Sound Devices 722 User Manual

722

High Resolution Digital Audio Recorder
User Guide and Technical Information
firmware rev. 2.67

Sound Devices, LLC

E7556 State Rd. 23/33 • Reedsburg, WI • USA
[phone] • fax: [phone]
Toll-Free: [phone]
www.sounddevices.com
[e-mail]

SATA

2.5" HDD

Table of Contents

722 User Guide and Technical Information

Quick Start Guide ...........................3

Powering the Unit
Menu Navigation Basics
Connecting Audio Sources
Routing Inputs to Tracks
Recording Parameter Setup
Recording
Playback
FireWire File Transfer

Front Panel Descriptions .....................6

Panel Lock

LCD Display Descriptions ....................9

Left Panel Connectors and Controls .......... 11

Right Panel Connectors and Controls .........12

Back Panel Descriptions ....................13

Input Setup and Control .....................14

Input Source Selection
Analog Inputs
Input Linking (Stereo or MS Decoding)
Digital Input – AES3
Digital Input – AES3id (S/PDIF)
Signal Presence and Peak Indicator
Input Delay

Input-to-Track Routing ...................... 17

Routing
Selective Input Muting

Sampling Rate and Bit Depth ................ 19

Sampling Rate
Bit Depths

Word Clock ...............................20

Clock Slave
C. Link – Multi-Unit Linking

Outputs – Analog and Digital ................ 22

Analog Output Bus
Digital Output Bus

Headphone Output .........................23

Selecting Headphone Sources
Setting Headphone Source Options
MS Stereo Monitoring
Rotary Switch Behavior
Headphone Favorite Selection
Headphone Playback Mode
Headphone Warning Tones

Metering and Display .......................25

Output Meter
Meter Ballistics
Peak LEDs
Tone Oscillator
LCD Contrast & Backlight, LED Brightness
LCD Gain Display
Record Indication

24-Hour Time Counter .......................28

Recording ................................29

Recording
Pre-Record Buffer
Failure During Recording
Record Pause
Record Timer

Playback .................................31

AutoPlay

Audio File Formats .........................32

.WAV
.FLAC
.MP2
.MP3
iXML

Recording Time Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Uncompressed Recording Time in Track-Hours
MP3 Compressed Record Time in Hours

File Naming / Numbering ....................35

Scene Name/Number
Take Numbers
Mono Track Name Designators
Duplicate File Names

Wave Agent Beta ...........................37

File Management ..........................38

Folder Actions
File Viewer Screen
File Time and Date
File Size Maximum
Setting/Clearing Flag Bits
Automatic Flag Clearing
File Copying Among Available Drives
File Deletion
False Take Control
Emptying the Trash and False Take Folders
Take Number Incrementing
Take List
Take Status

Storage Medium – Internal Drive ..............44

Formatting
Drive Type
Drive Replacement
Drive Failure

Storage Medium – CompactFlash .............47

When to Use CF
Formatting
Testing
Qualified CF Cards

Storage Medium – External FireWire Drives ....48

When to Use External FireWire Drives
Formatting
FireWire Bus Powering
Qualified Drives
DVD-RAM Drives

File Transfer – FireWire .....................50

Powering .................................51

Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery
External Powering and Battery Charging
Time of Day Battery
Auto Functions with External Powering
Power-up Messages
Power Consumption Variables

Firmware Upgrades ........................54

Version Infor mation
Upgrade Process

CL-1 Remote Control and Keyboard Interface ...55

Connecting the CL-1
Logic Inputs and Outputs
Logic Inputs
Logic Outputs

Setup Menu Presets ........................58

Built-In Presets

Setup Menu ...............................61

Front Panel Button Shortcuts ................67

Connector Pin Assignments .................68

Specifications .............................69

Accessories ..............................71

CE Declaration of Conformity ................73

Software License ..........................74

Limitation of Liability

Warranty .................................76

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

Welcome

Thank you for purchasing the 722. The super-compact 722 records and plays back audio to and from
its internal hard drive or CompactFlash medium, making field recording simple and fast. It writes
and reads uncompressed PCM audio at 16 or 24 bits with sample rates between 32 kHz and 192 kHz.
It also writes and reads data compressed FLAC and audio compressed MP2 and MP3 files.

The 722 implements a no-compromise audio path that includes Sound Devices’ next generation
microphone preamplifiers. Designed specifically for high bandwidth, high bit rate digital recording,
these preamps set a new standard for frequency response linearity, low distortion performance, and
low noise.

With documentary and ENG recording engineers in mind, the 722 is very small, while still being fea­ture-rich. No other recorder on the market matches its size and feature set. In addition, its learning
curve is quite short—powerful does not mean complicated. While the 722 is a very capable recorder
by itself, it truly excels when used in conjunction with an outboard audio mixer such as Sound
Devices’ own 302 or 442.

Sound Devices took advantage of the best in professional and consumer electronics technologies
to bring incredible feature depth with ease of use. Its two internal recording media (hard drive and
CompactFlash) and external FireWire storage are highly reliable, industry standard, and easily
obtainable. The removable, rechargeable battery is a standard Sony-compatible Li-ion camcorder
cell. The 722 interconnects with Windows and Mac OS computers for convenient data transfer and
backup.

722 Firmware Known Issues

For a complete list of known issues regarding the most current firmware please visit Sound Notes.

http://www.sounddevices.com/notes/recorders/known-issues/

Copyright Notice and Release

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the expressed written permission of SOUND DEVICES,
LLC. SOUND DEVICES is not responsible for any use of this information.

SOUND DEVICES, LLC shall not be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses
incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or
alterations to this product, or failure to strictly comply with SOUND DEVICES, LLC’s operating and installation instructions.

Microsoft Windows is registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer. Other
product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

The sound waves logo is a registered trademark of Sound Devices, LLC.

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v. 2.67 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.

722 User Guide and Technical Information

Quick Start Guide

The 722 is an extremely powerful and flexible portable audio recorder. Before recording, familiarity
with the product is essential. Several settings should be verified or set based on individual recording
needs.

Powering the Unit

1. Apply power to the unit by connecting the (included) removable, rechargeable Li-ion (lithium ion) bat­tery to the back panel battery mount. The metal tabs on the mount line up with the electrical contacts
on the battery. From the factory, the battery may not have a charge, so external DC may be needed for
initial operation and charging. Connect the included AC-to-DC power adapter to the DC input plug to
power and charge the removable Li-ion battery.

2. Press and hold the power key to power up the unit. To power down the unit the power button must be
held for one second.

If this is the first time the recorder has been powered, or if it has been without a battery for an ex­tended period, the date and time may need to be set.

Charge the included Li-ion battery for 6 hours prior to initial use.

Menu Navigation Basics

The setup menu provides options for recording, routing, and control parameters. The single layer
menu structure allows for very quick navigation and selection of functions. To enter the setup menu
press the front panel key. Once in the setup menu, the following conventions are shared for
navigating among selections and to select specific parameters.

• - enters setup menu

• item - highlighted menu item

• 4 - selects highlighted item or parameter

• - moves up in menu and between menu parameters

• - moves down in menu and between menu parameters

• 8 - exits the selected menu or menu altogether

• The stop key will exit from any menu and cancel any changes. Use it to escape out of the

setup menus.

The right panel Rotary Switch (labeled “Select”) is a convenient control to quickly navigate among
menu items and item options. Its push-to-select function duplicates the check mark in most menus.

Connecting Audio Sources

1. Connect audio sources, either analog or digital, to the input connectors.

2. Set the appropriate input type and level—analog mic, analog line, or digital—with the adjacent slide

switch.

3. If mic-level inputs are used on XLR 1 or XLR 2, make certain that phantom power, input limiters, and
high-pass filters are activated, as required.

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

Routing Inputs to Tracks

Before recording, inputs must be assigned to tracks. Each of the 722’s two inputs can be assigned to
the two tracks (A, B). Sixteen possible routing combinations are shown on the front panel with four
blue LEDs. Illuminated LEDs indicate input-to-track assignment.

1. Press and hold the STOP key then press the INPUT key to cycle through factory routing pre-
sets. The 722 has four often-used presets for quick setup of input-to-track routing combinations. Note
the routing combinations on the blue LEDs with each successive press.

2. If none of the preset routing combinations are suitable, assign a custom routing. Sequential presses of
the input key will eventually cycle to the custom routing option (see Input to Track Routing, pg. 18).
From the custom input routing menu any input can be assigned to any track, including multiple inputs
assigned to a single track.

3. Press Ex it to leave input routing mode.

If no input is assigned to a track the 722 will not record.

Recording Parameter Setup

For most productions, the general recording parameters of sample rate, bit depth, media selection,
and file format are changed infrequently. Enter the setup menu to verify recording settings. Sample
rate and bit depth are displayed on the LCD panel.

1. Select the bit depth as needed.

2. Set the sample rate as needed.

3. Select the file type, WAV mono or WAV poly, FLAC, MP2, or MP3.

4. Select the storage medium (internal hard drive, CompactFlash, external drive, or any combination of the

three) for recording.

Recording

Now that file basics are set, you are ready to begin recording. The 722 is a record-priority box. Press­ing the record key cancels all functions—except file operations—and immediately starts recording
a new file. When record is pressed, the red record LED illuminates to confirm record mode. The
filename in the LCD display shows the currently recorded file. Push the stop (150 ms) key to
end recording.

Playback

When recording is stopped, the most recently recorded file is immediately available for playback.
Press the key to begin file playback from the beginning of the file.

To select a file for playback:

1. Press and hold the key to select the folder (directory) for playback, either internal hard drive or

Compact Flash. The default playback directory is the volume being recorded.

2. Use the Rotary Switch, or the arrow soft-keys, to navigate through the file directory.

3. Once a file is highlighted, press the play key to begin playback.

When playback has finished, the filename will begin flashing. Use the fast-forward key or
rewind key to step through files in the folder, or press the stop key to exit playback mode.

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v. 2.67 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.

722 User Guide and Technical Information

FireWire File Transfer

Sound Devices strongly recommends shutting down equipment before connecting to or from any
FireWire device with a connection that carries power (6-pin). Reports have come to our attention of
isolated problems when hot-plugging IEEE 1394 (FireWire) devices. (Hot-plugging refers to making con­nections when one or more of the devices—including the computer—is on.) When hot-plugging, there are
rare occurrences where either the FireWire device or the FireWire port on the host computer is rendered
permanently inoperable. From our experience, any FireWire connection which carries power is susceptible
to this type of damage.

When connected via FireWire (IEEE-1394a) to a Mac OS or Windows OS computer (see Specifications

for computer requirements), the internal hard drive and connected CompactFlash storage mediums are

mounted onto the computer as “letter” accessible drives. Use the appropriate FireWire cable, either
6-pin to 4-pin or 6-pin to 6-pin, for interconnection. Files on the 722 can be treated as if they are local
files, including renaming files, copying, and playing directly from the 722 storage medium. No driv­ers are required with operating systems meeting the specifications.

In general, it is good practice to copy all needed audio files from the 722 to a computer before any process­ing is performed on the files.

To connect the 722 for FireWire transfer:

1. Stop all playback and recording activity.

2. Make certain the 722 battery is fully charged, or connect to external DC.

3. Connect the 722 to the host computer with a FireWire cable.

4. Initiate connection to the computer by accessing the FireWire: Connection menu option in the

Setup Menu. Select Computer/Connect or if this has already been selected simply hit STOP then the
HDD key to initiate a connection to the computer. The 722 will enter FireWire transfer, indicated by
FIREWIRE CONNECTION on the LCD display. All functions of the 722 are stopped while the 722 is con­nected to a computer through FireWire.

5. Navigate to either the CF card or hard drive from the computer and copy all needed audio files to local
storage on the computer.

To avoid possible directory corruption on the hard drive, do not interrupt the connection process and
always properly dismount the drives from the operating system. On Mac OS platforms, drag the drive
icons to the trash. On Windows platforms, use the “Disconnect External Media” icon in the system tray.

Dismount the 722 after file transfer by “ejecting” the volume from the computer. In Mac OS, drag the
disk icon from the desktop to the trash or hit -e. In Windows OS, highlight the disk icon, right-click,
and select “eject”. It is best practice to “eject” the 722 volume from the computer to maintain file
integrity (see FireWire File Transfer).

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

Front Panel Descriptions

All settings of the 722 can be accessed and monitored through the front panel LCD and navigation
keys. This allows the unit to be placed in a production bag along with field mixers and wireless
transmitters and receivers.

27

26

28

29

25

1

2

23 24

4

19

1) Digital Input LEDs

Indicates the presence of digital signal
on the respective input. When flashing,
indicates that digital input is selected
but no valid digital clock signal is pres­ent.

2) Input 1 Gain

Controls the analog gain (input trim) of
the channel 1 input. Normal mic input
range is from 25 dB to 70 dB, low gain
mic range is from 10 dB to 55 dB, line
input range is from -6 dB to 18 dB. For
line-level inputs, this control can be
defeated and gain can be setup menu­controlled. If the LCD display shows
“locked” when the pot is turned, gain
control of the line-level input is menu­controlled. When inputs are linked as
a stereo pair, Input 1 Gain controls the
gain of both inputs.

3) Input 2 Gain

Controls input 2 gain, as in #2 above.
When inputs are linked as a stereo pair,
Input 2 Gain controls left-to-right bal­ance.

4) MENU Key

Used to access all 722 setup menu selec­tions. When in menu mode, used to
move up through the menu selections.

5) LCD Display

Primary display of 722 status. The LCD
is backlit using the LCD backlight con­trol (#15).

5

6

7 8 9 3

15 16 17 18

14 20 21 22

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11

12

13

6) Tone Oscillator

Press to activate the tone oscillator, press
and hold for two seconds or longer to
latch on, press again to deactivate. Fre­quency, tone level, and routing are con­trolled in the Setup Menu. When in the
Setup Menu use the TONE key to enter
Setup Menu options and select parame­ters when the check mark appears in the
upper right hand corner of the LCD.

7) Input-to-Track Matrix LEDs

Blue LEDs indicate inputs (1 and 2)
enabled for recording to tracks (A and
B). A solid blue LED indicates an input
is routed to a track. A flashing LED dur­ing “custom” routing mode shows the
selected input/track combination.

8) INPUT Select Key

Pressing the INPUT key brings up the
input muting and routing menu. Hold
down the INPUT key and press one
of the two indicated soft keys to mute
inputs. Pressing the STOP key and the
INPUT select key cycles through the
six factory preset input-to-track routing
combinations plus the custom routing
menu. In the custom routing menu any
input can be routed to any track. See

Input-to-Track Routing, page 18.

9) Level Meter LEDs

Two, 19-segment track level-meters indi­cate level in dBFS. Metering ballistics are
selected in the setup menu.

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v. 2.67 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.

722 User Guide and Technical Information

10) Power Key

Press and hold to power up the 722.
Press and hold to power down.

11) Charge LED

Indicates the status of the onboard
battery charger. Flashes when exter­nal power is connected and battery is
charging; solid when battery is fully
charged.

12) Power LED

Indicates that the 722 is powered and
available for operation. Flashes when
the removable battery or external DC is
in a low-voltage state.

13) Record Key

Used to start recording. The 722 is a
record-priority device, pressing this key
starts recording and discontinues all
other functions, except file operations.
Pressing key while recording can set a
cue marker or start a new file, as select­ed in the setup menu.

Stop/Pause Key

14)
Press and hold this key for 150 ms to
stop recording. In Record Pause mode
the STOP key will pause the recording,
pressing it twice will finalize the record­ing. In playback mode, a single press
pauses playback (play-pause), allowing
audio scrubbing with the FF and REW
keys. Another press of the key enters
play-stop mode where the FF and REW
keys select files for playback from the
current directory. One more press of the
key exits playback mode. In the setup
menu the stop key is also used to exit
from any menu, returning to the main
display.

15)

LCD Backlight Key

Press to toggle LCD and keyboard
backlighting. Hold the key and turn the
Rotary Switch to adjust the brightness of
LEDs. In menu mode, functions as the
cancel key.

16) Fast Forward Key

Performs fast-forward (FF) scrubbing
through the played file when pressed in
playback and play-pause mode. Play­pause indicated by flashing A-time on
LCD. Fast forward rate increases the lon­ger the key is held. In play-stop mode
(indicated by flashing filename on LCD)
selects the next file in the record folder
(either daily folder or main folder).

17) Play Key

Plays back the file displayed in the LCD.
If pressed immediately after recording is
stopped, the most recently recorded file
is played back.

18) Rewind Key

Performs reverse (REW) scrubbing
through the played file when pressed in
playback and play-pause mode. Play­pause indicated by flashing A-time on
LCD. Reverse playback rate increases
the longer the key is held. In play-stop
mode (indicated by flashing filename
on LCD) selects the previous file in the
record folder (either daily folder or main
folder).

19) HDD Key (File Viewer)

Press to enter the File Viewer. Any avail­able drive, folder, and valid audio file
will appear in the file listings. Selected
drive is shown in white type. Press-and­hold to toggle between available drives.
If only one drive is present, press-and­hold is disabled.

20) Headphone Output Peak LED

Indicates overload of the headphone
amplifier. When lit, the headphone cir­cuit is overloading. Reduce headphone
level.

21) LIM LED

Indicates that the microphone input
limiters are engaged. This LED does not
show input limiting activity (see descrip-

tor #27, Microphone Input Limiter LEDs).

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

22) Link LED
Indicates that channels 1 and 2 are
linked as a stereo pair. In link mode the
channel 1 potentiometer controls gain,
channel 2 potentiometer controls left­to-right balance. Inputs can be linked as
either a stereo L/R pair or as a a Mid­Side (MS) pair.

23) Media Ready LEDs
Indicates storage media is present and
available to record; IN (internal hard
drive), CF (CompactFlash), EX (exter­nal FireWire drive). Flashing indicates
media problem.

24) Media Activity LEDs
Indicates storage media read/write
activity. IN (internal hard drive), CF
(CompactFlash), EX (external FireWire
drive).

25) High-Pass Filter LEDs
Indicates that the high-pass (low-cut)
filter is active for the input. High-pass
only operates when the input is set to
microphone level.

26) Phantom Power LEDs

Indicates that phantom power (48 volts)
is active for the individual input. Phan­tom can be applied to microphone or
line-level signals (menu-selected).

27) Microphone Input Limiter LEDs

Illuminates orange when limiting is
occurring on the microphone input. If
constantly lit, the microphone input is
being “hit” with too high of a signal.
Turn down the input sensitivity until
limiting occurs infrequently.

28) Input Signal Presence LEDs

Indicates presence of analog or digital
signal and its relative level on each of
the two inputs.

29) Input Peak (Overload) LED

Indicates analog signal is approaching
clipping (–3 dBFS) on each of the two
inputs. Also used to indicate that an
input is muted.

Panel Lock

Press and hold the backlight key then the tone key to bring up the front panel Button Lock Screen.
Button lock prevents unintentional changing of settings or record status. The 722 displays any but­ton lock options enabled.

select the soft buttons to
activate the appropriate
button lock mode

There are three modes:

• Unlocked – all buttons are accessible and operate normally.

• Non-Transport Lock – All front panel controls are locked except the Record, Stop, Play, Re-
wind and Fast Forward.

• Lock All – All front panel keys are locked except the Record key. The Record key is kept ac­tive so the user can initiate recording after entering this mode and enter cue markers. To stop
recording in this mode, you must disengage the panel lock and hit the stop key.

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v. 2.67 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.

LCD Display Descriptions

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

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7

2

4

5

6

1) Battery Level Indicator

Shows the voltage level of the remov­able rechargeable battery or external
power sources. External power over­rides internal power when present.
Graphical bar for relative level and
numeric indicator for precise voltage
measurement.

2) File Name Display

Shows file name actively being recorded
or played back. In playback-stop mode,
flashing file name indicates that the fast­forward and rewind keys can be used to
step through files in the current play­back directory.

3) Absolute Time (A-time) Display

Shows the elapsed time of the file be­ing recorded or played back. Flashes
in playback pause mode. In this mode
the FF/REW keys will scrub through
an open audio file. This display can be
set to reverse or flash during recording.
Flashes in playback-pause mode. The
A-time and the 24-Hour Time Counter
display can be exchanged if a large 24­Hour Time Counter display is needed.

4) Time & Date Display

Alternating display between the set date
and time of the 722. This information is
written as the creation and modification
date for generated audio files.

7) Headphone Source Display

Indicates the source for headphone out­put. Sources and selection order are user
selectable in the setup menus.

External Drive Status

8)

(space remaining/record ready)

Bar graph indicates amount of record
time remaining on the external FireWire
volume. Numbers show time in hours
and minutes based on the presently se­lected number of record tracks, sample
frequency, bit rate, and file type. An as­terisk next to any of the available drives
indicates that it is selected as a destina­tion for recorded audio.

9) Internal Hard Drive Status

(space remaining/record ready)

Bar graph indicates amount of record
time remaining on the internal hard
drive. Numbers show time in hours and
minutes based on the presently selected
of number of record tracks, sample fre­quency, bit rate, and file type.

10) CompactFlash Status

(space remaining/record ready)

Bar graph indicates amount of record
time remaining on the CompactFlash
media. Numbers show time in hours
and minutes based on the presently se­lected number of record tracks, sample
frequency, bit rate, and file type.

5) Bit Depth Indicator

Shows the set record bit depth. In play­back, shows the file bit depth.

6) Sample Rate Indicator

Shows the set record sample rate. In
playback, shows the file sample rate.

For all three media types, an asterisk in front
of the media descriptor indicates that the
media is selected for recording. Highlighted
drive descriptor indicates drive selected for
record monitoring, playback or file directory
display.

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

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12

11

11) 24-Hour Time Counter

24-Hour time is displayed
when the Setup Menu option
Time Counter: Mode is set to 24h.
The A-time and the 24-Hour Time
Counter display can be exchanged if
a large 24-Hour Time Counter display
is needed. See 24-Hour Time Counter for

details.

12) Input 1/2 Level

When input 1 or 2 gain is turned this
indicates the gain level in dB for inputs
1 and 2. Gain levels can be selected to
always be displayed in the Setup Menu
option LCD: Gain Display. Normal
mic input gain range is from 26 dB to
70 dB, low gain mic range is from 10 dB
to 50 dB, line input range is from -6 dB
to 18 dB. “Locked” will be displayed
on the LCD when the pot is turned
with digital inputs selected or with line
inputs set to menu control.

14

13) Cue Marker Display

In record mode, indicates when cue
markers are set. Markers set by pressing
the record key (option must be selected
in setup menu). In playback mode, dis­plays cue points numerically as they are
reached in a file.

14) External Digital Clock Indicator

The 722 is locked to a valid external
digital or word clock source when the L
is in the display.

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v. 2.67 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.

Left Panel Connectors and Controls

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

1

1) XLR Input 1/AES3 Input 1&2

Dual function input connection. Input
type set with switch (see #3). Active-bal­anced analog microphone- or line-level
input for input 1. Transformer-balanced
two-channel AES3 input (1 and 2).

2) XLR Input 2

Same as Input 1 above for analog sig­nals. Input type set with switch above.
Active-balanced analog microphone- or
line-level input for input 2.

3) Mic-Line-AES3 Input Switch 1

Selects the input level and mode of the
input XLR 1 connector.

4) Mic-Line Input Switch 2

Selects the input level, mic- or line-level
of input XLR 2. NOTE: there are two re­dundant switch positions for line-level.

2

8

7

5) TA3 Master (L/R) Analog Outputs

Active-balanced, line-level analog L/R
outputs for the Master Analog Out­puts. Program source and attenuation
level are user selectable. Pin-1 ground,
pin-2 (+), pin-3 (–).

6) Headphone Output

3.5 mm TRS stereo headphone connec­tor. Can drive headphones from 8 to
1000 ohm impedances to required levels.
Tip left, ring right, sleeve ground.

7) Headphone Volume

Adjusts the headphone volume. NOTE:
the 722 is capable of producing ear-dam­aging levels in headphones.

8) Tape Output

Unbalanced tape (–10 dBV nominal)
output on 3.5 mm TRS stereo connector.
Signal source is identical to the Master
Output Bus. Tip left, ring right, sleeve
ground.

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

Right Panel Connectors and Controls

7

1) AES3id Input

Unbalanced digital input accepts two
channel AES3 (or S/PDIF) on BNC con­nectors. Supports sample rates up to 200
kHz.

2) FireWire (IEEE-1394) Port

Connection to a computer (Mac OS,
Windows 2k/XP, Vista, Linux) to access
the internal hard drive and Compact­Flash volumes as mass storage devices.
Also used to attach external FAT32­formatted FireWire drives to the 722 for
direct recording and copying.

3) C. Link In/Out Ports

RS-232 protocol interface on 6-pin
modular (“RJ-12”) connector for link­ing multiple 7-Series recorders together.
Word clock and machine transport are
over C. Link.

1

2

6

3

5

4

5) Word Clock Input and Out

Provides clock input and output for the

722. Word input accepts sample rates
between 32 kHz and 192 kHz. Word
clock output is the rate that box is run­ning. There is no sample rate conversion
utility in the 722.

6) AES3id Output

Unbalanced digital output, two-channel,
for Output Bus 2. Signal source is menu­selected.

7) Rotary Switch

When in the Setup Menu, the Rotary
Switch moves among menu items; push
to enter a selection or to enter data. In
record and playback modes, rotate to
select headphone monitor source; push
action is user selectable.

12

4) External DC In

Accepts sources of 10–18 volts DC for
unit powering and removable Li-ion
battery charging. The Hirose 4-pin con­nector is wired pin-1 negative (-), pin-4
positive (+). Pin-2 (-) and pin-3 (+) are
used to charge the removable Li-ion
battery. DC ground at both pins-1 and
2 is at the same potential as chassis and
signal ground.

v. 2.67 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.

Back Panel Descriptions

722 User Guide and Technical Information

1) Security Slot

Compatible with the Kensington® Secu­rity Slot specification. Useful for secur­ing the recorder to a fixed object with a
compatible computer lock.

2) CompactFlash Slot

Accepts CompactFlash medium with the
label-side up. Compatible with Type I,
Type II, and MicroDrives.

1

3) Battery Mount

4) Battery Release Pin

32

Accepts Sony® InfoLithium L- or M­Series removable rechargeable batteries,
or batteries conforming to this mount.
Numerous capacities, from 1500 mAh to
7000 mAh are accommodated.

Push down the pin with a long skinny
object such as a key, screwdriver, or a
pen. With the pin pushed in, slide the L­or M-Series battery to the right to release
the battery

4

13

722 User Guide and Technical Information

Input Setup and Control

The 722 has two inputs and two record tracks. Inputs are selectable between analog or digital sourc­es. Analog inputs are connected with the balanced XLR connectors; digital inputs can be connected
to either XLR Input 1 (AES3) or the BNC input (AES3id).

Input Source Selection

Input types are selected in pairs. Each input pair accepts analog or digital audio. The XLR input
signal is selected with slide switch above the connector.

Manually selecting the audio source is used to force the inputs to analog while using an AES3 or
AES3id input to lock the 722 to an external sample rate.

Digital sources connected to AES3id BNC inputs override analog signals on the corresponding XLR
input. The BNC input signal type is set in the menu settings Input 1,2: Source. For most situations
the appropriate setting is auto select—the 722 will choose the input type based on signal present.

The 722 is capable of off-speed sample rates when clocked from either external digital inputs or the
word clock input.

Input sources can be set to “disabled (power save)”. This option shuts down all circuitry associated
with the inputs to reduce power draw and extend battery runtime during playback. When an input
pair is disabled, the digital input LEDs associated with the pair will flash.

Analog Inputs

Analog inputs 1 and 2, on XLR connectors, are the primary connections into the recorder. These
inputs accept balanced or unbalanced mic- or line-level inputs. When at mic-level, gain is controlled
by the front panel potentiometers. Gain for the line level inputs can be controlled by the front panel
potentiometers or menu settings. Line input gain is controlled in 0.1 dB steps.

A digital input present on the BNC inputs will override an analog signal present on the XLR inputs un­less the input source is set to analog in the setup menu.

In the setup menu, the following functions can be controlled for analog inputs 1 and 2:

Phantom Power

Phantom power (48 volts) can be activated for inputs 1 and 2. When active, phantom is indicated by
front panel LEDs ( ).

Phantom power is available for both mic- and line-level inputs. Using line-level inputs with microphones
is useful in high SPL environments such as concert recording. Make certain to turn off phantom power
with line level output devices susceptible to damage from DC.

Shortcut: To toggle phantom power without entering the menus, press and hold the tone key then

press the menu key for channel 1. Channel 2 phantom can be toggled by pressing the tone key then
pressing the HDD key. If the inputs are in line level mode, phantom power will not activate from the
shortcut keys and must be activated from the menus. Phantom power is linked when the inputs are
linked. (See Input Linking)

14

Input Limiters (mic-level only)

Microphone inputs 1 and 2 each have a limiter circuit designed to prevent input overload. In nor­mal operation, with proper gain settings, the limiters should rarely engage. When activated, these

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

limiters will prevent unusually high input signal levels from clipping the analog input stage of
the preamp. The front panel LIM LED ( ) shows that the limiter is engaged. Limiter activity is
indicated by additional front panel LEDs, one for each input channel ( ). The input limiters are
active only with mic-level inputs. The limiters are engaged by (factory) default.

When limiters are engaged, audio on channels 1 and 2 is limited to -6 dBFS.

Microphone Level Control

Microphone gain is controlled by the front panel recessed knobs. The gain control adjusts an analog
gain stage and functions similarly to the input trim on a mixing console or stand-alone microphone
preamplifier. Gain is controllable over two ranges, normal and low.

Gain Range (microphone-level only)

The microphone inputs operate in four gain ranges, normal, normal fades to off, low,
and low fades to off. The normal range controls input gain from 24.3 dB to 67.4 dB of gain.
The low range controls input gain from 9.3 dB to 52.4 dB. The low ranges are useful for high
SPL recording environments. The fade to off options allow for fader-like control of your gain.
Normal fades to off provides a gain range of off or 0 to 67.4 dB and low fades to off pro-
vides a gain range of off or 0 to 52.4 dB.

High-Pass Filters (microphone-level only)

The high pass filters on the microphone inputs use a combination of analog and digital filters to re­duce sensitivity to low frequency signals. When the high-pass is engaged on an input, its front-panel
LED illuminates to indicate it is active ( ). The first pole of the high-pass circuit is an analog filter
at 40 Hz, 6 dB per octave and is part of the microphone preamplifier circuit. Additional poles of
high-pass filtering are done in DSP.

Several frequency and slope combinations are selectable, including corner frequencies of 40, 80, 160,
or 240 Hz, and filter slopes of 12 dB, 18 dB, or 24 dB per octave. The high-pass is selected for each
input independently.

Shortcut: The filters can be toggled with a two-key combination. Press and hold the LCD back-

light key and press the menu key for channel 1 high-pass. Press and hold the LCD backlight
key and press the HDD key to toggle channel 2 high-pass. The high pass filters are linked when
the inputs are linked. (See Input Linking)

Line-Level Gain Control

When in line-level position, the gain for inputs 1 and 2 is controlled by the front panel recessed
potentiometers or by a menu sensitivity setting. When set for front panel control in the user menu,
Line Input 1: Gain and Line Input 2: Gain controls in the user menu are lined out and not ac­cessible.

Input Linking (Stereo or MS Decoding)

Analog inputs 1 and 2 can be linked as a stereo pair. When linked, the channel 1 front panel potenti­ometer controls the signal level of both inputs, and the channel 2 pot controls the left-to-right balance
of the pair. When the inputs are linked, their peak limiters are linked, as well.

When set to link as an MS pair, the inputs are decoded as left/right stereo, where the gain and bal­ance for the pair work the same as stereo linking above. Input 1 is for Mid signal, input 2 for Side
signal.

When the inputs are linked, phantom power and the high pass filters also act as linked pairs. Engag­ging and disengaging phantom power or the high pass filters on input one will force the same func-

15

722 User Guide and Technical Information

tion upon input two. Engaging or disengaging phantom power or the high pass filter on input two
causes no effect on input one.

If MS stereo linking is selected for inputs, program sent to tracks and headphones will be L/R stereo pro­gram. To record discrete M and S signals, do not link for MS, but monitor the MS signal in headphones.

Things to consider when Linking Input 1,2 as MS:

• Digital Inputs cannot be linked as an MS pair.

• If linking Line Inputs as an MS pair, the Setup Menu option Line Input 1,2: Gain Ctrl
must be set to Use Front Panel Knobs.

Digital Input – AES3

The 722 accepts AES3 (AES/EBU) balanced digital at the input 1 XLR connector. Digital input is two­channel—AES3 signals on XLR-1 appear at inputs 1 and 2. To use the AES3 input, the input mode-se­lect switch must be set to AES/EBU. There is no level control for AES inputs.

The front panel digital input LEDs illuminate when digital signal is selected as input. If the

LED is flashing, digital input is selected but a no valid digital clock is being received.

Digital Input – AES3id (S/PDIF)

The 722 accepts AES3id and S/PDIF unbalanced digital signals on the BNC connector. The 722 will
auto detect the type of digital signal and adjust accordingly. Like AES3 signals, this is two channel
input. There is no level control for AES3id inputs.

AES3id inputs override analog signals present at the XLR inputs. To use analog sources while using
the AES3id signal as a digital clock source, select analog in the input source menu selection.

When a digital signal is present, the 722 locks its sample rate to its source frequency. This lock is indi­cated by a highlighted block on the main LCD display to the right of the bit depth and sample rate
indicators. Recording bit depth is independent of the external digital source.

When locking the 722 to an external digital signal, be certain the source is stable. Loss of digital
signal will cause the 722 to revert to its internally set sample rate, even while recording. The portion
of the file recorded after the loss of signal may not play back properly. Once recording has begun,
unused digital inputs are muted, digital signals that appear on them after the record key has been
pressed will not be recorded or affect the sample rate of the 722.

The 722 clocks itself to the first digital signal presented to it. If the 722 detects a digital signal on the
BNC inputs and locks to that signal, a digital signal applied to the XLR input will be ignored until the
first digital signal is removed.

Signal Presence and Peak Indicator

The signal presence and peak indicators show audio activity before input-to-track routing. In­put signal presence LED’s illuminate when a –50 dBFS or greater signal is present. Input signal peak
LEDs illuminate when signal levels reach –3 dBFS or greater.

16

Input Delay

A digital delay is selectable on each channel of the 722. Delay time per input is selectable in tenths of
a millisecond (0.1 msec) steps. The Rotary Switch and menu arrows are accelerated. The more you
press or spin, the faster the time setting will increase or decrease. Delay is not set until the Rotary

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

Switch is pressed or or the check mark is selected. The amount of delay available is dependent on the
sampling frequency in use.

Sample Frequency

32, 44.1, 47.952, 48, 48.048 kHz 30 mS

88.2, 96, 96.096 kHz 15 mS

176.4, 192 kHz 7.5 mS

Input delay can be useful for time aligning input signals from differing sources. For example, digital
wireless mics that have a processing delay in their outputs. In addition, all digital conversion stages
have delay.

Maximum Amount of Delay Available (per input)

Input-to-Track Routing

The 722 uses a flexible routing scheme to assign inputs and tracks for recording. The input matrix
allows any input to be routed to any recording track. Multiple inputs can be routed to a single track
to create mono-mixed recordings.

The 2-by-2 blue LED matrix makes it easy to view the set routing. A solid blue LED indicates an
input is assigned to a record track.

inputs can be routed to
tracks in any of sixteen
possible combinations

Pressing the INPUT key brings up the following menu.

Routing

Hold down the STOP key then press the key to cycle through the four preset input-to-track rout­ing combinations. These presets are factory set and cannot be changed. The last three preset selec­tions are Cust om R oute options. Press the EDIT soft key to enter the custom routing menu. Custom
routing allows any input to be assigned to any record track. In the menu, highlighted input and track
combination are displayed in white text. The two inputs are shown on the left; the two record tracks
are shown on the right.

17

722 User Guide and Technical Information

To assign custom input routing:

1. Press the input key until I nput R outin g is displayed in the LCD display.

selet to move up
and down menu

2. Press the EDIT soft button ( ) and scroll to the appropriate input screen.

3. Using either the Rotary Switch or the up and down arrows, navigate to desired input-to-track combina-

tions.

4. When a chosen pairing is highlighted press either the ASSIG N soft key or the Rotary Switch to assign
the combination. Assigned tracks are noted on the screen by the addition of an arrow pointing to the
record track. The LED routing matrix will also show a flashing blue LED for the currently selected
input-to-track combination.

5. Once a track is assigned move to the next input-to-track combination desired.

6. To remove an input-to-track combination assignment, navigate that combination and press the

UNASSIGN soft key.

7. Exit and complete the assignment by pressing the check mark soft key.

arrow indicates highlighted
input is assigned to high­lighted track

select to exit menu and
apply selected routing

select to remove
input assignment

The input routing menu will always exit to the main screen whether entered from the input key or the
menu selection.

Selective Input Muting

When the INPUT key is pressed, individual input muting is available. This feature can be used to
quickly mute microphones while maintaining their respective track assignments.

Indicates that an input is avail­able for routing.

No indication here shows that
an input is muted.

A solidly lit input Peak LED indicates that an input is muted.

A solid illuminated Peak
LED indicates that an
input is muted

Mono- and polyphonic files behave differently when selective muting is applied. When monophonic
files are selected, files from tracks A and B are named with the suffix “_1 and _2” respectively. If, for
instance, track A is muted but trackB is still selected, the resulting file will be named with the suffix
“_2” and track A will not be recorded, saving storage space.

When polyphonic file type is selected in the same scenario as above with track A muted, the result­ing data file will be a two-track file with track A being a blank track. Blank tracks in polyphonic files
take up the same amount of storage space as tracks that are assigned.

18

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

Sampling Rate and Bit Depth

When recording the 722 generates uncompressed PCM audio WAV files in the Broadcast Wave File
format at the user-selected sampling rate and bit depth. The 722 LCD calculates available recording
time based on the sampling rate, bit depth, number of tracks set for recording and the selected stor­age media available capacity. See the Calculating Recording Time later in this guide to estimate record
time.

Sampling Rate

When a sampling rate is selected for recording, all tracks are recorded at the selected sampling
rate. Sampling rates are selected among common rates from 32 kHz to 192 kHz. Additionally,
non-standard sampling rates can be applied when the 722 is word clocked from an external source
(clock sources between 32 kHz and 192 kHz). When recording off-speed sampling rates files will be
stamped with the rate closest to an internally generated frequency.

Relationship Between Sampling Frequency and Audio Bandwidth

The sampling frequency is expressed in samples per second (in hertz) and defines the number of
times in a second that the analog audio signal has been measured. Sampling frequency determines
the audio bandwidth, or frequency response, that can be represented by the digital signal. A quick
estimate of the maximum bandwidth capable of being represented at a given sampling rate is maxi­mum analog frequency = sampling frequency/2. Higher sampling frequencies allow for wider audio
bandwidth.

The 722 generates the following sampling rates:

• 32 kHz

• 44.1 kHz

• 47.952 kHz

• 47.952kF - file stamped at 48 kHz

• 48 kHz

• 48.048 kHz

• 48.048kF -file stamped at 48 kHz

• 88.2 kHz

• 96 kHz

• 96.096 kHz

• 96.096kF - file stamped at 96 kHz

• 176.4 kHz

• 192 kHz

Bit Depths

The 722 records at bit depths of either 16 or 24 bit. 24 bit recording provides greater dynamic range
and addition headroom for signal peaks relative to 16 bit recordings. 24 bit recording (versus 16 bit)
is a significant benefit for field production audio tracks.

Bit Depth = Available Dynamic Range

Bit depth defines the digital “word length” used to represent a given sample. Bit depth correlates to
the maximum dynamic range that can be represented by the digital signal. Larger bit depths accom­modate more dynamic range. A quick estimate of maximum dynamic range capable of being rep­resented by a given word length is dynamic range ~= no. of bits x 6 dB. Bit depth is an exponential
measure (exponent of 2), so as bit depth increases, the amount of data it represents increases expo­nentially. The majority of field recording is done with 16-bit audio, therefore, each sample is rep­resented by a digital word of 2^16 (65,536) possible values. 24-bit audio has a word length of 2^24
(16.7 million) possible values per sample.

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

The 722 has 24 bit analog-to-digital converters. To obtain 16 bit recording the 722 can be set to dither
24 bit digital signals to 16 bit. The 722 uses a proprietary pseudo-random dither routine for accurate
bit rate reduction. Dither can be defeated in the user menu. Without dither, 24 bit audio is truncated
to 16 bit, meaning the least significant 8 bits are discarded.

Once a file is recorded its sampling rate and bit depth can not be changed in the recorder. The 722 does
not perform sample rate conversion or bit depth changes. File conversion must be done in another en­vironment, such as an audio workstation. Alternatively, a real-time analog transfer is often performed
instead of sample rate conversion.

Word Clock

Stable word clock is fundamental to high quality a digital audio signal. The 722 uses a highly-stable
crystal to generate its internal word clock frequencies. The 722 can clock external devices from its
word clock and accept external clock sources for recording.

The 722 disregards external clock, both AES and word clock, during playback.

Clock Master

When sending digital audio to several devices, one unit is designated as the word clock master and
the others as slaves. Generally, the device with the analog-to-digital converter is designated as the
word clock master.

The 722 can function as an A/D converter and can be used as the master word clock source. Slaved
devices will derive their word clock timing from either their digital audio inputs, S/PDIF or AES/
EBU, or through their word clock input connection. As a word clock master the 722 generates word
clock whether or not audio is sent.

Clock Slave

When using an external digital preamplifier connected to the 722 inputs, the recorder can derive its
clock signal from the AES (S/PDIF) stream (it will slave to the external device), or the external device
can be slaved from the 722 (if the external device has word clock input or accepts clock from the
722’s digital output). If, for example, you are using a wireless receiver with a digital output, it may
not have an external word clock input, and will be the word clock master.

If digital audio is connected to the 722 from more than one digital device, you must word clock the
sources to the same clock, otherwise variations between the sources will render their signals unus­able.

If the 722 is slaved to external word clock, be certain that the source is stable. Loss of the word clock
signal during recording can cause the 722 to revert back to its internally set sampling frequency. If
this occurs, the portion of the file recorded after the loss of word clock may not play back at the prop­er speed. For reliability, set the 722 to the same sample frequency as the word clock source. Loss of
the word clock signal in this case will likely cause a glitch in the file, but the file may still be usable.

20

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722 User Guide and Technical Information

C. Link – Multi-Unit Linking

The proprietary C. Link (control link) connection allows multiple 702, 702T, 722, and 744T record­ers to be connected and clocked together. C. Link also enables connection to external keyboards and
switch contacts using the CL-1 Remote Control and Keyboard Interface.

When linked, 7-Series recorders have a master/slave relationship. The master recorder and the slave
unit will share sample accurate start and stop record times. Multiple units can be daisy-chained
together to record many tracks. The C. Link protocol links carries the following data:

• word clock

• time code information (702T and 744T only)

• RS-232 machine transport data

master

unit

slave

unit

slave

unit

To link units:

1. Connect multiple units as shown in the illustration.

2. Set all linked recorders to the same sample rate, bit depth, file format, and time code frame rate (for

702T and 744T recorders). This will ensure that all files generated are compatible.

3. Set scene and take numbers on all linked recorders to the same starting file name. There is no file name
synchronization with multiple unit linking.

When linked, record start and stop on slave units will not affect units “above” it in the linked chain.
This makes it possible for units to get out of synchronization if a unit other than the master is set to
record or stop. Using the master unit will assure that all machines begin and end recording together.

Master/Slave relationships between C.Linked recorders is established immediately after the C.Link
Out to C.Link In connection is made. To reverse the Master/Slave relationship, power down all
recorders, establish the new Master/Slave relationships by reconnecting the C.Link Out to C.Link In
connectors in the desired sequence, then power on all units in order of their Master/Slave relation­ships

The master recorder in a C.Link connection can not receive wordclock sync from anywhere else. It must
be the master wordclock source for all C.Link slaves.

The C. Link jack is a proprietary RS-232 port. Under no circumstances should analog or digital telephone
lines be connected to either jack. Serious damage could result.

21

722 User Guide and Technical Information

Outputs – Analog and Digital

The 722 has two discrete output buses , the Analog Output Bus (Bus 1) and the Digital Output Bus
(Bus 2). Each side (left and right) of the two-channel buses are assigned their audio sources indepen­dently, enabling the 722 to feed multiple audio devices with unique program content.

The chart below shows the audio sources available for the analog and digital output buses. The au­dio source for each output is selected in the setup menu.

Available Output Sources Description

Input 1
Input 2

Track A
Track B

Input 1,2 Multiple inputs are summed with these selections.

Track A,B Multiple track assignments are summed with these selections.

Analog Output Bus

Audio signals routed to the Analog Output Bus (Bus 1) are sent to three output connections:

• analog line out, TA3 x 2, two-channel

• analog tape out, 3.5 mm TRS, two-channel

Analog Line Out L, R

The analog line outputs are active-balanced line-level signals on Switchcraft TA3M locking connec­tors. The output level is a nominally 0 dBu at -20 dBFS. The level of the line output can be attenuated
in the setup menu by up to 40 dB in 1 dB increments. Attenuation is done as an output pair.

Inputs are assignable for each channel of the output bus.

When inputs are selected as the source for the outputs, the state of recording or playback activity has no

effect on the output signal. This allow uninterrupted input audio at the output.

Track assignments and playback audio.

Analog Tape Output

The tape output connection is stereo, unbalanced consumer output level (–10 dBV) on a TRS 3.5 mm
connector. Output attenuation affects this output level.

Digital Output Bus

Just as with the Analog Output Bus, the Digital Output Bus (Bus 2) can be assigned signal sources
from inputs or tracks. Sources assigned to the Digital Output Bus are exclusive and do not affect the
assignments to the Analog Output Bus or headphone assignments. The same signal sources available
for the Analog Output Bus are available for Digital Output Bus (see chart above).

The Digital Output Bus appears solely on the AES3id BNC output connector. The unbalanced
AES3id output is directly compatible with most S/PDIF inputs.

The format for the AES3id output is selectable between professional AES and SPDIF. In either case
the SCMS bit is not set.

The maximum output level is 0 dBFS and can be attenuated in the setup menu in 1 dB increments by
40 dB.

22

v. 2.67 Features and specifications are subject to change. Visit www.sounddevices.com for the latest documentation.