RME Audio DIGI96/8 PRO Instruction Manual
User's Guide - Macintosh Version
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SyncAlign
2 / 8 Channels Stereo / ADAT® Interface
24 Bit / 96 kHz üü
ZLM
PCI Bus Audio Card
24 Bit / 96 kHz Digital Audio
32-96 kHz Sample Rate
24 Bit / 96 kHz Analog Audio
Board Rev. 1.2, Hardware version 004
Contents
1 Introduction.............................................................. 3
2 Package Contents.................................................... 3
3 System Requirements.............................................. 3
4 Brief Description and Characteristics........................ 3
5 Technical Specifications
5.1 Digital..................................................................... 4
5.2 Analog.................................................................... 4
5.3 Digital Interface...................................................... 4
5.4 Transfer Modes: Resolution / Bits per Sample........ 4
6 Hardware Installation ................................................ 5
7 Driver Installation..................................................... 5
8 Operation and Usage
8.1 Connections............................................................ 7
8.2 Playback................................................................. 7
8.3 Digital Record ......................................................... 8
8.4 Analog Record ........................................................ 8
8.5 Record while Play................................................... 8
9 Configuring the DIGI96/8 PRO
9.1 General .................................................................. 9
9.2 Analog Output ...................................................... 10
9.3 ADAT Mode .......................................................... 10
9.4 Boot Option ADAT................................................ 10
9.5 Clock Modes - Synchronization............................. 11
10 Using more than one DIGI96/8 PRO............. 12
11 Special Features of the Digital Output.................... 13
12 Operation under ASIO 2.0
12.1 General .............................................................. 14
12.2 Buffer Size - Latency.......................................... 15
12.3 Performance ....................................................... 15
12.4 Known Problems................................................. 16
13 Compatibility
13.1 Software............................................................. 17
13.2 Hardware............................................................ 17
14 Troubleshooting...................................................... 18
15 Warranty................................................................ 19
16 Appendix................................................................ 19
User's Guide DIGI96/8 PRO © RME
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1. Introduction
Thank you for choosing a RME product. DIGI96/8 PRO allows the recording of digital
audio from CD, DAT, sampler or other sources directly into your computer. The numerous
unique features and well thought-out configuration dialog puts the DIGI96 series at the very top
of the range of digital audio interface cards.
Drivers for Windows 95/98, Windows NT and MacOS allow a problem-free, comfortable and
powerful usage on computer systems with PCI bus technology. Drivers for Linux are available
both as OSS and ALSA version. This wide choice of drivers makes the DIGI96 series the most
versatile cross platform digital audio card available, which may be used under all major Operating Systems.
Our 'hi-performance' philosophy guarantees full system performance in all possible functions
not carried out by the driver (the computer´s CPU) but carried out by the DIGI96 series hardware.
2. Package Contents
Please ensure that all the following parts are included in DIGI96/8 PRO’s packaging box:
• PCI card DIGI96/8 PRO
• Quick Info guide
• RME Driver CD
• Adapter cable (D-type - XLR/Phono)
• Internal cable (2 core)
3. System Requirements
• MacOS 8.0 or later
• Power Macintosh computer
• A free PCI bus slot
Additional system requirements such as CPU, memory etc. depend on the software being used
for recording, playing and editing the audio data.
4. Brief Description and Characteristics
• Separate record- and playback circuits; complete master mode
• Enhanced Full Duplex: Different sample rates at input and output possible
• Mixed mode: ADAT in - SPDIF out and vice versa
• Automatic and intelligent master/slave clock control
• Unsurpassed Bitclock-PLL (audio cynchronization) in ADAT mode
• Optional Word Clock Module (WCM) provides word clock input and output
• Track Marker Support: Supports CD/DAT Start-IDs and read out of CD subcode
• ADAT tracks routeable to analog output
• Unique status windows for record and playback, showing mode and sample rate
• Realtime ADAT from/to SPDIF converter, realized directly in hardware
• ASIO 2.0 support
• Enhanced Zero Latency Monitoring: hardware bypass per track, controlled by Punch-I/O
• SyncAlign guarantees sample aligned and never swapping channels
• 32 bit memory transfer and fast 128 kB SRAM guarantee very low system load
User's Guide DIGI96/8 PRO © RME
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5. Technical Specifications
5.1 Digital
• Ultra-low jitter S/PDIF: < 1 ns in PLL mode (44.1 kHz, optical in)
• Ultra-low jitter ADAT: < 2 ns in PLL mode (44.1 kHz, optical in)
• Input PLL ensures zero dropout, even at more than 40 ns jitter
• Bitclock PLL for trouble-free varispeed in ADAT mode
• High-sensitivity input stage (< 0.2 Vss input level)
• Output voltage 0.8V (phono), 3.5V (XLR)
• Supported sample rates: 32 / 44.1 / 48 / 64 / 88.2 / 96 kHz and variable (word clock)
5.2 Analog
• Analog output fixed +10 / +4 / -2 / -8 dBu @ 0 dBFS
• THD+N output: -100 dB / 0.001%
• Dynamic range output: 108 dB (RMS unweighted, unmuted), 112 dBA
• Sample rates playback: 32 / 44,1 / 48 / 64 / 88,2 / 96 kHz and variable (word clock)
• Ouput impedance: 75 Ohm
• Channel separation: > 110 dB
5.3 Digital Interface
• Inputs and outputs ground-free transformer coupled
• Connectors: optical (TOSLINK), coaxial (phono), XLR, internal (CD-ROM/Sync-In, Sync-
Out)
• Formats: SPDIF, AES/EBU (Consumer/Professional), ADAT optical
5.4 Transfer Modes: Resolution / Bits per Sample
• 16 bit 2 bytes (stereo 4 bytes)
This mode is active when using the Sound Manager.
• 16 bit 2 bytes (stereo 4 bytes)
• 32 bit 4 bytes (stereo 8 bytes)
These modes are available when using ASIO. The 32 bit mode is used to provide 24 bit audio
resolution.
User's Guide DIGI96/8 PRO © RME
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6. Hardware Installation
Important: Switch off the computer and remove the power cable from the power supply before fitting the DIGI96/8 PRO. Inserting and removing the card while the computer is in
operation will more than likely lead to irreparable damage to the mainboard!
1. Disconnect the power cord and all other cables from the computer
2. Remove the computer's housing; further information on how to do this can be obtained from
your computer´s instruction manual
3. Neutralize the static build up by touching the computer's metal-chassis before unpacking the
DIGI96/8 PRO from the protective bag.
4. Insert DIGI96/8 PRO into a free PCI slot, press and ensure that the card is properly
seated. Fasten the screw (if any).
5. Re-place the computer's housing and tighten the screws (if any).
6. Re-connect the power cable and all other cables/connections.
7. Driver Installation
The DIGI96/8 PRO may be used with Macintosh Sound Manager applications by selecting the card for Input and Output with the Sound Control Panel. When used in this way operation will be restricted to 16 bits and 48 kHz.
Full multichannel and 96 kHz performance can only be achieved by using ASIO drivers with
ASIO applications.
It is not possible to use the DIGI96 series with the control panel 'Monitors and Sound'
of MacOS 8.x! This is a restriction of the operating system. Apple provide an optional control
panel 'Sound', found in the Apple Extras Folder. Please move this into the Control Panels
folder (e.g. by dragging onto the System folder) before installing our card and drivers.
MacOS9.x includes a new Sound panel which operates flawlessly with the DIGI96 series.
If you already installed an older version of the driver first make sure to remove all old files.
To do so open the 'Extensions' folder which is inside your 'System' folder. Remove all files
which have a 'DIGI96' at the beginning of their names. Remove every 'DIGI96 ASIO' file from
all 'ASIO Drivers' folders of your computer.
First fit the card (see 6. Hardware Installation), then switch on the computer and double-click
the 'm96_x.sit' archive to decompress it into separate files (using 'Aladin Stuffit Expander').
Drag the new driver DIGI96/8
PRO and the file DIGI96 Sound
Component to the System fol-
der. They will be installed automatically into the 'Extension'
folder. Confirm the system's
message to complete the installation. Now the driver files
should be found in the 'Extension' folder, see example to the
right.
User's Guide DIGI96/8 PRO © RME
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Copy the new files RME DIGI Settings and
DIGI96 ASIO into all 'ASIO Drivers' folders found on your computer. As every ASIO software
has its own ASIO Drivers folder the files have to
be copied several times. The picture to the right
shows an example after installation of Hammerfall and DIGI96.
Configuration of the DIGI96 series cards is done
through the Settings dialog, which can be called
from within any ASIO compatible software (for
example Audio/System/ASIO Control Panel). To
be able to call up the Settings dialog at any time
we recommend to create an Alias on the
desktop. To create an Alias select 'RME DIGI Settings' with the mouse cursor, press and hold
the Apple and Alt keys on your keyboard, and drag 'RME DIGI Settings' to the desired loaction.
With this all RME cards in the system can be configured easily even without starting an ASIO
software.
To finish installation reboot the computer.
During re-boot the icon of the driver (a DIGI PCB symbol) appears together with other system
extensions, thus signalling three states of installation:
• Driver is loading
• Driver loaded, hardware found
• Driver loading or hardware recognition failed
If the DIGI96 driver icon has a red cross through it either driver installation or hardware recognition failed. Try to use a different PCI-slot and check that all driver files are found in the system folder. If that does not work contact your local retailer.
User's Guide DIGI96/8 PRO © RME
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8. Operation and Usage
8.1 Connections
The DIGI96/8 PRO has 3 external and 1 internal (contact pins on the board) inputs and
outputs. The internal digital input can be connected to an internal CD-ROM drive when this is
supplied with a digital audio output (advantage: the built in CD-ROM drive is sufficient for digital recording and the need for external cabling does not arise). Or it can be connected with the
internal output of another DIGI96 series card (synchronizing multiple cards).
The current input is selected via the RME DIGI Settings dialog. The card accepts all commonly
used digital sources as well as SPDIF and AES/EBU. Channel status and copy protection are
ignored.
Use the supplied cable
adapter to connect coaxial (SPDIF) or XLR
(AES/EBU) devices.
The red phono connector is the SPDIF output,
the white connector is
the SPDIF input.
The ground-free design with transformers for digital inputs and outputs offers a problem-free
connection of all devices along with perfect hum rejection.
All outputs are driven parallel, therefore carry identical signals. In the simplest situation, connect 3 devices at the outputs and use the card as splitter (distribution 1 to 3).
The ¼" TRS stereo jack (wiring diagram see appendix) provides a 2-channel unbalanced analog output. The analog output is directly driven from the digital output. A superior 24 bit DAC
followed by a low impedance driver stage allows the connection of stereo headphones. The
analog output level can be changed coarse (± 12 dB) with the ‘Level’ switch at the bracket. A
special mute circuit reduces noise when switching the computer on and off.
The two connectors ST6 and ST7 provide a connection to the optional Word Clock Module
WCM.
8.2 Playback
Use the Sound control panel, Sound Out, to
activate DIGI96/8 PRO as playback
device, and set up the desired sample frequency for playback.
Note that in most cases it is not necessary
to set up the sample rate (and is not possible at all since OS9.x).
The Sound Manager will play back all data
unaltered as long as the sample rate is
supported by the DIGI96 series. Otherwise
a software sample rate converter is automatically used.
User's Guide DIGI96/8 PRO © RME
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