NTP Technology Unveils New Audio Converter

NTP Technology is to demonstrate the latest upgrades to its DAD AX32 Audio Converter, plus the DX32 Audio Bridge at AES Paris Convention, 4–7 June.

Making their European debut will be two new I/O option cards for the AX32. They are a dual MADI I/O module plus an eight-line AES3 (AES/EBU) I/O module with optional sampling-rate conversion. Up to eight cards can be accommodated in a single AX32 which can now provide up to 16 MADI I/O or 64 stereo AES3 I/O in addition to the built-in three MADI I/O and eight stereo AES3 I/O.

The new cards supplement the existing eight channel analogue line input card, the eight channel analogue mic/line input card, eight channel analogue line output card and the dual 3G SDI embedder/de-embedder card. The AX32 also has a 64 channel interface for Avid Pro Tools and can optionally be fitted with a Dante AoIP interface.

"With the addition of the new cards, the AX32 is now one of the most versatile platforms for audio postproduction on the market," said Jan Lykke, NTP Technology Business Development Manager. "It is is ideal for processing stereo, surround-sound or 3D formats like Dolby Atmos. The AX32's internal processing engine is now capable of providing PPM-style audio level information and level control for all 1,500 input and outputs. These can be viewed in NTP DADman v5 software which is available both for Apple OS-X and Microsoft Windows operating systems. This new functionality is in addition to the 256 x 32 summing mixer which is used to provide NTP Technology DAD Pro | Mon monitor control. We have also added a user-configurable zero-latency cue mixer, the DAD Cue | Mix."

Housed in a compact 2U chassis, the AX32 is designed for use in no-compromise audio recording and mixing as well as post-production. Large multi-microphone arrays can be accommodated without the need to transport a second processor. Up to 48 microphone feeds can be connected back to the control room along a single Cat 5 cable via fully transparent and uncompressed IP Ethernet. The high sound quality of the AX32 is achieved through precise attention to detail at every stage of the circuit design. One of these details is the use of two parallel A/D converters per channel to increase the dynamic range. Another is the use of a high-order 6.14 MHz 5 bit delta-sigma modulator in conjunction with DAD-designed and optimised decimation filters.

The DX32 is a digital audio bridge and router interface designed for applications such as multi-room recording studios, postproduction facilities and audio distribution installations. It allows all digital input and output routing to be managed within a single unit or a combination of units. With near zero latency, the DX32 can be used to expand I/O channel count and interface digital components, providing a high quality bridge between AES/EBU, MADI, Avid Pro Tools HDX and the Dante IP audio network.

NTP Technology will co-exhibit with French distributor Areitec at AES Paris Convention, Palais des Congrès, stand 29.

Image: Front control panels of the NTP Technology DAD AX32 and DX32.

www.ntp.dk

(JP/LM)