SoundGrid® from Waves is a mature, layer 2-based protocol developed primarily for use in production applications and large-scale live sound environments. It offers uncompressed audio, low latency and access to a huge range of real-time processing by audio plug-ins within Waves’ SoundGrid DSP Server.
EXBOX.SG can bidirectionally convert up to 128 audio channels at 1FS (64 at 2FS) between SoundGrid and MADI formats. An internal routing matrix allows port-to-port routing between any input and output: the 128 channels constituting a SoundGrid flow is split across two MADI ports, in either direction.
EXBOX.SG will appear as an I/O device in the Device Rack of Waves’ SoundGrid Studio software application: configuration and control of the unit is available once it is selected, with pages for setting up input and output assignments, MADI port configuration, clock source selection, etc.
EXBOX.SG may also be used with globcon software, a powerful application which can control any combination of DirectOut products through a simple, standardised GUI. globcon is available in Mac and Windows versions, and is downloadable free of charge from www.globcon.pro. As well as selecting the unit’s routing configuration, globcon also allows sync selection, snapshots of frequently used routing configurations to be saved for subsequent recall, minimising setup time, and other unit functions.
Front panel bi-colour LEDs indicate which input streams are active and locked, and also which is acting as the current clock master. All standard sample rates are supported from 44.1 kHz to 96 kHz, +/-12.5 kHz; further LEDs confirm the rate in use. All common MADI formats are also supported: 48k and 96k Frame, 56/57/64 channels, plus S/MUX.
Three types of MADI port are fitted: i) optical – a dual SC socket for connection of multimode fibre optic cable (singlemode available as a time-of-order factory option); ii) coaxial – two BNC sockets (input and output); iii) an unpopulated SFP cage for the user’s own choice of cartridge, which may be either optical multimode or singlemode, or coaxial. Port selection is defined as part of the internal matrix configuration. The networked audio interface is via four gigabit Ethernet ports (RJ45s), which connect to an internal network switch.
EXBOX.SG features DirectOut’s EARS (Enhanced Automatic Redundancy Switching) system, which gives the user the highest possible level of playback or connection resilience. EARS uses DirectOut’s proprietary BLDS trace tone, inserted synchronously onto Channel 64 (or Channel 128) of a pair of multitrack recorders. In the event of failure of the primary signal, EARS automatically switches to the secondary (backup) source in an inter-sample gap, resulting in a completely seamless output. EARS can also be configured to switch between SoundGrid and MADI sources. EARS is easily configured with globcon, where the engineer has full control over how the redundancy switching function should operate. If a BLDS tone is unavailable, EXBOX.RAV will perform the same redundancy switch function using any audio tone >-40 dBFS as a pilot-tone; in this case, switching is achieved within 10 – 15 ms.
Two locking Hirose connectors allow connection of one or two external DC PSUs (one supplied as standard). Alternatively, if preferred, the unit may be powered via PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) through network audio port #1. As with other units in the DirectOut EXBOX series, the unit is 1U high and one-third rackwidth wide. An optional mounting kit is available enabling EXBOX.SG to be mounted in a 19” rack, either alone or with one or two other EXBOX units.
