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Topic: HDSPe MADI FX and Ferrofish converters - help with setup

Hi there

I am building a new PC desktop machine and I need 64 analog INs and OUTs and I want to record at 48 kHz with option to go to 96 kHz at a later time.
My idea is to buy the HDSPe MADI FX card and some Ferrofish converters but I am not sure which setup I should choose because ADAT and MADI is pretty new to me.

Here is my idea:

HDSPe MADI FX optical I/O is connected to a Ferrofish Pulse16 DX via MADI. This provides 16 analog INs and Outs. A basic Ferrofish Pulse16 is connected to the Pulse16 DX via 4 ADAT ports. This adds 16 analog INs and Outs so I will have 32 analog Ins and Outs.
On the second MADI optical I/O of the MADI FX card I do the same as above and will get another 32 INs and OUTs so 64 analog Ins and OUTS in total.

Is this idea correct or do I make a mistake here?

I know, there is a new Ferrofish A32 Pro Converter with MADI out there but it got D-Sub25 connectors which I do not like so much as I prefer 6.3 input jacks.

What is the difference between the MADI optical I/O and MADI I/O coaxial of the HDSPe MADI FX card and which of these ports is used for which use case?


Many thanks in advance
Nico

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2022-08-12 05:49:58)

  • ramses
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Re: HDSPe MADI FX and Ferrofish converters - help with setup

The HDSPe MADI FX is a very fine card, I had it here for a test, but finally preferred the UFX+ as main interface.
You can check out my review here, download the PDF there:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … Pro-FS-BE/

Forget about ADAT, you need a MADI-based interface
ADAT = 8ch@single speed, 4ch@double speed, 2ch@quad speed
MADI = 64ch@single speed, 32ch@double speed, 16ch@quad speed

For 64 analog ports IN/OUT, you need 4xPulse16 with the MADI option.
At single speed one MADI bus would be sufficient, then you could even use an UFX+.
But if you intend to record at double speed, you require a 2nd MADI bus.

I prefer optical over BNC cabling because then you have automatically galvanic isolation, and you can also use longer cables (multimode fiber, OM4 or OM3) up to 2 km between each of the devices! Patch cables are available up to around 30 m.

For this purpose, the HDSPe MADI FX is an excellent card, it has already two optical ports and as an option, you can get a 3rd optical card for in total 3 optical MADI busses with 3×64ch at single speed / 3×32ch at double speed.

As an option, you could consider adding an ADI-2 Pro FS R BE to the setup (you can use the AES port of the card), then you have an ideal device for the monitoring section. Finest quality and very useful features.

Also, useful to add an ARC USB to the setup.

If you consider adding ADI-2 Pro to the setup, then you can e.g., switch between monitors and headphones by remapping the front keys, I am using this configuration: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … our-Setup/

An option is to switch between monitors and headphones by using the ARC USB. Then you need two ways for audio entering the ADI-2 Pro (AES and ADAT). ADAT you could achieve if you use the ADAT OUT port of one of the ferrofish devices.

Then you can configure the ADI-2 Pro to send audio coming in from AES to the monitors and audio coming in on ADAT to the headphones. Voilà, now you have a very nice control through the ARC USB to switch between the ports. I described it here: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … ort-DE-EN/

When integrating the ADI-2 Pro it's additionally useful to have volume for monitoring under better control.
It's quickly possibly to accidently move fader to 0dB in TM FX. With the ADI-2 Pro you can leave the AES and/or ADAT outputs  to the ADI at 0dB in TM FX and fully control the volume at the ADI. And the 4 reflevel design plus auto reflevel it gives you on top always optimum SNR and dynamic for your monitoring.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: HDSPe MADI FX and Ferrofish converters - help with setup

Hi Nico

HDSPe MADI FX optical I/O is connected to a Ferrofish Pulse16 DX via MADI. This provides 16 analog INs and Outs. A basic Ferrofish Pulse16 is connected to the Pulse16 DX via 4 ADAT ports. This adds 16 analog INs and Outs so I will have 32 analog Ins and Outs.
On the second MADI optical I/O of the MADI FX card I do the same as above and will get another 32 INs and OUTs so 64 analog Ins and OUTS in total.

Is this idea correct or do I make a mistake here?

You're correct, the routing of ADAT <> MADI is handled in the Pulse 16 MX routing menu. Then you have 32 I/O on each MADI connection, and you can work at sample rates up to 96kHz.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website