• Registered: 2017-04-13
  • Posts: 10

Topic: XTC + Ferrofish Pulse16MX MADI chain question

Hello

Can anyone please tell me if you can spot anything wrong with the setup below (all units connected and controlled via MADI)?:
Control room: Madiface Pro
Drum room: XTC1-XTC2
Main room: XTC3-XTC4-Ferrofish Pulse16MX (n.b. I am using the Pulse 16 only for its 16 outputs to provide monitor mixes to the artists).

Note:
-    I have connected all the units up and the sync status looks OK.
-    I can route audio to any unit vial TMX FX no problem (have only checked sending audio through, haven't checked recording inputs).

However, I am a little concerned because the Ferrofish says in its manual that only 4xPulse units can be daisy chained. In its set-up menu you can only set the delay comp for up to 4 units.  Seeing as in my setup the Pulse is No5 in the MADI signal chain, do you think it is going to create issues with clocking, delayed signals, sample drop outs etc?

Thanks for any advice you may be able to offer.

Stavros

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: XTC + Ferrofish Pulse16MX MADI chain question

Obviously four times 16 = 64 channels. Using 8 channel devices you can easily connect up to 8 units to address all possible 64 channels...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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  • Registered: 2017-04-13
  • Posts: 10

Re: XTC + Ferrofish Pulse16MX MADI chain question

OK thanks. It's the delay comp bit I am still not sure about though. Would I be right in assuming that since the Ferrofish sets its delay comp in sets of 16 (being a 16 chan unit) and the XTCs in sets of 8, therefore I would need to set the delay comp on the Ferrofish to 3 of 4? Correct?

Stavros

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: XTC + Ferrofish Pulse16MX MADI chain question

I have no clue how the delay comp on Ferrofish works. There is no standard so you need to study the manuals...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2017-04-13
  • Posts: 10

Re: XTC + Ferrofish Pulse16MX MADI chain question

Thanks Mathias. So I have contacted SYNTHAX UK and Ferrofish as well who have confirmed that their  MADI transceivers generate a latency of 3 samples = RME XTC which is also 3 samples according to the manual. So if it's of any help to anybody there are two scenarios one could follow depending on their application.

Scenario 1: Sample accurate synch=non-critical. I.e. using multiple XTCs for their inputs and a Pulse 16MX only for its analogue outputs, i.e. artist monitoring
On the XTCs it is important to set the delay comp as usual for each unit depending on their order in the MADI chain. On the Pulse 16MX (i.e. last unit in the MADI chain) leave setting to 1 of 1/ single. There is no need to worry about latency settings on the Pulse since it's used only for monitoring purposed and the delay is miniscule (i.e. 3 samples out of 48000).

Scenario 2: Sample accurate synch=critical. I.e. using multiple XTCs for their inputs and a Pulse 16MX for additional inputs & outputs.
Seeing as you can only connect up to 4x Pulse 16MX units in a MADI chain, then the Pulse has to be inserted anywhere from 1-4 in the chain i.e. XTC1-XTC2-XTC3-Pulse 16MX-XTC4. In this setup the Pulse 16MX delay comp will then be set to 4 of 4 and the rest of the XTCs set in the order in which they appear in the chain 1-5. This will ensure that all units are synced up with sample accuracy.

Hope this helps someone in the future.

Stavros