Synthax Debuts Ferrofish A32 Audio Format Converter at Winter NAMM

	Synthax Ferrofish A32 Audio Format Converter

Synthax, Inc., distributors of audio production tools for both studio and live applications, featured the new Ferrofish A32 Audio Format Converter during last week's Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. Based upon the success of the company's A16 MKII converter, the new Ferrofish A32 employs a 400MHz Sharc processor to handle all digital format conversion. The A32 provides support for 32 audio channels on both input and output and versatile options for handling digital audio -- making this an invaluable tool for both studio and live applications involving a significant channel count.

The new Ferrofish A32 was designed for MADI (optical and coaxial), the multichannel audio digital interface most commonly used with large format production consoles. This makes the A32 the ideal audio format converter for use in audio production, post production, TV and film mixing, broadcast, and large format live applications. Of particular note, as many as 64 channels can be transferred using a pair of fiber or coaxial cables for a distance of up to 1.2 miles, making the A32 perfect for large, multi-room production facilities, use in mobile production trucks, or for high-end personal studios.

With its MIDI over MADI feature, the new A32 can be remotely controlled using MIDI data embedded into the same cable carrying MADI audio. The audio transfer between the MADI input and MADI output is done with zero latency, so multiple A32 units can be daisy chained without any added latency or delay compensation.

The A32 supports a wide range of audio formats. In addition to MADI, engineers will appreciate the unit's full ADAT integration. With four sets of ADAT TOSLINK inputs and outputs, this exceptional converter enables use of all 64 analog channels supported by the A32, making this unit well suited to recording environments. Further, one of the ADAT connectors can alternately be used as an optical S/PDIF or AES/EBU interface. With its own internal sample rate converter, the A32 can operate even when it is not synchronized to an external clock.

Engineers will really appreciate the A32's support for analog audio. Supporting 32 balanced input channels and 32 balanced output channels on D-Sub connectors, the A32 incorporates high quality converter chips with excellent audio performance (32kHz -192kHz) that are supported by a sophisticated analog amplifier circuit. The gain of each channel can be adjusted separately in 0.5dB increments. The standard audio levels (+4dBu, +13dBu, and +20dBu) are switched in the analog circuitry, so performance of the analog converters is maintained.

Visual feedback is an important element with many of today's production tools and here, too, the company says the A32 does not disappoint. The converter provides four high resolution TFT displays that facilitate precise level metering of all 64 analog channels -- inspiring confidence that audio signals are optimized as they pass through the unit.

Rounding out its extensive set of notable features, the new A32 employs SMUX technology to transmit high bandwidth digital audio up to 192kHz using lower bandwidth technology, resulting in minimum stress on the processor. There's also a front panel headphone/submix output for easy control, preset capabilities for easy system management, individual delay-compensation of all analog outputs, and, of course, support for BNC Wordclock.

Mathias von Heydekampf, managing director at Synthax, offered these thoughts on the new Ferrofish A32 Audio Format Converter. "The new A32 is an invaluable tool for a wide range of audio production tasks. Not only is it an ideal unit for anyone involved in studio recording, it is invaluable for any production environment where a large number of audio channels in a variety of formats converge. I'm confident this new converter will be well received by audio pros everywhere."

The new Ferrofish A32 Audio Format Converter is available now.