RME Ships HDSPe MADIface Portable MADI Solution for Laptops

(Click for a close-up)

Consisting of the HDSPe ExpressCard MADI and a small and robust breakout box, the MADIface offers full MADI power: 64 channels input and 64 channels output, up to 192 kHz sample rate, MADI-embedded MIDI transmission, the complete TotalMix that is even remote controllable and has all the features of the HDSPe MADI, as well as lowest latency and CPU load. To make the usage as comfortable as possible, no external power supply is required.

The HDSPe MADIface is a true PCI Express solution, which consequently takes full advantage of the new format, not only providing the MADI format to latest generation laptops, but achieving significant performance gains in mobile multitrack audio.

The MADIface is fully compatible to all devices with MADI interface. Of course it can be used perfectly in combination with RME's own MADI series products, including high-end mic preamps for analog and digital microphones, latest generation multi-I/O AD/DA and digital format converters. For example with the ADI-648 an 8 x ADAT optical PC interface is realized, unbeatable in price and performance. And with the ADI-6432 a bidirectional AES/EBU frontend with 64 channels is set up hassle-free.

Full 64 channel support can also be found in the hardware mixer TotalMix. All 64 inputs and 64 playback channels can be routed and mixed to 64 physical outputs completely freely, which translates to an 8192 channel mixer. TotalMix can be completely remote controlled via MIDI. Furthermore, the hardware delivers RMS and peak level meters for full control over 192 audio channels at minimal CPU load.

While many MADI-based devices require an additional word clock or AES line, the MADIface - like al RME MADI devices - uses SteadyClock (TM) to extract the reference clock at lowest jitter directly from the MADI signal, making long-distance connections even more convenient. Although not available at the MADIface itself, word clock input and output are thus available by using any other RME MADI device.

Advertisement

MADIface offers a virtual MIDI port within the driver. Mainly intended for remote controlling further RME devices, it can also be used to send and receive usual MIDI data. The MIDI data are invisibly inserted into and transmitted by the MADI signal. Therefore a physical access is given at the RME interface connected to the MADIface.

All in all, the MADIface combines ultimate driver technology with the highest number of audio I/O channels ever implemented in a mobile ExpressCard solution — ready to fit into the DAW application of your choice.

Included software:

DIGICheck for Windows: Spectral Analyser, professional level meter for 2, 8, or 64 channels, Vector Audio Scope, Global record, Surround Scope, various other audio analysis tools.

Drivers: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/64 (full ASIO multi-client operation of WDM, GSIF 2.0 and ASIO 2.0), Mac OS X Intel (Core Audio and Core MIDI).

For more information, visit their web site at www.rme-audio.com.