Delta 410 User Manual
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
What’s in the Box? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
About the Delta 410 Digital PCI Audio Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Quick Start Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Product Features & Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Minimum System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Breakout Cable: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
PCI Host Adapter Card: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Hardware Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Delta Driver Software Installation - for PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Windows 2000 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Windows 98 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Windows 95 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Windows NT Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Verifying Windows Driver Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Verifying Delta Control Panel Software Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Delta Driver Software Installation - for Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Delta Control Panel Installation - for Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Delta System Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Delta’s Analog Inputs/Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
The Digital Monitor Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
The Patchbay / Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Using the Delta 410 with your Music Software Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Delta 410 Control Panel Software - PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Monitor Mixer Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Patchbay/Router Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Hardware Settings Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
S/PDIF Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
About Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Save, Delete, Load Buttons; H/W Installed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Delta 410 Control Panel Software - Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Patchbay/Router Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Hardware Settings Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
S/PDIF Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Delta 410 Recording Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Typical Setup #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Typical Setup #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Transferring from DAT to Delta 410 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Transferring from 410 to DAT, monitoring with DAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Troubleshooting Tips for Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Appendix A - Technical Specs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Appendix B-If You Use An External Mixer... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Limited Lifetime Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
version: D410-110901
Delta 410 Manual
Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the Delta 410 PCI Audio Card designed and
built by M Audio. The Delta 410 is an excellent choice for audio production
utilizing your PC or Macintosh computer, and will interface easily with
“prosumer” recording gear as well as consumer playback devices.
Even if you are experienced in digital recording, please take the time to read this
manual. It will give you valuable information on installing your new card and the
supporting software, plus help you to fully understand the function and usability
of the Delta 410. Once you’re up and running, you will quickly discover the
power and brilliance, both in sound and design, of your Delta 410 PCI Audio
Card.
What’s in the Box?
Your Delta 410 box contains:
• This instruction manual.
• The Delta 410 breakout cable.
• The Delta 410 PCI host adapter card.
• CD containing drivers & Delta Control Panel software for Windows
2000/ME/98/95/NT and for Macintosh OS 8.5.1 or higher.
• M Audio Warranty Registration card.
About the Delta 410 Digital PCI Audio Card
The Delta 410 functions as a 4-input, 10-output digital recording/playback
interface. Two analog inputs and eight analog outputs plus coaxial S/PDIF I/O
give you the highest quality analog (unbalanced) and digital I/O available -- all
up to 24-bit data width and any sampling rate from 8kHz to 96kHz.
You can connect your instrument, mixer, or pre-amp to the Delta 410’s RCA
input jacks located on the breakout cable to monitor and record incoming audio.
You can also record a digital audio signal from your DAT, MiniDisc, CD, or
external A/D converter via the Delta 410’s S/PDIF input, located on the PCI host
card. The 410 also includes the comprehensive Delta Control Panel software,
giving you ultimate control over routing as well as many other Delta settings
such as master clock and S/PDIF copy protection.
Within the Delta 410’s PCI chip is a hardware digital mixer. Controlled by the
included Delta Control Panel software, it may handle all of your mixdown needs,
give you extra control of all left, right and stereo levels, as well as pans, solos,
and mutes, or simply give you an alternate or headphone mix.
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Quick Start Guide
There may not be any instant tips or tricks for understanding and using an audio
interface that is as versatile as the Delta 410. However, we may be able to include
some “straight talk” to help light the way.
On the PC: Following the installation procedures for both the Delta hardware and
software will enable the 410 for use in Windows. The Delta 410 will become your
Windows sound card simply by going to My Computer | Control Panel | Multimedia,
and changing Audio settings to one of the Delta stereo pairs. In this way, the Delta
card will be the default audio device for your Windows and other media players.
On the Mac: Following the installation procedures for both the Delta hardware
and software will enable the 410 to be configured for use in a music program that
utilizes the ASIO drivers supplied with the Delta. Additionally, the Delta 410 can
be used in the Apple Sound Manager for your system sounds or in a
music/recording program that directs itself to the Sound Manager. The Delta 410
will become your Macintosh’s audio device simply by going to the Apple menu
| Control Panel | Sound, and changing audio settings from “built-in” to the Delta.
In this way, the Delta card will be the default audio device for your Apple applets
and a variety of media players. If you wish only to use the Delta with an ASIO
compliant music program, leave this setting to “built-in.”
You will, however, need a music/recording software application to take full
advantage of the Delta 410 as a production tool, and most likely that software
will need to analyze and configure the Delta 410--this usually occurs when first
launching the program after the Delta 410 has been installed. On the PC, the 410
is also capable of playing an encoded surround sound signal to the S/PDIF output
using some of the DVD player applications that exist on the market. This usually
takes some audio output configuration within the program.
The Delta Control Panel controls many of the card’s settings, and includes controls
for the digital mixer that is contained on the Delta card. While all of those settings
may seem daunting at first, it may help to know that by using only the default
settings, the card is ready to playback audio files from your computer. This can be
done from a media player or from your music application, provided the outputs are
set to a Delta output port and the software and card are properly configured.
You will be able to hear the Delta inputs under certain conditions. Using a
recording program that utilizes the ASIO or EASI drivers with the Delta 410, or
(in Windows) using the Windows WDM drivers with programs that take full
advantage of them, will allow you to monitor the Delta inputs through the
program, and thereby continue to use the default settings in the Delta Control
Panel. When using the Delta card and monitoring in this fashion, there is always
some degree of latency, or delay between the the actual input signal and the
monitoring of that input signal.
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Another way to approach this is by directly monitoring those inputs. This can be
done in the Delta Control Panel’s “Patchbay/Router” page by selecting the Delta
input and connecting it to the Delta output. You can also use the Delta panel’s
Monitor Mixer to send the signal at the inputs to the Delta outputs, as well as mix
those signals with the software outputs, i.e., your music software sending audio
to the Delta outputs. This, and other recording/monitoring scenarios are covered
in the Tutorials section toward the end of the manual.
Product Features & Specifications
• 4x10 24-bit/96khz full-duplex recording interface.
• PCI host card with external, color-coded breakout cable.
• 2x8 analog I/O, unbalanced on gold-plated RCA connectors, with
output line level adjustments selectable within the Delta Control Panel.
• S/PDIF digital I/O on gold-plated RCA connectors located on the PCI
card. A variety of settings, including AC3 or DTS surround and copy
protection schemes, can be set via the Delta Control Panel.
• High dynamic range (A-weighted measured): D/A 101.5 dB,
A/D 99.6 dB.
• Low distortion (measured THD @ 0dBFS): A/D and D/A less than
0.002%.
• Frequency Response: 22-22kHz, -0.2,-0.4dB @48kHz; 22-40kHz,
-0.2,-0.7dB @96kHz
• All data paths support up to 24bit/96kHz performance, no upgrades
necessary.
• Comprehensive digital mixing, routing, and monitoring capabilities
with included Delta Control Panel software.
• Hardware sample-accurate sync will allow linking of multiple Delta units.
• Windows 2000/ME and 95/98 multi-card, multi-client drivers with
ASIO1 and ASIO2 multi-card, GSIF and EASI drivers included;
Windows NT multi-card drivers also included.
• Macintosh control panel and drivers with ASIO1, ASIO2, and legacy
ASIO support for OS 8.5.1 or higher.
Minimum System Requirements
Windows
• Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 or ME
• Pentium III 500Mhz - (96kHz operation)
• Pentium II 400 - (48kHz operation)
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• 128 MB of PC100 RAM - (96kHz operation)
64 MB of SDRAM - (48kHz operation)
UDMA EIDE or ATA 33/66
Macintosh
• 128 MB of PC100 RAM for 96kHz operation.
64MB SDRAM for 48kHz or less.
• Mac G3 or G3 accelerator with 128 MB of RAM recommended. Some
faster Power PCs will perform adequately.
• UDMA EIDE or fast SCSI HDD recommended.
Breakout Cable:
1. Analog Inputs 1-2: These jacks input analog audio from a variety of
external sources. Each jack is RCA coaxial and is compatible with
RCA coaxial (unbalanced) connections. These cables are tan in color,
with the jacks colored tan for left and red for right.
2. Analog Outputs 1-8: These jacks output analog audio to a variety of
external targets. Each jack is RCA coaxial and is compatible with RCA
coaxial (unbalanced) connections. These cables are black in color, with
the jacks multi-colored for convenience.
3. Host Cable connector: This 25-pin female D-sub connector is used to
attach the breakout cable to the PCI host card’s male D-sub connector.
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PCI Host Adapter Card:
4. Coaxial S/PDIF Input: This RCA connector receives an S/PDIF stereo
signal from your coaxial S/PDIF digital source such as a DAT,
MiniDisc player or external A/D converter.
5. Coaxial S/PDIF Output: This RCA connector sends an S/PDIF stereo
signal to your coaxial S/PDIF digital target device such as a DAT,
MiniDisc player or external D/A converter.
6. Host Cable connector: This 25-pin D-sub connector attaches to the
supplied breakout cable to allow communication between the PCI
host card and external devices.
Hardware Installation
To mechanically install the Delta 410, do the following:
1. Turn off your computer.
2. Remove the computer’s cover and position the computer so that you
may easily access its PCI slots.
3. Select the PCI slot where you will install your Delta 410 PCI host card.
Make sure the slot is a PCI slot. If you don't know what "PCI slot"
means, check the owner’s manual for your computer. PCI slots are
distinguishable from ISA slots by being shorter and set back farther
from the outside of the computer, however some newer computers
have only PCI slots.
4. Before removing the Delta 410 PCI host card from its protective anti-static
bag, touch the metal power supply case of the computer in order to
dissipate any static electricity your body may have accumulated. You
might want to pick up a grounding wrist strap (available from electronics
stores like Radio Shack) if you want to be doubly sure you aren't carrying
a static charge that could damage the card.
5. Remove the metal bracket that covers the access hole on the back of the
computer. This bracket is usually fastened to the computer with a single screw.
6. Position the Delta 410 PCI host card over the target PCI slot and fit the
card loosely over it with the card in the upright position. Press the
card gently but firmly downward into the slot until the card is
completely and squarely seated in the slot. If the card seems difficult
to seat, a slight rocking motion may help.
7. Screw the Delta 410 PCI host card’s metal bracket down into the screw
hole on the back of your computer using the screw you removed in
step 5 above.
8. Place the cover back on your computer.
IMPORTANT: Complete the attachment of your Delta 410 breakout
cable to the PCI card before powering up your computer. Never
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attach the breakout cable to the PCI card while the computer is on.
Doing so could damage the PCI card and void the warranty.
With your computer turned off, it is now time to connect the Delta 410 breakout
cable to the PCI host card that you have just installed. You may at this time also
want to connect to audio gear that you using in conjunction with your Delta 410.
Delta Driver Software Installation - for PC
The Delta 410 system includes a driver CD for Windows 2000/ME/98/95/NT
(and Macintosh, too), containing all Windows drivers and Delta Control Panel
software. To install these on your system, please follow these steps:
Windows 2000 Installation
1. After installing the Delta 410 hardware, boot your system and start
Windows. During the Windows boot procedure, new hardware will
be automatically detected by the Add New Hardware Wizard. Click
‘Next>’.
2. The ‘Add New Hardware Wizard’ will now ask how you want to find
the driver. "Search for the best driver for your device" is already
selected. Click ‘Next>’.
3. Windows will give you a selection of locations to search. Make sure that
only “Choose a Path” is checked, or click on the check box to do so.
Insert the Driver CD into your CD ROM drive. Type in the drive letter
of your CD drive (we will assume here that it is D:\) and the path to the
Delta drivers, which will be D:\Delta Series\Wdm. Click ‘Next>’.
4. The ‘Wizard’ reports that its Windows driver file search has found the
M Audio Delta 410. Click Next>.
5. Windows is now ready to install the driver files from the specified
location. Click Next>. Windows will start to copy the files and show
you a progress report screen.
6. The Wizard reports that Windows has finished installing the software.
Click ‘Finish’. Your Delta 410 is ready for action.
After completion of the driver installation, Windows may require you to restart
Windows. If it does request a restart, remove the Drivers CD Disk from the CD drive
and respond “Yes.” The system will restart and your Delta 410 is ready for play.
Windows 98 Installation
1. After installing the Delta 410 hardware, boot your system and start
Windows. During the Windows boot procedure, new hardware will
be automatically detected by the Add New Hardware Wizard as
shown here. Click ‘Next>’.
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2. The ‘Add New Hardware Wizard’ will now ask how you want to find
the driver. "Search for the best driver for your device" is already
selected. Click ‘Next>’.
3. Windows will give you a selection of locations to search. Make sure
that only “Choose a Path” is checked, or click on the check box to do
so. Insert the Driver CD into your CD ROM drive. Type in the drive
letter of your CD drive (we will assume here that it is D:\) and the
path to the Delta drivers, which will be D:\Delta Products\Delta98.
Click ‘Next>’.
4. The ‘Wizard’ reports that its Windows driver file search has found the
M Audio Delta 410. Click Next>.
5. Windows is now ready to install the driver files from the specified
location. Click Next>. Windows will start to copy the files and show
you a progress report screen.
6. The Wizard reports that Windows has finished installing the software.
Click ‘Finish’. Your Delta 410 is ready for action.
After completion of the driver installation, Windows may require you to restart
Windows. If it does request a restart, remove the Drivers CD Disk from the CD drive
and respond “Yes”. The system will restart and your Delta 410 is ready for play.
Windows 95 Installation
1. After installation of the Delta 410 hardware, boot your system and
start Windows. During the Windows boot procedure, new hardware
will be automatically detected.
2. Choose the Install of "driver from disk provided by hardware
manufacturer," then click OK.
3. An ‘Install From Disk’ will prompt you to copy files from the
A:\ drive. Insert the Driver software CD into your CD ROM drive.
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Type in the drive letter of your CD drive (we will assume here that it
is D:\) and the path to the Delta drivers, which will be D:\Delta
Products\Delta98 (these drivers also work in Win95). Click ‘Next>’.
4. Windows will start to copy files, with a progress indicator on the
screen. Once this process completes itself, your Delta 410 will be ready
for action.
After completion of the driver installation, Windows may require you to restart
Windows. If it does request a restart, remove the Drivers CD Disk from the CD drive
and respond “Yes”. The system will restart and your Delta 410 is ready for play.
Windows NT Installation
1. Power up your computer after physically installing the Delta 410
interface card.
2. Go to Start | Settings | Control Panel and double click on
‘Multimedia.’
3. Click the ‘Devices’ tab, then click the ‘Add’ button.
4. “Unlisted or Updated Driver" will be highlighted at the top of the list.
Click OK.
5. The ‘Install Driver’ box will prompt you to insert the driver disk, and
the A: prompt will appear as the path. Insert the Drivers CD into your
CD ROM drive. Type in the drive letter of your CD drive (we will
assume here that it is D:\) and the path to the Delta drivers, which
will be D:\Delta Products\DeltaNT. Click OK.
6. The "M Audio Delta Interface Card" driver will appear in the Add
Unlisted or Updated Driver dialog box. Click OK.
7. Windows NT will require you to restart your computer for the
changes to take effect. Choose "Restart Now." Upon restart, your Delta
410 will be ready for use.
Verifying Windows Driver Installation
Windows displays the Delta 410 driver status in the Device Manager page of the
System Properties dialog box. The Device Manager page is opened via the
Windows Start button: select Start | Settings | Control Panel | System | Device
Manager. With the Device Manager displayed, click on the "+" next to "Sound,
video and game controllers" to open a list of devices, the Delta 410 being a
device of that nature. Below is an example view of the Device Manager.
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This example shows the M Audio Delta 410 and Midiman MidiSport 8x8/S entries
in the Windows Device Manager device list. The Delta 410 is properly installed with
no conflicts, as is the MidiSport 8x8/S. If you do not see your M Audio Delta 410 in
your Device Manager in this fashion, please jump ahead to the "Troubleshooting"
section of this manual.
Verifying Delta Control Panel Software Installation
In Windows, open the Windows Control Panel (do so via Start | Settings | Control
Panel ). If your Delta 410 hardware and Delta Control Panel software are
properly installed, the Windows Control Panel should display an "M Audio Delta
H/W" icon. By double-clicking on that icon, you can launch the Delta Control
Panel software. For convenience, you may also create a shortcut on your desktop
by dragging a copy of the "M Audio Delta H/W" icon from the Control Panel to
your Windows desktop using your mouse or trackball. After completing the drag
operation, a dialog box will ask you if you wish to create a shortcut -- click on
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‘Yes’. Once the shortcut is installed, all you have to do is double-click on the
shortcut icon on your desktop to launch the Delta Control Panel software.
NOTE: When using a music software program that is ASIO capable,
launch the Delta Control Panel software from within that program.
Some of the control panel functions will be controlled from within
that program, such as master clock setting and sample rate, so it
is desirable to launch the music program first, and then the Delta
Control Panel from the the program’s “launch” or “control panel”
button. Without the music program open however, it is okay to
open the Delta panel from your desktop or other location.
Delta Driver Software Installation - for Mac
1. Open the System folder on your Macintosh hard drive. In the System
folder, locate the Extensions folder.
2. On you Drivers CD disk, open the Mac Delta Drivers folder. Place the
extension file "Delta 410 Driver" in your Extensions folder by clicking
on it and dragging it to the Extensions folder.
3. If you are using a music program that uses ASIO drivers, it will also
have an ASIO folder within the application’s folder. In your Mac Delta
Drivers folder you will find three Delta 410 ASIO drivers. For Cubase
versions 4.x, use the "ASIO2 Delta410" driver. For Metro, or earlier
versions of Cubase, use the "ASIO Delta410v3" driver. For any music
program that is not ASIO2 capable, use the “ASIO Delta 410” driver
instead (check your program’s documentation). Place the file "ASIO
Delta" in your program's ASIO folder by clicking on it and dragging it
to the ASIO folder.
3. Drag the "DeltaPanel PPC" file onto your Macintosh hard drive. You
can run the Delta Control Panel from any place that's convenient,
though music software applications that use ASIO will allow you to
launch the Delta panel from within the program. If not, we suggest
creating an alias to the control panel by highlighting it and pressing
Command (Apple key)+M. Then, drag the alias to the desktop.
4. With the Delta 410 PCI card installed, restarting the computer will
load the Delta 410 extension. You will be able to visually see the Delta
extension icon pass by as your system loads extension.
5. Go to the Apple menu |Control Panel | Sound. You should see the
“built-in” sound icon, plus the Delta icon if your Delta 410 is properly
installed. If your music program does use ASIO, you may want to
leave the Sound Manager driver set to "built-in" for both Sound In and
Sound Out. If your program does not use ASIO (check your software’s
documentation) and you will be using the Sound Manager to
communicate with your Delta 410, set Sound In and Sound Out to
“Delta.” See the section “Hardware Settings Page” in the Delta 410
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“Control Panel Software” section for information on selecting Sound
Manger inputs and outputs.
Delta Control Panel Installation - for Mac
The Delta Control Panel may be placed anywhere on your hard drive, or any
partition of your hard drive that you find convenient. Once the control panel file
has been dragged from the CD onto your hard drive, you may double click it to
launch the Delta Control Panel software. You may also create an alias to the
control panel by highlighting it, then holding Apple key+M. This alias can then
be placed on your desktop.
NOTE: When using a music software program that is ASIO capable,
launch the Delta Control Panel software from within that program.
Some of the control panel functions will be controlled from within
that program, such as master clock setting and sample rate, so it
is desirable to launch the music program first, and then the Delta
Control Panel from the the program’s “launch” or “control panel”
button. Without the music program open however, it is okay to
open the Delta panel from your desktop or other location.
Delta System Basics
Delta’s Analog Inputs/Outputs
The Delta 410 PCI Audio Card’s analog inputs and outputs are compatible with
a wide variety of audio products. The Delta Control Panel software allows you
to configure the signal level of each analog output individually, or all analog
outputs as a group. Signal level settings of “Consumer” and “-10” are available.
The ‘Consumer’ setting is preferred for semi-pro audio equipment and some
consumer equipment that can accept a ‘hotter’ signal than the ‘-10’ setting. The
‘Consumer’ setting offers approximately 6dB more headroom than does the ‘-10’
setting. Semi-pro and consumer device signal levels vary from manufacturer-tomanufacturer and even product-to-product, so a little experimentation between
Consumer and –10 settings may be required for optimal results.
NOTE: In order to preserve its high dynamic range and minimize
distortion, the Delta 410 does not have microphone pre-amplifiers
built into it. Therefore direct connection to a microphone is not
recommended. Instead run the microphone signal through a
microphone pre-amp (such as the M-Audio "Audio Buddy™" or
M-Audio “DMP3™”) and then connect the pre-amp output to the
input of the Delta 410.
All analog jacks on the Delta 410 breakout cable are of the RCA (coaxial)
variety. The RCA jacks allow connection to unbalanced (typically semi-pro or
consumer) connections.
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The Digital Monitor Mixer
The Delta 410 PCI Audio Card has a hardware digital audio mixer built into its
PCI controller chip. It accepts digital audio streams from all hardware inputs and
all outgoing software audio devices, mixes them with 36-bit internal precision
and then provides the mixed output to one or more locations. For the purpose of
monitoring, the output of the mixer may be routed, via the control panel’s
Patchbay/Router page, to the first set of Delta 410 analog outputs (OUT1/OUT2
as a stereo pair) and/or the S/PDIF digital output. At the same time, the mixer
may be used for stereo mix-down, with the mixer’s output recorded into the
user’s application software. The digital audio mixer is configured and controlled
by the included Delta Control Panel Software.
The Patchbay / Router
In addition to the built-in monitor mixer, the Delta 410 PCI Audio Card includes
an output patchbay/router. The patchbay/router allows each output (analog or
digital) to be connected to a variety of input sources. The 410’s outputs may
accept audio from software sources (these output devices are visible in your
audio software applications) or from hardware sources such as the analog and
digital inputs or the monitor mixer. This capability makes the Delta 410 quite
flexible for playing and monitoring any audio file format, or directly connecting
inputs to outputs for system test purposes.
Synchronization
For proper operation, the entire Delta 410 system is always synchronized to a single
master clock. The master clock is chosen via the Delta Control Panel software, or
may be set from within your ASIO or EASI application. This clock may be derived
from the Delta 410’s internal crystal oscillators or the S/PDIF In. Most of the time
the master clock is taken from the internal crystal oscillators. However, the S/PDIF
option is used in situations where the Delta 410 must be synchronized to external
digital audio or sample rates derived from an external S/PDIF device.
Using the initial default setting, the master clock is derived from the internal
crystal oscillators. Operation in this mode is similar to that of a generic sound
card – for instance, when a sound file is played through the Delta drivers, the
software application playing the sound file is responsible for setting the sample
rate in the sound card’s hardware. The Delta 410 supports these sample rates by
using either of its internal crystal oscillators and dividing the rate of that
oscillator by some value to derive the proper sample rate.
In situations where S/PDIF In is being used, the Delta 410 must be configured to
get its master clock from the S/PDIF In data stream. The reason for this is simple
– an S/PDIF data stream coming from an external source is rarely going to be in
sync with the Delta 410 (or other digital audio devices in the system for that
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matter), even if the sample rates are set the same. If the master clock were set to
use the internal crystal, then the incoming S/PDIF audio would have "pops,"
"crackles," and other undesirable audio artifacts present in it. Instead, setting the
master clock to "S/PDIF In" will synchronize the Delta 410 to the S/PDIF input
data and its digital audio will be transferred properly.
Finally, the S/PDIF In option may be used to operate the Delta 410 at
non-standard sample rates. When the S/PDIF option is selected, the Delta 410’s
sample rate will automatically match that of the incoming S/PDIF data stream.
NOTE: When the S/PDIF In is selected as the master clock source, the
Delta 410 mixer’s frequency response will be affected by whatever
sample rates you inject at the S/PDIF In. This is because (1) the digital
mixer operates at the same sample rate as the rest of the board, and
(2) sample rate and frequency response are directly correlated.
Using the Delta 410 with your Music
Software Application
Once the Delta 410’s hardware and driver software are properly installed, it is ready
for use with your music application software. Some of these applications may
require you to highlight or enable the Delta 410 drivers within the program, and
others may have a utility that analyzes or profiles the audio cards in your system and
enables the drivers. Your software should have an audio device driver setup page.
WINDOWS MME AUDIO INPUT DEVICES: All Delta 410 analog and S/PDIF
inputs may be used simultaneously for a total of 4 input channels. Within your
software application(s), the names of the Delta 410 audio input devices are:
PCM In 1/2 Delta-410
S/PDIF In Delta-410
Mon. Mixer Delta-410
The PCM In devices allow recording a stereo stream directly from the specified
analog input pairs. The S/PDIF In device allows you to record a stereo stream
directly from the S/PDIF input. The Mon. Mixer device allows stereo recording
from the digital "monitor" mixer built-into the Delta 410. The audio data
recorded from this device is the mix of input and output streams that is set up in
the Delta Control Panel software’s Monitor Mixer page (see Delta 410 Control
Panel Software section).
Note that all of the input devices are stereo. Your application software may break
these down further to "left" and "right" mono devices. Therefore you may see
them as "Left PCM In 1/2 Delta-410, Right PCM In 1/2 Delta-410", "Left S/PDIF
In Delta-410, Right S/PDIF In Delta-410", or "Left Mon. Mixer Delta-410, Right
Mon. Mixer Delta-410," etc. from within your recording software.
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WINDOWS MME AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICES: All Delta 410 analog and
S/PDIF outputs may be used simultaneously for a total of 10 output channels.
Within your software application(s), the names of the Delta 410 audio output
devices are:
WavOut 1/2 Delta-410
WavOut 3/4 Delta-410
WavOut 5/6 Delta-410
WavOut 7/8 Delta-410
WavOut S/PDIF Delta-410
All WavOut devices allow playing a stereo audio stream to the analog hardware
outputs (for WavOut 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8), the S/PDIF hardware output (for WavOut
S/PDIF), and/or into the hardware router or mixer. Your application software may
break each of these stereo devices down further to "left" and "right" mono devices.
Therefore you may see them as "Left WavOut 1/2 Delta-410, Right WavOut 1/2
Delta-410", or "Left WavOut S/PDIF Delta-410, Right WavOut S/PDIF
Delta-410", etc. from within your music software. Other software will handle the
outputs as stereo pairs, but allow you to pan audio left or right within the pair.
Note that each device name begins with "WavOut." This is to remind you that
these are software devices, and not always connected directly to output
hardware. Instead they are connected to the Delta 410’s internal patchbay/router
and may be sent to one of many destinations. For more on the patchbay/router,
see the Patchbay/Router section of the Delta Control Panel software discussion.
ASIO or EASI DRIVER INPUT DEVICES: When using the ASIO or the EASI
audio drivers with music programs that support this type of audio, the input
devices are displayed as mono devices. Within these software applications, the
names of the Delta 410 audio input devices are:
Analog In1 Delta-410
Analog In2 Delta-410
S/PDIF In L Delta-410
S/PDIF In R Delta-410
Mon. Mixer L Delta-410
Mon. Mixer R Delta-410
Notice the S/PDIF In and Monitor Mixer names include "L" and "R" characters. "L"
indicates the left channel of the stereo stream, while "R" indicates right channel.
ASIO or EASI DRIVER OUTPUT DEVICES: The Delta 410’s ASIO and EASI
output devices appear in stereo pairs. Because each device is stereo, you may see
"left" and "right" references within your software application. This allows the
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application to pan audio left and right under software control. To send a signal to
a Delta ASIO output 1 (for example) as a mono output send, one would choose
"Analog 1/2 Delta-410" for that track’s output port, and then pan that output hard
left. These outputs are named as follows:
Analog 1/2 Delta-410
Analog 3/4 Delta-410
Analog 5/6 Delta-410
Analog 7/8 Delta-410
S/PDIF L/R Delta-410
WINDOWS MULTIMEDIA SETTINGS: Windows may be set up to use the
Delta 410 as its default audio device, allowing system sounds to be sent out the
Delta 410. This also enables you to use the Delta 410 with the sound applets
included with Windows. To set this up, go to Control Panel | Multimedia. In the
Audio Properties page, set the Playback and Recording devices to the Delta 410
input and output devices of your choice.
MACINTOSH SOUND MANAGER INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: The Apple
Sound Manager limits the user to one stereo pair for input and one stereo pair for
output. Within your music software, the device selection when using the Sound
Manager drivers for input and output will be “Sound Manager” both for input
source and for output port.
To select the Sound Manager driver, open the Apple Menu and go to Control
Panel | Sounds. For both “Sound In”and “Sound Out,” click and highlight the
Delta icon, then exit. You may select which Delta hardware stereo input pair and
stereo output pair will be used for the Sound Manager’s Sound In and Sound Out
in the Delta Control Panel “Hardware Settings Page” (see section, “Hardware
Settings Page”under “Delta Control Panel”). Whichever stereo pair you select,
the software input and output device selection within your music program will
remain the same.
Delta 410 Control Panel Software - PC
Once the Delta 410 is properly installed, an "M Audio Delta H/W" icon will be
displayed in your Windows Control Panel. By double-clicking on that icon, you
will launch the Delta Control Panel software. You may also launch the Delta
Control Panel software from the desktop if you have previously created a
shortcut there (see "Verifying Delta Control Panel Software Installation" section
for instructions on how to do this). Once the Delta Control Panel software has
been opened, you will see the main panel and its several tabs. To display a
desired page, click on its tab. Below are functional descriptions of each page.
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NOTE: When using a music software program that is ASIO capable,
launch the Delta Control Panel software from within that program.
There will be a button in the ASIO or Audio setup page that will
allow you to do so. Some of the control panel functions will be
controlled from within that program, such as master clock setting
and sample rate, so it is desirable to launch the music program
first, and then the Delta Control Panel from the the program’s
“launch” or “control panel” button. Without the music program
open however, it is okay to open the Delta panel from your desktop
or other location.
Monitor Mixer Page
The Monitor Mixer is the first page that appears when the Delta Control Panel is
opened, and controls the digital mixer built into the Delta 410’s PCI controller
chip. As described in previous sections, the output of this mixer may be assigned
to the OUT1/OUT2 analog outputs and/or the S/PDIF Out digital output (this
selection is made in the Patchbay Router page). At the same time, the mixer
outputs may be recorded in stereo by software.
The Monitor Mixer Page is essentially a collection of volume level faders, audio
level (or ‘peak’) meters, and solo/mute controls. For each mixer output and input
channel there is one of each: a volume fader, a peak meter, a solo control, and a
mute control.
LEVEL FADERS: Each volume fader may be controlled by dragging the fader
‘handle’ vertically with the mouse, or by clicking on the ‘handle’ to make it
active and then adjusting it with the up/down cursor keys of your computer
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