MADI compatible PCI audio cards & audio interfaces, MADI Opticoax converter
If you're looking for MADI solutions, you may well find here what your were looking for. Sydec Audio Engineering is committed to supporting the MADI format and has developed a range of MADI compatible Soundscape products. The Madixtreme and Mixpander Bundle are professional PCI audio cards offering 64 streams In & Out, and respectively have an onboard optical MADI port or a connection to an iBox with such optical MADI port. Both come with a highly flexible zero latency DSP-based patch bay & mixer, allowing you to route audio streams to/from the physical audio I/O. The iBox OptiCoax converts optical MADI to coaxial MADI, while the Soundscape iBox 64-MADI series consists of a large variety of high quality audio converters between MADI and various formats such as AES, ADAT, TDIF and/or analog. The iBox MADI2-HD2 offers MADI connectivity for Digidesign's proprietary ProTools™|HD™ cards.
The MADI format: Introduction
 The development of the MADI interface was initiated by four professional audio equipment manufacturers: Our parent company SSL, AMS-Neve, Sony and Mitsubishi. The MADI standard was finalized by the AES as AES10. The specification was published in 1991 and revised in 1993. A PDF copy of the specification can be obtained from the AES website.
Allowing the transmission of 56 or 64 channels of digital audio data at up to 48kHz, or 28 or 32 channels of digital audio data at up to 96kHz, at 24bit maximum resolution, the MADI (Multichannel Audio Digital Interface) standard is ideal for work with a large number of audio channels. For instance, when a digital audio workstation is used with a large format mixing console.
NOTE: The MADI specification allows a +/- 12.5% rate variation in 28/56 channel mode. 1% varispeed is allowed in 32/64 channel mode. MADI compatible devices in the Soundscape range can function in either mode.
The MADI format is not designed to carry sample timing information. The exact timing of connected equipment is controlled by the independently distributed master synchronization signal, the so called Digital Audio Reference Signal or WordClock.
A single 75 ohm coaxial cable or optical cable is sufficient to handle 64 channels, which can dramatically reduce the amount of cabling necessary in any studio. BNC connectors are used for the MADI coaxial format, while SC type fibre-optic connectors are used for the MADI optical format.
The MADI coaxial format is suitable for cable runs up to 50 metres. The MADI optical format can be used for longer cable runs. The length depends on the quality of the cable. 500 metres is realistic even with non-optimal quality cable. Up to 3000 metres may be possible with best quality cable.
All Soundscape equipment is equipped with optical connectors, so that cable length will not be an issue. The MADI Opticoax converter can be used to connect to devices that use the MADI coaxial format. The MADI optical format is described in more detail below.
Optical MADI
Optical MADI utilizes a multimode fiber interface designed to carry multiple light rays concurrently. Each mode is carried at a slightly different reflection angle within the optical fiber core. It is used for relatively short distances (less than 2000m) because the modes tend to disperse over longer lengths. Multimode fiber allows the use of inexpensive LED light sources, and less critical connector alignment and coupling than for single mode fiber.
Fiber cables have a core diameter of 50μm or 62.5μm, and a coating (nominal-cladding) diameter of 125μm. The former mostly being blue and the latter mostly being orange.
The cables are available as duplex (two cables being glued together) or simplex (one cable).
The multimode transmission supports cable lenghts of up to 500m (with 50/125 μm) or 2000m (with 62.5/125 μm).
The wavelength is 1300nm (invisible light).
PCI audio cards
Sydec Audio Engineering is a leader and innovator in the field of DSP-powered PCI audio systems. All the Soundscape PCI audio cards feature on-board DSPs that power the Soundscape Mixer software, a completely user configurable, real-time mixing environment that also supports a range of exclusive DSP-powered plug-ins developed by Sydec Audio engineering and other top companies including Cedar Audio, Drawmer, TC Electronic and more. The MADI compatible cards are the Madixtreme and the Mixpander/9 and Mixpander/5 (the latter two when used as part of a Mixpander Power Pak).
 Madixtreme
The Madixtreme features three DSPs to run the Soundscape Mixer and DSP-powered effects. VST and VSTi plug-ins can also be inserted in the Soundscape Mixer (the processing for VST and VSTi plug-ins is handled by the host PC).
Up to 64 simultaneous MADI inputs and outputs are available on an optical connector. The Soundscape Mixer makes it easy to assign any input or output in any Windows audio application to any physical input or output of the card.
Sample rates up to 192kHz are supported, with a maximum of 64 channels at 44/48 kHz, 32 channels at 96 kHz or 16 channels at 192kHz.
Ultra low latency, multicard & true multiclient drivers (MME, WDM, ASIO-2, DWAVE & GSIF2) are provided for Windows 2000 and XP.
Please see the Madixtreme product page for more details.
Mixpander Bundles
The Mixpander Bundles combine a Mixpander/9 or Mixpander/5 with an Audio Interface of the iBox 48/64 series, connected to the Mixpander's "Expansion Bus" port. The Mixpander Bundles come in many flavours, depending on the iBox being used. The iBox 48/64 models offer numerous different combinations of formats including Analog, AES/EBU, ADAT, TDIF and MADI.
A MADI compatible Mixpander Bundle can include any of the following iBox models: iBox 64-MADI-T (MADI and TDIF), iBox 64-MADI-TA (MADI, TDIF and Analog), iBox 64-MADI-A (MADI and ADAT), iBox 64-MADI-AA (MADI, ADAT and Analog), iBox 64-MADI-S (MADI and AES/EBU) or iBox 64-MADI-SA (MADI, AES/EBU and Analog).
The Mixpander features five (Mixpander/5) or nine (Mixpander/9) DSP's to run the Soundscape Mixer and DSP-powered effects. VST and VSTi plug-ins can also be inserted in the Soundscape Mixer (the processing for VST and VSTi plug-ins is handled by the host PC).
Up to 64 simultaneous inputs and outputs are available to all Windows applications. The Soundscape Mixer makes it easy to assign any individual input or output in any Windows audio application to any individual hardware input or output of the iBox.
Sample rates up to 96kHz are supported.
Ultra low latency, multicard & true multiclient drivers (MME, WDM, ASIO-2, DWAVE and GSIF2) are provided for Windows 2000 and XP.
Please see the Mixpander Bundle product page for more details.
 iBox audio interfaces
The Soundscape range includes a number of "iBox" audio interface and format conversion units. The
iBox 64-MADI series offers MADI compatbility alongside ADAT, TDIF or AES/EBU, as well as analog compatibility for some models.
These units can all be used as standalone format converters, controlled from their front panel. They also feature a Soundscape Expansion Bus port, that allows them to be used in combination with a Mixpander to form a Mixpander Pak (as described above).
iBox 64-MADI-T : 64 simultaneous MADI inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous TDIF inputs and outputs. 64 channel Expansion Bus port. More details in the iBox 64-MADI-T product page.
iBox 64-MADI-TA : 64 simultaneous MADI inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous TDIF inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous analog inputs and outputs. 64 channel Expansion Bus port. More details in the iBox 64-MADI-TA product page.
iBox 64-MADI-A : 64 simultaneous MADI inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous ADAT inputs and outputs. 64 channel Expansion Bus port. More details in the iBox 64-MADI-A product page.
iBox 64-MADI-AA : 64 simultaneous MADI inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous ADAT inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous analog inputs and outputs. 64 channel Expansion Bus port. More details in the iBox 64-MADI-AA product page.
iBox 64-MADI-S : 64 simultaneous MADI inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous AES/EBU inputs and outputs. 64 channel Expansion Bus port. More details in the iBox 64-MADI-S product page.
iBox 64-MADI-SA : 64 simultaneous MADI inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous AES/EBU inputs and outputs. 24 simultaneous analog inputs and outputs. 64 channel Expansion Bus port. More details in the iBox 64-MADI-SA product page.
MADI connectivity for Digidesign's proprietary Pro Tools™|HD™ system
The iBox MADI2-HD2 connects to 2 primary ports of Digidesign™'s proprietary ProTools|HD system and to any MADI device(s) (two MADI ports are available on teh iBox), actually providing MADI I/O to the HD system. For a more detailed product description please check the iBox MADI-HD2 product page
MADI Opticoax
Small and ruggedly constructed, the MADI Opticoax is a handy MADI format converter. It can convert MADI optical to MADI coaxial and MADI coaxial to MADI optical simultaneously (64 channels in each direction), extending your MADI transmission range from 50 metres (coaxial) to at least 2 kilometres (optical) and allowing otherwise incompatible coaxial and optical MADI equipment to interface easily. The conversion is performed in real time, with no latency. The MADI Opticoax operates on mains power. More details in the iBox OptiCoax product page.
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