NTP-DAD DAD AX64 1744x1744 Modular Thunderbolt 3/Dante/MADI Audio Converter and Interface

DAW Interfacing

With Dante, MADI, and ADAT ports onboard, native interfaces, and versatile and flexible DADman routing control available, it is a stellar A/D, D/A, and D/D converter that can grab any digital audio channel, convert it if needed, and route it anywhere. Another application would be as a dedicated audio interface for your DAW.

Whether you run Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Nuendo, Cubase, Ableton Live, Digital Performer, or any other DAW, AX64 is your super low-latency entrance. With the ADAT, MADI, and Dante connectivity, you can easily add analog preamps or insert points to the mix.

DAD Card Options

You can install up to eight optional I/O and/or processing cards in AX64. Available cards include:

• 8 analog inputs (line signal)
• 8 analog inputs (mic preamps)
• 8 analog outputs (line signal)
• Dante card (128 channels)
• Dual MADI card (2 x 64 channels)
• AES card (16 channels)
• SPQ speaker EQ Processing
• Dual MADI module (2 x 64 channels)

Control

The Thunder | Core Audio interface is controlled via the DADman software. DADman can connect to the Thunder | Core interface either via Ethernet or via a communication channel in the Thunderbolt connection.

More units can be daisy-chained via the Thunderbolt ports, and each unit will appear in DADman control software. Using control over Ethernet the two RJ45 connectors acts as a switch for connection to more units. The Dante / AES67 audio is also passed on the two RJ45 connectors.

Thunder | Core Technology

The DAD Thunder | Core Technology provides a Thunderbolt 3 connection with near-zero latency for interfacing between audio applications on macOS or Windows computers and the Thunder | Core audio hardware. The interface provides a fast Thunderbolt 3 / PCIe connection and data transfer with 2 samples latency on the connection and a total of 9 samples in the digital interface, as the total also includes EQ and summing processing within the unit.

The channel capacity is up to 256 audio channels at 48 and 96 kHz, and the latency at 96 kHz is 95 ms. The total round-trip latency with an audio software application will depend on the buffer size set for the application. With a buffer size of 32 samples, the latency is 670 ms at 96 kHz.

Core Functionality

• The Thunder | Core products have been designed with a unique router core based on 32-bit floating point processing and a low-latency and highly reliable FPGA based matrix structure.
• A timestamp mechanism provides equal latency for all signals routed through the core.
• In total, AX64 has a capacity of 4096x4096 nonblocking cross-points, which provide a capacity of 1500x1500 cross-points on the I/O and processing level.
• The matrix provides fixed latency routing of all inputs to one or more outputs with a latency of only 5 audio samples and supports sample rates from 44.1 to 384 kHz.
• The channel processor provides a signal detection logic for all input and output channels, PPM level measurement as well as level control.
• All inputs and outputs have processing for level adjustment and in addition, the core has a summing/mixing processer with 64 output buses and 512 inputs, which can be allocated to sets of input and output signals managed by the Pro | Mon monitor control functionality in DADman.
• SPQ speaker EQ management is available natively in the core with access to 1024 filters combined into 64 channels with 16 filters, each with adjustable delay.

Key Specs

General

Connectivity

Digital Audio

Compatibility

Power

Physical

Packaging Info