The AD-596 from Millennia is an 8-channel analog to digital converter housed in the API 500 form factor. The company has for many years been at the forefront of high-end analog audio. Their expertise is fundamental to their implementation of an analog to digital converter, since this area is often compromised in cheaper alternatives.
It is also gratifying to see continued support for the 500 series format, a format that has seen a great resurgence in the past few years. Various high-end boutique manufacturers have been bringing their product out in this portable format, mostly in the forms of preamps, compressors and EQ. The addition of an 8-channel AD is very useful and welcome.
The module displays very good performance specifications, both in the analog and conversion stages, with low jitter and low crosstalk. 25-pin D-sub connectors are used for the analog input and the AES digital output, along with BNC connectors for Wordclock I/O. Metering is also provided, as is a sync lock indicator for use with external clocks.
- Eight channels of analog to digital conversion in API 500 series compatible format
- 24-bit/96kHz eight-channel AES format converter
- "Transparent" conversion
- Internal/external clocking with AES or Wordclock in/out on BNC connectors
- DB25 I/O connectors that conform to the Tascam wiring standard
- -20dBFS reference level
- Lock LED illuminates when the unit's clock is locked to the external sync input
- When set to External Clock, the unit will always revert to its internal clock in the event that the external reference is interrupted
- Specs
-
| ADC |
24-bit |
| DAC |
Not applicable |
| Sample Rates |
Internal: 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96kHz
External: 32kHz to 96kHz |
| Analog In |
1 x 25-pin D-sub, Tascam pin-out (cable not included) |
| Analog Outputs |
Not applicable |
| Digital Input Connectors |
Not applicable |
| Digital Output Connectors |
1 x 25-pin D-sub connector providing 8 channels of AES/EBU, Tascam pin-out (cable not included) |
| Word Clock |
2 x BNC 75? Wordclock I/O |
| Jitter |
50pS RMS typical (20Hz to 20kHz @ 48kHz) |
| Latency |
12/Fs for single speed: 0.25mS @48kHz
9/Fs for double speed: 0.09mS at 96kHz |
| Maximum Output Level |
+24dBu (full scale) |
| CMRR |
-84dBu @ 1kHz with 0.0dBu input |
| Crosstalk |
20kHz @ 45dB gain and full scale output |
| Dynamic Range |
>110dB |
| Frequency Response |
44.1kHz: -0.5dB @ 5Hz and 21.5kHz
48kHz: -0.5dB @ 5Hz and 23.4kHz
88.2kHz: -0.5dB @ 5Hz and 42.0kHz
96kHz: -0.5dB @ 5Hz and 46.8kHz |
| THD + N |
<0.0005% |
| Power Requirements |
+130mA, -40mA (supplied from rack) |
| Dimensions |
As per API 500VPR specification (single space) |
| Weight |
Not specified by manufacturer |
| Specialties |
IMD SMPTE 4:1 60Hz, 7kHz:Maximum non-harmonic spurious tones: Better than -140dB |
