Digital Audio Labs AD-24 User Guide

AD-24 USER GUIDE

Version 1.2

January 2017

1266 Park Road
Chanhassen, MN 55317
952-401-7700

[e-mail]
www.digitalaudio.com

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE
PARTS INSIDE. CONTACT DIGITAL AUDIO LABS FOR SERVICING.

The lightning ash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the

user to the presence of un-insulated and/or potentially dangerous voltage within the products

enclosure that may be of sufcient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence

of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying
the appliance.

POWER CORD NOTICE FOR INTERNATIONAL OPERATION

Please call Digital Audio Labs Support at 952-401-7700.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read and understand this entire manual.

2. Keep this manual available for reference.

3. Heed all warnings and precautions in this manual and notices marked on the product.

4. Do not use this product near water or damp environments.

5. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Provide for proper airow around product. Do not install near products that produce high levels

of heat. Do not expose the unit to direct sun light or heating units as the internal components’

temperature may rise and shorten the life of the components.

7. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has

two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third

grounding prong.

8. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience

receptacles, and the point where they connect to the product. Do not use the unit if the electrical

power cord is frayed or broken.

9. Only use attachments/accessories specied by the manufacturer.

10. Unplug this product during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

11. Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel. There are no user serviceable components inside

the product.

12. The product shall not be exposed to moisture. Do not touch the unit with wet hands. Do not

handle the unit or power cord when your hands are wet or damp.

13. The product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating

instructions or as marked on the product.

CARE

• From time to time you should wipe off the front and side panels and the cabinet with a dry soft

cloth. Do not use rough material, thinners, alcohol or other chemical solvents or cloths since this

may damage the nish or remove the panel lettering.

• The Livemix system is capable of delivering high levels of volume. Please use caution with
volume levels, listen with the lowest possible volume for proper operation and avoid exposure to

prolonged high volume levels.

• The manufacturer cannot be held responsible for damages caused to persons, personal
possessions, or data due to an improper or missing ground connection.

LIVEMIX AD-24

DIGITAL AUDIO LABS LIMITED WARRANTY

Digital Audio Labs warrants their products against defects in material and workmanship for a period of two
years from date of purchase. During this period, Digital Audio Labs will, at its option, repair the defective unit
or replace it with a new or rebuilt one.

The warranty does NOT cover:

• Damage due to abuse, misuse, or accident.

• Damage due to operation contrary to the instructions in the product instruction manual.

• Units on which the product serial number has been removed or altered.

• Units that have been serviced by unauthorized personnel.

All implied warranties, including warranties on merchantability and tness, are limited in time to the length of
this warranty. Some states do not allow time limitations on implied warranties, so this limitation may not apply
to you. Digital Audio Labs’ liability is limited to the repair or replacement of its product. Digital Audio Labs
shall in no way be held liable for incidental or consequential damages resulting from the use of their product
or its software, including, without limitation, damages from loss of business prots, business interruption,
loss of business information or other pecuniary loss. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of
incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.

REPAIR POLICY

Please do not return the product without obtaining an RMA number rst. Contact Digital Audio Labs at
[e-mail] to acquire an RMA number. Do not return the product to the place of purchase.
Please write the RMA number on the outside of the shipping carton. Any product sent to us without a valid
RMA number will be refused. Include the following with the product: a brief description of the problem, your
name, return shipping address, phone number and the RMA number. Do not include any accessories. DAL
is not responsible for any damage to or loss of the product during transit. We recommend that customers
obtain a receipt and tracking number for all packages shipped to us. Turnaround time on repairs is generally
ten business days. If you live outside of the United States, please contact your local distributor for warranty

service.

Please return product to:

Digital Audio Labs
Attn: RMA Number

1266 Park Road
Chanhassen, MN 55317

USA

WARRANTY SERVICE

You will be required to pay the shipping charges when you ship your product to DAL. DAL will pay for return
shipping via UPS ground. We reserve the right to inspect any product that may be the subject of any warranty
claim before repair is carried out. For warranty service, we may require proof of the original date of purchase

if you have not registered your product with DAL. Final determination of warranty coverage lies solely with

Digital Audio Labs.

NON-WARRANTY SERVICE

If it is determined that the product does not meet the terms of our warranty, you will be billed for labor,
materials, return freight and insurance. There is a $80 USD minimum charge for materials and labor.
Appropriate shipping charges will be applied. We require payment in advance of repair by credit card; we
accept Visa and Master Card. In the event the charges are over the minimum charge, DAL will contact you
and inform you of the cost of the repair before any work is completed.

LIVEMIX AD-24

1

CONTENTS

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ............................................................................... II

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ............................................... II

CARE................................................................................................. II

DIGITAL AUDIO LABS LIMITED WARRANTY ................................................. 1

REPAIR POLICY ................................................................................. 1

WARRANTY SERVICE ........................................................................ 1

CONTENTS OF BOX ..................................................................................... 3

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 3

ANATOMY OF THE AD-24 ............................................................................ 4

SETUP DIAGRAMS ........................................................................................ 6

CONNECTING THE AD-24 TO A MIXER/SNAKE/INTERFACE ........... 6

CONNECTING THE AD-24 TO THE MIX-16/MIX-32 ......................... 6

SETUP AND OPERATION .............................................................................. 7

LIVEMIX SYSTEM EXAMPLES ....................................................................... 8

TROUBLESHOOTING .................................................................................... 9

APPENDIX .................................................................................................. 10

TASCAM DB-25 PIN OUT ................................................................ 10

LIVEMIX SUPPORT ...................................................................................... 11

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................... 11

LIVEMIX AD-24

CONTENTS OF BOX

• AD-24

• External 12VDC Power Supply

• AC Power Cable

• System Quick Start

• Registration Card

INTRODUCTION

The Livemix AD-24 is the the bridge betwen your analog console and the Livemix system. The

AD-24 receives line level audio signals and converts them to the Livemix Data format. Livemix audio

data is sent from the AD-24 to the MIX-16/MIX-32 over a single shielded CAT5e or CAT6 network
cable.

Accessible front panel controls make the Livemix AD-24 very simple to setup, while front panel LED

meters allow for easy monitoring of incoming audio signals.

Livemix AD-24 features include:

• 24 Balanced/Unbalanced Inputs

• ¼” TRS and DB-25 (D-SUB) Audio Connections

• Front Panel +4dBu/-10dBV Select Switches (1 switch per pair)

• Front Panel 3-Color Input Metering

• High Quality Audio Conversion

• External 12VDC Power Supply

LIVEMIX AD-24

3

REAR

FRONT

ANATOMY OF THE AD-24

LIVEMIX

DATA

2 8 5 6

AD-24

AD-24

LIVEMIX

DATA OUT

12VDC

3.33A

173 4

1. EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY CONNECTOR: Connect the included external power supply here.

Make sure to only use the power supply that is supplied with your AD-24.

2. POWER SWITCH: This switch turns on the power.

3. ¼” TRS INPUTS: These connectors accept a balanced or unbalanced line-level signal from your

analog audio source. Up to 24 separate audio channels can be fed to the AD-24, all of which are
available to your Livemix personal monitor mixers.

Balanced connections to the AD-24 are recommended, as these allow for longer cable runs and
offer better interference rejection.

4. DB-25 INPUTS: Each DB-25 connector carries eight

LIVEMIX AD-24

separate channels of balanced, +4dBu audio signals, using
a single multi-pin connector. DB-25 connections can also be
secured using screws available on the connector.

The DB-25 connectors follow the TASCAM format. See

Appendix for more information on this wiring scheme.

NOTE:

The DB-25 connectors on
the Livemix AD-24 are pass-

through to the ¼” TRS

inputs. Meaning, that you can
connect the DB-25 from your

mixer and still use the TRS
jacks to connect the mixer to

feed to another source.

4

5. INPUT LIGHTS: These LEDs indicate the incoming audio signal level. Use the signal level lights

as a guide, when adjusting the output volume of the signal sources that are feeding the inputs of

the AD-24.

The input lights can be one of three colors based on signal

strength:

-20dB (Green): Green indicates appropriate signal levels.

-6dB (Yellow): Yellow indicates the signal level needs to be

lowered. Periodic yellow levels may be acceptable.

0dB (Red): Red indicates that the signal is clipping or

“overloading” the input and will be distorted. The source
signal needs to be turned down.

6. +4DBU/-10DBV SWITCHES: These buttons allow you to

congure each pair of inputs for different types of incoming

signals.

If using unbalanced -10dBV signals, the button should be

OUT. This setting will optimize the connectors for the lower-

level signals common in consumer equipment (i.e. portable

digital audio player, laptop, etc.).

NOTE:

If you see a red light, it may
also be an indication that you

have the +4/-10 switches in
the wrong position.

NOTE:

The AD-24 allows you to

select between these two
operating levels, by channel

pairs. This means that you
may mix and match different
incoming signal sources, and
do not have to choose an
overall input level for all 24
channels.

If using balanced, +4dBu signals, push the button IN. This setting will congure the connectors
for the higher-level signals you would nd in the direct outputs of a professional audio mixer or
rack of standalone microphone preampliers.

7. LIVEMIX DATA OUT: This connector is the output of the AD-24. It sends a digitized audio signal

containing all 24 input channels to a MIX-16/MIX-32 over a single shielded CAT5e or CAT6 cable.

8. LIVEMIX DATA LIGHT: This light will illuminate green when the AD-24 has a valid connection

and is sending data to a MIX-16/MIX-32. If this light is red, it is an indication that the connection
to the MIX-16/MIX-32 is not functioning properly. A shielded CAT5e or CAT6 cable is required for

proper sync.

LIVEMIX AD-24

5

SETUP DIAGRAMS

LIVEMIX

DATA

AD-24

12VDC

3.33A

LIVEMIX

DATA OUT

AD-24

ANALOG MIXER/SNAKE/INTERFACE

TRS CABLE

DB25 CABLE

(TASCAM PINOUT)

CONNECTING THE AD-24 TO A MIXER/SNAKE/INTERFACE

NOTE:

The AD-24 is a line level source.

If using a snake or interface,

verify you are using a microphone

preampli er, to bring microphone

ANALOG MIXER/SNAKE/INTERFACE

TRS CABLE

(TASCAM PINOUT)

level signals up to line level
signals.

DB25 CABLE

AD-24

CONNECTING THE AD-24 TO THE MIX-16/MIX-32

AD-24

MIX-16/32

LIVEMIX

DATA OUT 2

LIVEMIX

DATA OUT 1

LIVEMIX

DATA OUT

LIVEMIX

DATA OUT

SHIELDED

CAT5e

LIVEMIX
DATA IN

12VDC

12VDC

3.33A

3.33A

24VDC

3.75A

LIVEMIX AD-24

6

SETUP AND OPERATION

The AD-24 will most likely be installed in a rack near
the mixer, but this is not required. The MIX-16/MIX-32
will likely be installed near the stage. A single shielded
CAT5e or CAT6 cable will connect the AD-24 to the MIX­16 or MIX-32 and transmit the audio data for creating

personal mixes.

NOTE:

The most common audio source
for feeding the AD-24 inputs will

be the direct outs on an analog

mixer.

1. Attach the external Power Supply to the AD-24

External Power Supply connector.

2. Connect the AD-24 to the analog signal source.

• Either balanced TRS or DB-25 connections are

acceptable.

• If necessary, TRS and DB-25 connections can be
mixed (i.e. channels 1-8 connected via TRS and

channels 9-16 via DB-25).

• TRS and DB-25 connections are mirrored (in
parallel) on DB-25 connections 1-24 so they
can operate as a pass-through if necessary. For
example, a signal input on channel 1 via DB-25

will appear on TRS channel 1. In this way, the AD-

24 can pass-through an analog signal from one
device to another.

3. Adjust the front panel switches for the appropriate

signal levels.

If your mixer does not offer direct
outs, you can use the inserts. If
using inserts, a special cable must
be used. This cable will short the
Tip and Ring of the TRS cable for
proper operation. This cable is
part number CBL-DBINSERT-10
and is available from your Livemix

dealer.

NOTE:

Either shielded CAT5e or CAT6
cabling is appropriate.

4. Connect the Livemix Data Out port on the AD-24 to the Livemix Data In port on the MIX-16/
MIX-32 with shielded CAT5e or CAT6 cable.

5. Turn on the power switch to the AD-24.

LIVEMIX AD-24

7

LIVEMIX SYSTEM EXAMPLES

A Livemix system requires either an analog (AD-24) or digital input (option card), the MIX-16/MIX­32 central mixer, and at least one Livemix personal mixer. Below are some examples of what a basic

system may look like.

ANALOG INPUT SYSTEM

1 x AD-24 Analog Input Rack Unit
1 x MIX-16 Central Mixer
4 x CS-DUO Dual Mix Personal Mixers

4 x MT-1 Dual Position Mounts

1 x CBL-CAT6-100 Shielded CAT6 Cable 100’ **
4 x CBL-CAT6-50 Shielded CAT6 Cable 50’

**Shielded cable between AD-24 and MIX-16 is required. CAT6 is not required, CAT5e is acceptable.

ANALOG OR DIGITAL?

Users receiving audio from an analog source will use the AD-24. Using the TRS or DB-25 inputs,
audio from the source is made available to the Livemix system.

Users receiving audio from a digital source will use the Option Card (LM-DANTE-EXP). This is an
option card that is installed in the MIX-16/MIX-32 and allows the Livemix system to receive audio

from a digital device or network.

DIGITAL INPUT SYSTEM

1 x MIX-16 Central Mixer
1 x LM-DANTE-EXP Dante option card
4 x CS-DUO Dual Mix Personal Mixers

4 x MT-1 Dual Position Mounts

1 x CBL-CAT6-100 Shielded CAT6 Cable 100’ **
4 x CBL-CAT6-50 Shielded CAT6 Cable 50’

PERSONAL MIXER / CONTROL SURFACE

Livemix needs at least one connected personal mixer to make a mix. Each Livemix personal mixer
connects via CAT5/CAT6 cable to one of the ports of the MIX-16/MIX-32. Using various controls on

the unit, users can each create their own custom mix, which is then output to headphones, in-ear
monitors or stage monitors, directly from the personal mixer or Livemix DA-816 analog output unit.

LIVEMIX AD-24

8

TROUBLESHOOTING

My AD-24 is not turning on and the

power light isn’t illuminating.

I do not see the Livemix Data light

illuminating, on the front panel.

The signal levels coming in to the
AD-24 are way too loud/way too soft.

I have set the +4/-10 switches to
the correct setting, but the levels on

some input channels are still a little

too soft/loud. How can I further ne

tune the levels coming into the AD­24?

Check to make sure that you have the AD-24’s external power supply

connected to a working power outlet.

If the Livemix Data light is not illuminating, there is a problem with the power

to the AD-24. Check to make sure that the power supply is connected to the

AD-24 and that all the cables are secure. Also check to ensure that the power
supply is plugged into an appropriate power source and that the power cable

from the source to the power supply transformer is securely attached.

Adjust the +4/10 level buttons on the front panel of the AD-24.
If feeding the AD-24 from a consumer-level, -10dBV signal, leave the button
switch OUT. If feeding the AD-24 a professional-level, +4dBu signal, push the
button IN.

If the above are all correct, check the settings on your console or interface that
is feeding the AD-24. Some mixers provide the ability to adjust the output gain

on direct outs, or in some cases the direct outs are “post-fader”. This means

that adjusting the fader also affects your direct outs. Consult the user guide for
your particular mixer to best understand the signal path for each channel.

The AD-24 does not offer individual input gain control for each channel; if you
want to ne tune the signals further, you will need to adjust the strength of the

audio signal directly from its source.

In most cases, the audio source will be an analog mixing console that is also
being used to provide the live sound mix in the venue. In this case, you should
be able to nd a setting for each channel’s gain knob for your mixing console,
that works well both for the mixing console itself, as well as the signals being

sent from the consoles direct outputs, to the inputs of the AD-24.

Every time I set up our equipment

at an event, it takes a long time to

connect 24 separate ¼” cables,

from the direct outputs of the mixing
console, to the 24 ¼” inputs of the

AD-24. Is there an easier way?

How do I adjust the gain on the AD­24? We are using analog outputs on
a digital console and we just can’t

seem to get it loud enough.

LIVEMIX AD-24

The AD-24 also offers three separate 24-channel DB-25 connectors on its rear
panel, each accepting 8 channels through a single multi-pin connector. By using

cabling that terminates on the AD-24 side using DB-25 connectors instead

of ¼”, you can feed all 24 inputs using only three connections, instead of 24
separate ones.

The AD-24 does not have any gain controls, but typically, this is caused at the
console level. Each console is different, but generally, when a digital signal is

routed to an analog output, there is some form of gain control. Consult the
user guide for your mixing console for details.

9

APPENDIX

TASCAM DB-25 PIN OUT

LIVEMIX AD-24

10

LIVEMIX SUPPORT

Phone Support: 952-401-7700
Toll Free: 844-DAL-INFO
Email Support: [e-mail]
Website: www.digitalaudio.com/support

DIGITAL AUDIO LABS

1266 Park Rd
Chanhassen, MN 55317

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

AD-24 (ANALOG CHARACTERISTICS)

THD+N .001%

S/N Ratio 111 dB
Frequency Response 20 Hz – 22kHz ± .5dB

Crosstalk -92 dB

Maximum Input Level

Input Impedance

Max cable length to MIX-16/MIX-32

Dimensions

Weight 4.44 lbs (2.01kg)

WHOLE SYSTEM

THD+N

(18 dBu 1kHz input)

S/N Ratio 103dB

+24 dBu (minor distortion above 23.5 dBu, hard

clip at +24 dBu)

20kΩ Balanced
10kΩ Unbalanced

100m CAT5e cable
(shielded required)

19” (483mm) W

6.25” (159mm) D
1U, 1.75” (44mm) H

.03% (100mW, 22Ω)
.014% (100mW, into 32Ω)
.005% (100mW, into 64Ω)
.003% (100mW, into 300Ω)

Frequency Response 20Hz-22 kHz ± 3dB

Crosstalk

(Left to Right)

Latency 1.5 ms

LIVEMIX AD-24

-103 dB

11

® 2014, 2015 Digital Audio Labs. ™ & © 2017 Digital Audio Labs.

Audinate®, the Audinate logo and Dante are trademarks of Audinate Pty Ltd.

Livemix is a registered trademark of Digital Audio Labs.

Patents pending.