting-edge MADI setup provides comprehensive routing and mixing capabilities
The main centre-piece of the setup is the RME MADIface XT, RME's 394-channel USB 3 MADI interface, which is connected to a set of RME ADI-8 QS converters, for providing highly accurate AD/DA conversion. An RME MADI Router then allows for extremely high channel-counts to be mixed and routed to and from the various parts of the studio with ease, providing a wealth of opportunities for the variety of projects which will be carried out at the university's new Socio Sound Studio.
Yuki Sakamoto of Synthax Japan, who supplied the equipment, says of the system;
"This studio is a perfect showcase of a Madi-based setup and for the products that Synthax Japan distributes. The recording system is easy to use and the sound quality is excellent, meaning the professor and students are happy to play in the studio."
The full details of this cutting-edge setup has been documented by Pro Audio Asia. To read the full article, click here.
Comments Off on How A MADI Interface Can Streamline High Channel Counts
RME MADIface XT
In recent years the MADI protocol has established itself as an incredibly robust and powerful tool for recording engineers, musicians and audio professionals. The ability to send a high number of channels via a single, compact cable has already made MADI a popular format for broadcasting. It’s now found its way into studios and live rigs around the world, and has become an industry standard in high-end audio. In this feature, we’re taking a look at what makes MADI such a useful and powerful protocol for anyone faced with the task of transferring large numbers of channels of high-quality audio.
What is MADI?
MADI (Multi-channel Audio Digital Interface) is a data-transfer protocol for digital audio signals that allows up to 64 discrete channels of audio to be carried simultaneously via a single cable, with sample rates of up to 192KHz (click here for a look at the technical specifications of MADI). MADI cables are directional, so there is one connector for MADI in, and another for MADI out. RME provides several options for those looking to integrate MADI into their system, such as the MADIface USB and the MADIface XT, as well as a selection of PCIe MADI cards.
There are two main types of cable available for MADI devices – coaxial, which uses BNC connectors and can be run over distances of up to 100m, and optical, which uses SC type connectors and can be run over huge distances of up to 2km. This makes MADI ideal for situations that require long cable runs, such as outside broadcasting, large recording productions or live shows. There is now even a Cat5 variant of MADI being laid down by the Audio Engineering Society (AES) which has already been incorporated into RME’s MADI Router (more on that product later).
What advantages does MADI have over a traditional multicore cable?
Let’s take the example of a production company at an outside event running multiple channels of audio, with the signals being fed to a truck for recording and mixing, parked in a car park some several hundred metres away. The traditional solution is to use an analogue multicore cable to transfer each channel back to the recording truck. However, due to the nature of multicore cables, there are a few potential problems with this method – problems that are simply not an issue with MADI.
50m optical MADI Cable from Alva
For example, as multicores are made up of many individual analogue cables, interference from nearby power cables can introduce unwanted noise into the audio signal. Also, if one of the cables develops a fault, it can be a very time-consuming process to find the problem cable within the group. As a digital cable, MADI on the other hand can be comfortably laid alongside or across power cables with no alteration to the signal, and doesn’t suffer from the problem of individual channel loss. MADI cables are also much cheaper than multicores due to being a single cable, so if a fault were to occur, the cost of buying a replacement is far less than that of replacing a multicore.
Multicore cables are also physically bulky and can be quite heavy, particularly for long cable runs. The weight can make them difficult to work with, possibly even needing several people to load and unload, especially if multiple runs are used. MADI cables are light and slim by comparison, which makes them much easier to work with, and much faster to deploy.
Using MADI in the studio
MADI can also be extremely useful in recording studios, providing a more simplified and streamlined recording solution. We’ve written previously about the recording setup at Falmouth University, where MADI is being used to transfer channels recorded through an analogue desk into a computer via an RME HDSPe MADI FX card (after the signals have been converted to digital via an RME M-32 AD converter).
Alongside this, the university has also installed a MADIface USB, which provides their students with a simple and convenient way to record straight to their own laptops. Instead of having to export files from the main studio computer at the end of each session, the students can record multiple tracks of audio straight to their own DAW of choice via a USB cable, whilst still making full use of the recording studio and mixing desk!
RME MADIface USB Audio Interface
Using MADI for live
Another situation where MADI really stands out is for gigs and concerts, as it provides a very small and portable solution – crucially important to many touring musicians, who want to minimize the amount of equipment they have to travel around with. We’ve previously written about the role MADI played in Lily Allen’s “Sheezus Tour”, where a MADIface USB was used in conjunction with the MADI-capable Ferrofish A16 Mk-II AD/DA converter to provide more channels for the playback rig.
We’ve also spoken to the team working with the band Disclosure too, who are also taking advantage of the flexibility of MADI as part of their live setup. In Disclosure’s case, not only are they using MADI as a concise way to route their sounds to the venue’s front of house desk, they’re also using MADI to send sounds to each other’s laptops whilst performing!
In both of these situations, the high-channel counts and outstanding stability of RME MADI interfaces make perfect sense for live performances. Click-tracks and cues for the musicians, as well as instrument groups and stems, can all be transferred through a single cable, and the easy routing options provided by RME’s TotalMix FX software results in incredibly flexible and portable solutions.
Other features of MADI
It’s also worth noting that MADI supports the sending of control data messages via ‘MIDI over MADI’. When using the Ferrofish A16 Mk-II or an RME Octamic XTC preamp for example, a user can control the input gains remotely without having to move from their computer.
The Octamic XTC is also the only audio interface available that, when used in Class Compliance mode, allows audio to be recorded via MADI to an iPad. This is limited to 24 channels, however there may be instances when the ability to send audio to an iPad over MADI comes in handy, so it’s a nice additional feature that RME have included on this particular device.
There is also the incredibly flexible RME MADI Router, which provides routing of full MADI streams between the 12 inputs and outputs as well as the ability to create 4 composed MADI streams constituted from its 768 individual input channels. This means that you could combine several incoming MADI streams into a single output for example – very useful when working with multiple MADI streams, and all in just 1U of rack space!
Summary
With its ease of use and flexible routing capabilities, the MADI protocol provides a far simpler, lighter, quicker, cheaper and sturdier method than conventional analogue cabling. The format allows for extremely high channel counts to be transferred at broadcast quality, and can do so over long distances.
RME provide several extremely compact and portable options, so whether you’re looking for a fixed or portable solution, RME can provide you with the perfect MADI setup to suit your needs.
If you’re interested in adding MADI to your setup or would like to arrange a demo of any of the products featured in this article, give us a call on 01727 821 870 to speak to one of our team or send us an email via info@synthax.co.uk.
Comments Off on Disclosure Don’t Have To “Settle” Thanks To RME And Ferrofish
From Left to Right; Guy, Lion Babe, Howard
In 2014, brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence, better known by the name Disclosure, went on tour to promote the release of their debut album ‘Settle’. The album, released in 2013, was met with both critical and commercial success, reaching the No 1 spot in the UK album charts and going on to be certified Platinum, as well as being nominated for the Mercury Prize.
For their live performances, Disclosure came to rely on a couple of small RME Fireface UC’s to manage audio interface duties in and out of their on-stage computers. After a triumphant homecoming gig in Brixton Academy in November 2014, they decided to go back to the drawing board and design the ultimate playback and performance system for their particular style of electronic music. They debuted their new setup at Parklife festival on the 6th June 2015, along with their performance at WildLife15 the next day – Disclosure and Rudimental’s own festival. Synthax Audio UK were lucky enough to be invited down to their rehearsals, where we spoke to Alex Turner who, along with Sean Lascelles, looks after the performance and playback systems.
While the basic elements of the setup remain unchanged, the band wanted to add more instruments, as well as swap their analogue connections (between their on stage stations) to digital, in order to achieve the best possible clarity of sound arriving at the loudspeakers. They also wanted to introduce full system redundancy at every step, ensuring that there would never be a quiet moment.
On one side of the stage is Howard, who has a MainStage (Logic Pro) system running through an RME MADIface XT interface. Howard then feeds all of his sounds via MADI into Guy’s rig on the other side of the stage, where Guy is running Ableton Live. But as you might imagine, it’s a bit more complicated than that!
Disclosure’s full live setup, with Ableton Live and Mainstage running alongside several pieces of RME and Ferrofish
Firstly, there are actually two computers (A and B redundancy) at each station, each of which is equipped with an RME MADIface XT. All of the group’s instruments and drum pads are plugged into a MIDAS XL48 mic pre unit, which is capable of splitting the signal into two identical ADAT outputs. These outputs are then fed into two Ferrofish A16 Mk-IIs, which in turn feed into the A and B computers via the RME MADIface XT’s. In this way, there is redundancy even of the inputs to the computers.
Each computer then outputs a MADI stream which goes into a MADI switcher box. The switch outputs two identical MADI streams which are fed from rack to rack – Howard’s to Guy’s. Once again, after Guy’s station, two MADI streams go to another switcher, again outputting two identical streams. This time however, they go to an RME ADI6432 MADI interface, in order to make use of the unit’s AES converters.
Using RME’s highly flexible Totalmix mixing and routing software (free with every RME interface), two duplicated sets of AES channels, 1-16 and 17-34, are fed to FOH and the monitors respectively. Total mix is acting as the splitter system, and according to Alex they “couldn’t work without it.” For broadcasting purposes, they also have the option to take analogue broadcast feeds out of the Ferrofish A16 Mk-II units, or a MADI stream coming off of the FOH or Monitor racks.
In the rack; an RME ADI-6432, 2x RME MADIface XT and 2x Ferrofish A16 MK-II
When asked how the Disclosure team were finding the setup, Alex told us that they are “very, very pleased to be using RME equipment on this project.” He continued, “It’s super reliable, and the drivers are super rugged. Throw in Totalmix as well and its an incredibly flexible system too. The build quality is rugged, and the sound quality is right up there as well. Also, it’s the right price. Expensive enough to know that the right stuff has been put in to make it right, but not so expensive that you feel you are just paying for a name. We know that RME are about the products rather than the name, and that really shows. All the things that RME strive for are exactly the things that we need on stage. Reliability, solid drivers, and especially the flexibility of Totalmix for this project. This system gives us top functionality and top reliability.”
Alex concludes “This playback rig is very cutting edge – it’s got every functionality that any tech would dream of in a playback and performance system. The band wanted everything at their fingertips as if they had computers on stage, but the crew wanted 100% flexibility and reliability, and with RME that’s exactly what we got!”
Alex also wanted to thank Rob Masters, Synthax Audio UK’s Product Manager, who he described as Key Consultant on the system design. Thanks to the flexibility of RME, Alex said that every time he had a question, Rob was able to provide him with a solution. But he also complimented Rob’s knowledge, saying “He was classic, always just coming up with just the right answer to use the RME flexibility to the max. And he always seems to know the answer – he never seems to have to do any research. It’s fair to say it probably wouldn’t have happened without him.”
Thanks to Alex Turner for providing us with the details for this article. Disclosure’s second album ‘Caracal’ is scheduled for release on September 25th 2015. To keep up to date with the band, check out the Disclosure website.
Comments Off on RME & Ferrofish Playback for One Direction & Olly Murs
Anthony Carr’s setup includes 2x RME MADIface USB audio interfaces and 2x Ferrofish A16 MK-II AD/DA converters
Anthony Carr's setup includes 2x RME MADIface USB audio interfaces and 2x Ferrofish A16 MK-II AD/DA converters[/caption]
RME and Ferrofish MADI / Analogue converters are the perfect combination for playback systems as they offer a high channel count, accessible I/O and easy connectivity with digital and analogue consoles and broadcast systems.
There are many examples of this versatile system used by key engineers and producers in live, broadcast and recording environments, including Anthony Carr and James Wiffin for One Direction and Olly Murs.
We caught Anthony and James at John Henrys in London, who were setting up for some autumn One Direction shows.
James Wiffin is the playback engineer on the One Direction tour and has also worked many other X-Factor acts including Olly Murs for the last few years, and prior to this he worked with Westlife on back line.
James' playback system includes 2 RME MADIface XT's and 3 Ferrofish A16 Mk-II's which make up a a main and redundant system.
“We are running 24 channels and are looking to increase that next year (2015),” explained James. “This is the only system that gives us that amount of channels without going onto PCIe cards, which can be a problem on tour. The risk of computers and their components breaking on the road are quite high, so the RME and Ferrofish system being on USB 3.0 is so much more reliable.”
“We are running Logic album stems through QLab, which is just for playback. And we can also take out a MADI stream with up to 48 channels, so if needed we could run the Ferrofish A16's directly our of the Digico desk.”
James explained that as time goes on, they will be pushing into those extra channels for video time code, clicks, cue-lines and for any additional analogue I/O for the musicians in the band.
But of course, connectivity isn't everything, it has to please the ears as well. And this is an area that James was particularly confident about saying “RME and Ferrofish are sonically transparent and sound great live.”
Anthony Carr is running a similar system which includes 2 RME MADIface USB's and 2 Ferrofish A16 Mk-II's.
“This playback is primarily for pop acts, which is what I tend to work on most. The system can go from 8 to 24 to 32 channels on Logic, it's scaleable really.” Ant explained that “I need to be able to quickly edit, so the system is on 2 Mac Air's running both Logic and QLab. The shows run on QLab because it's more reliable and stable, there are less thrills to look at and get in the way. We know that when you hit go, it'll just work.”
“The nature of a promo run is that things change so quickly, you have to be ready to mix different vocals, no vocals, more vocals, dance, there are so many variations. So, you need to be able make edits and mix changes on the fly.”
But whilst this set up is much like James' and is used in much the same way, Anthony often faces another issue. “A major constraint (with playback systems) is that you also have to carry the system on a plane”. Ant explained that, with the latest Olly Murs promos, they were in and out of 6 or 7 countries within 10 days doing various PA's and TV. “Most TV shows these days have the capacity to play stuff back, but coming from a sound engineering background, I like to be self sufficient, I like to be able to get a hold of the desk and not be waiting for the broadcast guys to play back my audio. I can play it back as and when I need it.”
Anthony continued that for Olly Murs, the RME and Ferrofish playback system is ready to supply audio for 3 different set ups, “Live vocals to stereo track, so that is Olly and his backing vocals. Then there is an 'as live band' version with stems recorded using the RME and Ferrofish system. This means that we are still able to mix it, but it's our way of stepping up the production value of the show. And then on tour where the band is live, the system is used to run cues and clicks from QLab.”
As well as MADI I/O, the Ferrofish A16 Mk-II also provides 2 x ADAT I/O, MIDI I/O/Thru and 16 balanced analogue I/O. All at a price that will suit any budget.
The RME MADIface XT is the most comprehensive and versatile MADI interface on the market with 396 channels on 3 x MADI I/O (2 x optical and 1 x coaxial), 2 x analogue Mic/Line preamp inputs (XLR & TRS), 2 x analogue outputs on XLR and headphones and AES/EBU I/O.
Comments Off on RME MADIface XT Now Shipping In UK
We are pleased to announce that the RME MADIface XT is now shipping in the UK. This is the second of the two MADIfaces announced by RME earlier in the year.
The RME MADIface XT is the world’s first USB3 audio interface and features 196 Inputs, 198 outputs, 3 x MADI I/Os (2 x optical, 1 x coaxial), 2 x analogue mic/line preamp inputs, 4 x analogue outputs, 1 x AES/EBU I/O via breakout cable, 1 x MIDI I/O via breakout cable and 3 x virtual MIDI I/O via the three MADI I/Os.
Comments Off on RME MADIface USB on Tour with Peter Gabriel
Ben Findlay, FOH Engineer for Peter Gabriel’s Back to Front tour
Martin Warr (MD, Synthax Audio UK) had the great pleasure of attending one of the last gigs in the current European leg of Peter Gabriel’s Back to Front tour, at London’s O2 on Monday 21st Oct. The set featured many of Peter’s hits, some acoustic, some electronic, as well as a complete playing of the classic album “SO” from 1987, with the original band of Tony Levin (bass), Manu Katche (drums), David Sancious (keyboards) and David Rhodes (guitar). The tour started earlier this year in the USA, then transferred to Europe in October, and has been such a success that more dates are planned for 2014.
One unique aspect of the tour is that Front Of House Engineer Ben Findlay is recording and mixing “authorised bootlegs” of every single night’s performance, which you can then purchased as a memento. There is also a limited edition deluxe package that includes all 18 concerts, each presented as a double CD, with exclusive photos and mini tour book which comes in a dedicated flight case!
Given the mission critical nature of this task, what hardware did he choose to get the job done? Since he is using the new SSL Live desk featuring multiple MADI connections, the obvious choice was the new RME MADIface USB, which links the SSL’s fibre MADI port to a MacBook Pro’s USB2, running ProTools native software. Ben then captures 4 channels of audio, a stereo board mix, plus 2 audience reaction mics every night, with a minimum of cables or fuss.
He comments “Martin from Synthax Audio UK came down to rehearsals with one of the very first RME MADIface USBs in the country. He plugged it in, installed the driver, and within 5 minutes we were up and running. And it’s been running flawlessly ever since. When you’re responsible for all the sound at the gig, the last thing you want to worry about is whether the recording system is working properly. I’m pleased to say that with this RME, Mac and ProTools solution, I never have any headaches.”
Ben will be mixing for Robert Plant in November and then again with Peter Gabriel in 2014. He said he’s very much looking forward to getting hold of one of the new RME MADIface XT boxes for himself when it becomes available around Christmas time. The ground breaking MADIface XT is the first product in the world to offer 3 x 3 MADI connections to a single USB3 output. It gives the mouth-watering prospect of recording 96 channels of audio at 96kHz sample rate with just one extremely portable half rack solution that connects directly to a laptop. Now that will be a great Christmas present!
We pinned down the head of RME’s design team Matthias Carstens who showed us around the RME stand at Musikmesse 2013 and told us all about the new products.
Comments Off on RME News from Frankfurt Messe 2013
It looks like RME will be having one of their most exciting years at Frankfurt Musikmesse 2013 with the announcement of a whole array of new products including the TotalMix App.
RME has long been recognised as the pioneer of MADI technology and their designers have always been committed to making the MADI protocol compatible, stable and affordable for their customers.
RME’s ADAT and AES3 converters (ADI-648, ADI-6432, ADI-648), interconnect solutions (MADI Bridge, MADI Converter) and computer interfaces (HDSP MADI, HDSPe MADI) have gained a reputation for being unmatched in terms of feature set and reliability for recording, live, broadcast, post-production and in places you wouldn’t expect. In over a decade RME made MADI more popular than any other manufacturer.
This year, RME introduces a complete new family of products: from the world’s first USB3 audio interface over the world’s most portable MADI solution to 5 new router/converter devices in a striking new design: the new MADI Router, the ADAT Router and ADAT Converter, and the AES3 Router and AES3 Converter.
A unique feature that all five products have on board is the new RJ45 connector for MADI, which extends the existing two media options, optical cables and coaxial cables, by a third one: standard networking cables. Making use of twisted pair Ethernet cables for multichannel audio signals brings along several advantages that optical and coaxial cables were lacking: bidirectional audio transmission between two devices over one cable, power supply, and unmatched availability of cables at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional MADI cabling. Depending on the type of cable, cable lengths of up to 100m (330 ft.) can be achieved.
• 2 x Analogue Mic / Line Preamp Input (XLR/Line TRS)
• 4 x Analogue Output (Main XLR + Phones)
• 1 x AES/EBU I/O via breakout cable
• 1 x MIDI I/O via breakout cable
• 3 x virtual MIDI I/O via the three MADI I/Os
The RME MADIface XT is the world’s first USB3 audio interface – and the world’s smallest portable interface that provides access to hundreds of audio channels in a highly portable package. For highest compatibility the XT also features a PCI Express port for connection to External PCI Express cards, providing the fastest interfacing technologies available for maximum channel count and lowest latency.
Three 64-channel MADI I/Os are accompanied by 4 MIDI I/Os, one stereo AES/EBU and a word clock I/O. To bring together the most complete I/O set for live or studio usage, two digitally controlled high-end mic/line preamps, two balanced line outputs and one stereo phones output, all fully 192kHz capable, were included. For perfect desktop operation RME’s (optional) Advanced Remote Control can be connected.
The MADIface USB is a compact device that provides MADI I/O via USB2 while supporting the format’s full 64 channels. Its sturdy and bus-powered design makes it as easy to use as reliable in operation. SteadyClock as well as RME’s well known MADI compatibility ensure hassle-free operation with other devices.
The optical and coaxial input offers RME’s Seamless Redundancy operation, switching between the two inputs in real-time if one of the signals fails. The optical and coaxial MADI outputs operate simultaneously.
The RME driver architecture for Mac and PC features TotalMix, a low latency 48bit internal mixer and routing matrix, and MIDI over MADI technology that may be used to remote-control other MADI devices. DIGICheck, an included complete audio analysing suite, supports the user under Mac OS X and Windows.
• 12 MADI ports (4 x optical, 4 x coaxial, 4 x twisted pair)
• Redundant power supplies
• Word Clock I/O
• RME redundancy mode support
• USB connector for firmware updates and preset storage
The MADI Router has four groups of three different MADI I/Os each and may be used as a patch bay and format converter between those. Apart from the fully transparent, stream-wise operation between its ports it improves upon the well-known MADI Bridge by letting users create output signals that combine audio channels from different MADI inputs (“Any-to-any”).
The device is controlled directly at the unit, where a full-colour TFT display informs the user about the current input status and routing situation. Channels from any input group can be copied to different output groups in blocks, which ensures flexibility while maintaining clarity and easy access. Presets can be stored both on the device itself and on an attached USB memory stick.
Splitting, combining and converting real-time signals
Features:
• 4 AES3 D-Sub connectors, configurable as: 32 audio I/O, or 64 audio inputs, or 64 audio outputs
• 4 MADI Ports (1 x optical, 1 x coaxial, 2 x twisted pair)
• MADI stream splitting for DS (96k) and QS (192k)
• MADI TP with power supply
• On-screen routing of individual channels
• MIDI In/Out for embedding/disembedding MIDI over MADI
• SYNC port accepting word clock or AES3 audio signals
• USB connector for firmware updates and preset storage
• Redundant power supplies
Following in the footsteps of the ADI-642 and ADI-6432, RME presents a device that takes the best of both units: channel-wise routing and multiple AES3/MADI conversion capabilities. Apart from optical, coaxial and twisted pair MADI connections, the AES3 Router provides four D-sub 25-pin ports, carrying 32 audio channels both in and out of the device. However, the ports can be configured to be send-only or receive-only ports, resulting in 64 audio channel outputs or 64 audio channel inputs.
The multiple MADI ports can be used as redundant outputs, or, if needed, as split outputs to accommodate AES3 signals with double or quad speed sampling rates.
All features can be conveniently controlled on the unit itself, where a menu guides the user easily through routing, storage and setup.
• 2 x MADI TP ports receiving and passing through power
• Word clock I/O
The AES3 Converter is a great companion to either one of the routers. It provides the same flexible AES3 technology as the Router, however without routing capabilities and therefore the need for control.
Even though MADI TP is a bi-directional MADI port, there are two connectors at the unit: the first one is “up-stream” to the router, receiving synchronisation and power. The second one is “down-stream” to a second converter, providing the second unit with power and synchronisation. This way, the Router receives all signals from both Converters, while the Converters both receive the signals from the Router.
• 4 MADI Ports (1 x optical, 1 x coaxial, 2 x twisted pair)
• MADI TP with power supply
• On-screen routing of individual channels across MADI and ADAT
• MIDI In/Out for embedding/disembedding MIDI over MADI
• SYNC port accepting word clock or AES3 audio signals
• USB connector for firmware updates and preset storage
• Redundant power supplies
ADAT Lightpipe, originally designed by Alesis®, is an established standard for eight channel audio transmission over short optical cables. The ADAT Router acts as a gateway to the MADI world. It is based on the design of the ADI-648, providing eight optical ADAT inputs, eight ADAT outputs, and MADI connectors for optical, coaxial, and MADI Twisted Pair connections. All audio channels can be freely routed between MADI and ADAT.
Other than standard single speed applications, the ADAT Router is also capable of handling sample multiplexed ADAT signals (four channels at 96k / DS, two channels at 192k / QS per port) and merging them into a MADI stream.
• 2 x MADI TP ports receiving and passing through power
• SYNC port accepting word clock or AES3 audio signals
The ADAT Converter is an extension to either one of the routers, which provides the required power to this unit over the MADI Twisted Pair connection. Therefore, no additional power supply is needed.
The ADAT Converter translates the signals of up to eight ADAT inputs to MADI TP, and sends the signals from its MADI input to the eight ADAT outputs.
• 8 x Mic/Line Preamps, digitally controlled (4 x PAD, 4 x Hi-Z switchable)
• 2 x Stereo Analogue Outputs
• 4 x AES/EBU I/O
• 1 x ADAT I/O (2 x out S/MUX)
• 1 x MADI I/O optical
• 1 x MIDI I/O DIN
• 2 x MIDI I/O USB
• 1 x MIDI over MADI
The OctaMic XTC is the swiss army knife among RME’s interfaces. An advanced eight channel microphone/line/instrument preamplifier with 192 kHz/24 bit A/D conversion and AutoSet, four channel D/A conversion for analog or digital input monitoring, and full MIDI remote control via USB, DIN and MADI were not enough to stop RME’s engineers. ADAT, AES and MADI optical operate as outputs as well as full-channel inputs, easily patched and routed with the comfortable TFT display – turning the XTC into a full blown digital format converter.
Quick access to all functions make the OctaMic XTC extremely fast and easy to set up. Its complete state can be saved and recalled from internal presets. Back to top
RME hardware chosen for installation at Kansai University’s newly designed Socio Sound Studio
Yuki Sakamoto of Synthax Japan, who supplied the equipment, says of the system;
