MARIAN TRACE PRO AE User Manual

TRACE PRO AE

User’s Guide

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All trademarks are the property of the respective owners.

MARIAN is not liable for any damage to the software, hardware and data and costs resulting from it, which are caused by improper handling or installation of the hardware. Technical changes are reserved.

Welcome 4

Features 6

Installation 7

Scope of supply 7

System requirements 7

Connectors on the TRACE PRO AE 8

AES/EBU Inputs and Outputs 8 Wordclock/SuperClock Input 8 Analog Inputs and Outputs 8 S/PDIF Input 9 TDM SyncBus 9

The TRACE PRO AE in Detail 10

The first contact 10

The Mixer 11

What is it all about? 11 The channels 12 Specialities of digital channel strips 14 The master channel 14 Adaptable – changing the view of the TRACE PRO AE Mixer 15 The number of aux sums 16 Further functions 16

The Output Control 18

What is it all about? 19 Adaptable – changing the view of the Output Control 20

The clock status panel 22

What is it all about? 22 Clock-status and sample rate 22 Samplerate converter 23

Saving and loading setups 24

The MARIAN TDM SyncBus 26

Principles of the TDM SyncBus 26 Using the TDM SyncBus 26

The settings 28

Synchronization 29 Latency 33 Audio Options 34 ASIO Device Setup 36

The TRACE PRO AE in the connection with digital devices 38

Background 38 What is a clock? 38 The rules in the digital audio world 39 Important notes on TRACE PRO AE and digital clock. 39

The channel references 42

Playback line 42 Record line 42

PCI Bus Master Technology 43

Hands on the TRACE PRO AE 44

Sounding Good 44

Background 44 How to do it? 44

Setting up the latency 45

Background 45 Setting up the “DMA Latency” 46 Setting up the audio driver latency 47

In a Project Studio 48

Situation 48 Hardware routing 48 Software routing 48 Volume settings 49 Finalizing 49

The TRACE PRO AE as hard-disk-recording-system 50

Situation 50 What’s there to care about? 50

The TDM SyncBus – Example 1 52

The situation 52 The solution 52

The TDM SyncBus – Example 2 53

The situation 53 The solution 53

Glossary 54

Technical Facts 58

Service and Support 61

Warranty 61

Contact 61

Welcome

Congratulations and thank you very much that you decided in favour of a MARIAN product. You have chosen an innovative and powerful sound system, created according to your needs, the needs of our faithful customers. We are proud to present to you: the TRACE PRO AE.

With this fine piece of high technology you are well equipped for the future of digital audio signal processing. That is because the TRACE PRO AE is not just simply a recording system with professional connections in crystalclear audio quality of 24 bit and 192 kHz – once installed it will upgrade your computer to a most flexible digital audio workstation. It offers you possibilities realized yet with expensive additional equipment only and hardly ever within a computer. You can, e.g. mix input signals and playback signals of a software without any delay on a comfortable mixer surface.

Due to the high quality input sample rate converter of digital input of the TRACE PRO AE you achieve a flexibility in handling different digital audio data format unheard-of so far. Thanks to the unique Output Control extensive routings of all digital and analog single- and mix-signals are set up, saved and recalled in a jiffy – just like at a patchbay.

As the special feature, the TRACE PRO AE includes the all-new TDM SyncBus. This amazing and mighty tool of digital signal processing is integrated directly within the powerful DSP mixer. With the help of the TDM SyncBus all available signals can easily be directed to the input of a TRACE PRO AE or other Marian Soundcards with TDM SyncBus option, and are available there like “real” physical input signals. The resulting routing- and mix-capabilities are almost unlimited.

Please take your time to go through the next pages of this manual also. Besides helpful explanations for the installation, it offers many valuable hints on how to use the Mixer and the Output Control effectively and profitably. If you run in on technical terms while reading, which are unknown to you, the glossary at the end of this manual will helpfully serve you for their clearance.

Now, we do wish you lots of success in working with the TRACE PRO AE. We hope it will bring you just as much fun, as we had developing it.

Your MARIAN Team

Features

Your TRACE PRO AE comes with a lot of great functions. Here you can find a small list of properties and capabilities.

PCI Busmaster card

Full duplex support and Multi-Client Support

2 analog, balanced in- and outputs with switchable reference level

Digital Stereo in- and output in AES/EBU format

Digital S/PDIF input for internal CD/DVD drives

High-quality samplerate converter for the digital input

24 bit / 192 kHz resolution

Complete balanced signal circuits for all connectors

20 channel DSP Mixer; FPGA based, 40 Bits Precision; latencyfree

Flexible and extensive mix-, monitor- and routing possibilities

DAT-marker support

MARIAN SyncBus compatible

MARIAN TDM SyncBus compatible

WordClock/SuperClock input with software switch able termination

Synchronization as clock master (output of internal clock on AES/EBU outputs or SyncBus)

Synchronization as clock slave (using external clock on WordClock or digital input or SyncBus)

Highly-developed multi-client driver for Windows™ XP: MME, ASIO 2.0, GSIF 2.0, WDM-Audio, DirectSound

Installation

On the quick start guide and in the interactive tutorial on the driver CD you will find all important installation steps explained graphically. If you have any further questions concerning the installation, please contact our support service. At the end of this manual you will find the different ways of contacting us.

Scope of supply

After opening the package of the TRACE PRO AE, please check if the following components are included and undamaged.

1 x TRACE PRO AE PCI slot card

1 x XLR breakout cable for analog

1 x XLR breakout cable for digital

1 x connector cable for internal S/PDIF input

1 x CD-ROM with driver software

1 x CD-ROM with bundle software

this manual with quick installation guide

System requirements

For successful and orderly operation of the TRACE PRO AE, the following basic requirements have to be met.

Intel Pentium-, or AMD CPU with at least 1 GHz clock and 256 MB RAM

Operating system Windows™ 2000, Windows™ XP Home or Professional or Windows

Direct X 9b

One free PCI slot

™

2003 Server

Connectors on the TRACE PRO AE

S/PDIF input for

internal CD/DVD

drives

AES/EBU breakout

cable connector for

digital in- and output

WordClock/Superclock

input

Breakout cable

connector for analog

in- and output

TDM

SyncBus

AES/EBU Inputs and Outputs

The stereo AES/EBU in- and output is connected to the TRACE PRO AE using a breakout cable.

Wordclock/SuperClock Input

Connect the Wordclock or SuperClock output of a digital clock device here, if the TRACE PRO AE is to be synchronized externally.

Analog Inputs and Outputs

The stereo analog in- and output is connected to the TRACE PRO AE using a breakout cable.

S/PDIF Input

Connect the digital output of an internal CD or DVD drive. The signal is available in the “Digital” input channel of the Mixer if “CD” is choosen in the drop down list.

TDM SyncBus

If other MARIAN sound systems with TDM SyncBus option are installed, they can be connected here using a TDM SyncBus cable. Other MARIAN sound systems with SyncBus option only, can be connected using an adapter cable. Both cables can be ordered at the MARIAN web shop.

The TRACE PRO AE in Detail

The first contact

After the successful installation the symbol of the TRACE PRO AE manager appears in the Windows™ taskbar of your computer. It offers you direct access to important driver settings, the clock status display, the DSP-based 20 channel Mixer and the Output Control of the TRACE PRO AE. Furthermore, you can save and load the setups for Mixer and Output Control. Via “Visualizations” you may choose the different skins for Mixer and Output Control. “Info” shows the current driver version of the TRACE PRO AE. This is needed when consulting our support service with certain questions. The menu is opened with a single mouse click, with another on the corresponding entry the window of it is being opened. Via clicking the option “Always on Top” it is prevented that any other window can cover the Mixer or the Output Control. This option is helpful, when working simultaneous with other windows, while wanting constant direct access on Mixer and Output Control.

PRO AE have been installed, the entries for Mixer and Output Control will appear accordingly with the extension „#2“, „#3“ and so on. The settings of the sound systems are managed via one window.

If several TRACE

The Mixer

What is it all about?

This window shows all input channels and the master section of the TRACE PRO AE Mixer. You can see physical inputs (analog and digital), the channels of the TDM SyncBus (TDM In 1 to 4) and the playback channels of an audio application. (Play 1-2 to 7-8) The TRACE PRO AE offers an application with 16 playback channels as Play 1-2 to 15-16. Within the mixer though, only Play 1-2 up to 7-8 are shown as separate input channel strips. The Mixer treats all shown types of channel equally.

The channels

As an example for all types of channels, let’s take a look at input channel “1-2” from top to bottom.

First we have the “GAIN”-knob. It is for adjusting the audio level. For the analog input the level adjustement takes place directly at the input stage of the TRACE PRO AE. This influences the level with which a software application is recording from this input. That is why the “GAIN” knob of the analog input is pictured in a different colour. Using the level switch a level adjustment of the input stage can be achived. This affects the range of the “GAIN”-knob.

Beneath “GAIN”, “AUX 1”, “AUX 2” and so on are placed. Pulling up knob “AUX 1” will result in a volume increase of the signal in the signal sum aux 1, pulling up knob “AUX 2” increases the volume of the signal in signal sum aux 2 and so forth. Hence the aux knobs have the same function like the fader at the end of the channel, except: not for the master sum, but for each aux signal sum.

Besides the aux knobs the “PRE”-button is located. If it is activated with a mouse click, the fader at the end of the channel looses its influence on the corresponding aux knob. Thus, the fader can, for example, be placed on position “-60” while still a signal reaches the Output Control of the TRACE PRO AE via the affected aux knob. Between “AUX 1” and “AUX 2” as well as “AUX 3” and “AUX 4” and so on a linkbutton is situated. If clicked on, aux volume and pre buttons for aux 1 and 2, aux 3 and 4 and so on are connected functionally. That means: when opening up “AUX 1”, “AUX 2” is equally pulled up. Just like that, “PRE”-button of “AUX 2” is 12

Z Instructions on how to monitor these aux sums on the TRACE PRO AE, you will find in section “The Output Control”.

Z Examples on how to use pre buttons and aux sums correctly please refer to the “hands on”part.

Z The number of shown aux controls depends on the operation mode of the TRACE PRO AE!

Z If you set up different volumes for “AUX 1” and “AUX 2” without the link-button activated, this relation remains with the link-button pushed.

activated when pushing “PRE”-button of “AUX 1”.

Now the balance knob “BAL” follows. It regulates the volume relation between left and right channel of the signal, the way it shall appear in the master sum.

Z The solo button has no influence on the aux sums!

Z Double clicking the field next to the Pre button allows you to enter volumes numerically in dB values.

If the “Solo”-button is active in one or more channels, the mix out of the TRACE PRO AE provides the signal of these channels only.

If the “Mute”-button is active in one or more channels, the mix out of the TRACE PRO AE and the affected aux sums do not carry these signals. The aux busses of these channels are not muted if their “PRE”-button is active.

With the help of the fader at the end of the channel strip, the portion of volume of the channel on the master sum is regulated. Next to it, the level meter with clipping LED (up) and “PRE”-button (down) are located.

If “PRE” is active, the level of the signal is shown independently of the position or before the gain knob. If “PRE” is not active, it is measured and shown “post” – that means after the fader. This applies to all channel types.

Specialities of digital channel strips

At the top of the channel “Digital In” a drop down list ist placed. It allows choosing the signal for this channel. It offers “AES” for the digital AES/EBU input or “CD” for an internal CD/DVD drive.

This ends our little overview on the input channels of the TRACE PRO AE Mixer. Now, you know how to set up the volume of a channel on the master sum or the aux sums. The only thing that’s missing is a possibility to control the level of all of these sum signals. That’s what the master channel on the right side of the Mixer is all about.

The master channel

The upper knobs regulate the volume of the aux sums. Between “AUX 1” and “AUX 2” as well as “AUX 3” and “AUX 4” and so forth a linkbutton is situated. If clicked on, the concerning Aux-knobs are connected functionally. That means: when opening up “AUX 1”, “AUX 2” is equally pulled up.

If the Solo-button has been switched on in any channel, the master channel will indicate this with a lit “Solo” LED. Using the “X”-button next to “Solo” you can deactivate all solo buttons of all channels simultaneously.

Z If you set up different volumes for “AUX 1” and “AUX 2” or the right and the left fader without the link-button activated, this relation remains with the link-button pushed.

The master faders serve as regulators for the volume of the main sum. They are assigned either to the left or the right channel. As long as link-button is pushed, they are moved synchronously.

Note: Hidden channels

are still active, just like they were shown.

Adaptable – changing the view of the TRACE PRO AE Mixer

In the bottom left corner of the Mixer you can find four buttons for “Analog”, “Digital”, “TDM” and “PLAY”. These allow, with a click on the button, to hide or show the affected channels.

In order to adjust the look of the Mixer according to your needs, single rows of control elements can be hid or shown with the help of “Parts”. This applies to all gain-, aux- or bal knobs and the “Extra” row.

All these functions can be very handy for saving precious space on your computer screen. But they’re also useful if you wish to secure certain setups of faders or knobs from accidentally being changed.

Of course, apart from all these functions, the window can be sized horizontally.

If multiple TRACE PRO AE have been installed, you can bring up the Mixer of every sound system using the drop-down list in the top bar of the window. The lock-symbol in the upper right corner of the window prevents coverage by other windows. This way the Mixer is always on top and accessible.

independent of setups (see chapter “Saving and loading Setups”). Thus, they will not be overwritten by a setup.

Snapshots are

Yyou may save certain visual configurations along with the current mixer settings in a “snapshot”. For this, click on one of the three buttons beneath “snaps” on the row “save”. If

ou wish to recall a snapshot, click on the “load”-button situated beneath the previously saved snapshot.

The number of aux sums

The TRACE PRO AE can be operated in 3 different modes. Depending on the mode, only a limited number of aux-sums will be available. On samplerates up to 48 kHz 6 aux-sums will be available. On 96 kHz there will be 2 aux-sums. On 192 kHz, no aux-sum will be available.

That’s why the drop-down list of Mixer and Output Control will be automatically adjusted accordingly.

Further functions

In the lower left corner of the Mixer 2 function buttons can be found. Via “Setup” the same context menu is opened as when clicking on the TRACE PRO AE symbol in the task bar. Here you will find fast access to important functions and windows of the TRACE PRO AE sound system.

“Outputs” opens the Output Control. There again you can quickly switch to the mixer surface using the “Mixer” button.

In section “The TRACE PRO AE settings” you get to know, how to switch between the modes and what the outcome will be.

The Output Control

So far, we have taken a look at signals, which either entered the TRACE PRO AE via a physical input or as a playback signal of a software.

The Output Control allows controlling all signals, leaving the TRACE PRO AE. It is opened with single click on “Output Control” via e.g. the TRACE PRO AE symbol on the Windows™ taskbar.

You probably figure, that this window looks pretty much like the Mixer window. Sure it doesn’t have gain-, aux and bal knobs but it has routing buttons instead.

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