DirectOut Unlocks Faster Audio System Rigging and Set-up

In the latest round of firmware updates from DirectOut, four of its most recently launched products receive the FastSRC that allows connected MADI and AoIP devices to work in different clock domains. FastSRC combines good sound quality with a very low latency of less than 0.15msecs – invaluable in live sound applications and a “life-saver” in critical situations.

The products benefiting from the FastSRC upgrade are:

  • PRODIGY.MP – audio hub, processor, and router
  • PRODIGY.MC – modular AoIP and MADI router/converter
  • EXBOX.MD – MADI-to-Dante bridge with EARS
  • EXBOX.RAV – recently announced MADI-to-Ravenna/AES67/ST2110-30/31 bridge with EARS

At the top of the list of possible uses for FastSRC must be the ability to monitor and patch live audio feeds the moment the device is powered and connected; long before the system’s sync master is available or the sync structure set. Allowing live sources to be confidently plugged, patched and monitored while the rest of the system is still being rigged or configured.

FastSRC started out as a get-out-of-jail development by Stephan Flock – co-founder of DirectOut and a highly regarded classical music sound engineer and producer, for the new PRODIGY.MP processor to prevent glitches and artefacts when connected devices momentarily lose sync. His skill as a developer meant his work on avoiding the effects of short-term sync issues proved to be a useful and effective low-latency Sample Rate Converter that allows, when necessary, permanent decoupling of audio system components.

The efficiency of his audio processor development also allowed Stephan to incorporate the FastSRC into the PRODIGY.MC, EXBOX.MD and new EXBOX.RAV.

However, Stephan confirms that high-end sample rate conversion requires noticeable processing time, so for the very best audio quality sample-rate conversion he recommends DirectOut’s dedicated SRC products. This is currently the MADI.SRC but DirectOut have launched SRC equipped DANTE.SRC.IO or RAV.SRC.IO AoIP interfaces. These will enable the PRODIGY.MP multi-function processor and PRODIGY.MC converter/router to provide the highest quality asynchronous connections between MADI, Dante or ST2110-30/Ravenna/AES67 devices or systems.