New SoundScape 32 / Read this what do you think?

[Hutch]

Of course this will cost way more than the 001, but any opinion on it????


Mackie Announces Soundscape 32 Embedded DAW and New I/O Option

January 28, 2002
Mackie has introduced an updated Soundscape product line comprised of two components: the Soundscape 32 Embedded Hard Disk Recorder and the I/O 896 Audio Interface module. These new Soundscape products are the initial members of Mackie's new family of Broadcast • Professional products, designed specifically for both high-end broadcast and post production facilities.

"We are very pleased to inaugurate our Broadcast • Professional line with the new Soundscape 32 and I/0 896," commented Keith Olsen, Corporate Director, Global Recording Market and Product Development at Mackie Designs Inc. "Soundscape has earned a great reputation among high-end users as a powerful recording system with a remarkable track record for reliability."

Olsen continued, "For many years, Soundscape has been the DAW (digital audio workstataion) of choice for professionals that have had the courage to chose the best system rather than the common one. If you have ever watched Friends, Frasier or Ally McBeale, you've heard Soundscape. It was even used recently for Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End musical "The Beautiful Game" where two Soundscape systems were used live, twice a day, for over a year without a crash."

Soundscape 32 and the I/O 896 will be available in the first quarter of 2002 through key Mackie Broadcast • Professional dealers. At that time, Mackie will also offer a Soundscape DAW trade-in and EMU-Ensoniq Paris DAW cross-trade program.

Soundscape 32

Based on the SSHDR-1 and R.Ed. digital audio workstations (DAW), the new Soundscape 32 achieves unprecedented levels of reliability and superior performance. Available in either 32-track or 16-track versions, Soundscape 32 provides all the tools and features common to almost any DAW, without the instability of a native (motherboard-based) record engine. Instead, the Soundscape 32 has its own dedicated microprocessor board and embedded record engine. This means that audio travels straight from the I/O to hard disk--unaffected by the instability of a PC motherboard or operating system.

The Soundscape 32 provides digital and analog audio I/O, real-time mixing through a user defined environment, DSP-based effects, comprehensive automation package, professional synchronization support, and extensive EDL (Edit Decision List) compatibility with a variety of video editing systems. It also supports a variety of popular name brand plug-ins including Cedar Audio, Aphex Systems, Wave Mechanics, and TC Works.

I/O 896 Audio Interface

Co-developed by Mackie and Apogee, the I/O 896 is a high-quality I/O box that is the ideal partner for the Soundscape 32. The I/O 896 includes eight channels of AES/EBU digital I/O, eight channels of analog I/O and eight channels of ADAT' optical. In addition, the I/O 896 supports MADI (multi channel audio digital interface).

The Soundscape 32 will accommodate one or multiple I/O 896 interfaces.

Soundscape 32 Hardware Features

Two internal and two external (removable) EIDE hard drive bays
(3) T/DIF digital I/O
2-in / 4-out AES/EBU digital
(2) 24bit, 96kHz microphone inputs
(4) 24bit, 96kHz balanced line level outputs
RS-422 (9-pin) Remote Device Control
MIDI I/O for MMC and/or MTC
Ethernet support for network access thru TCP/IP
Multi-pin connector (connects to host interface PCI card)
Optional Sync A/V board, supporting video sync, word clock, SMPTE I/O,
Soundscape 32 Software Features

Customized Mixing - 24 bit digital mixing w/configurable routing, 16 busses, user-designed channel strips, 256 virtual tracks on-screen, and "Arrange" window for utilizing pre-recorded audio takes

Surround Applications -- mono to stereo, LRCS, 5.1 w/equal power panning modes, surround channel strips & panners, Dolby Pro-Logic plug-in

Edit Functions -- Copy, cut, glue, solo, trim, slip, delete, undo, real-time fades, on-the-fly editing, auto "deglitching" algorithm, sample-level zooming

Flexible Dynamics Package - Volume trim, noise gates, multiple 2-band parametric EQ, sample delay, unlimited pre/post sends & inserts

DSP -- Normalize, Repeat, Reverse, Time Stretch/Compress, Pitch Shift, Sample Rate Conversion

Third Party Plug-ins -- Compression, Gating, Limiting, Chorus, Flange, CEDAR declick, Apogee MasterTools UV22, Aphex Aural Exciter & Big Bottom Pro, Wave Mechanics Reverb, plus many more!

Automation -- 128 dynamic automation tracks w/unlimited layers per track for automation of any parameter, snapshot automation, touch record/update moves, auto-glide settings, and virtual automation for A/B testing

Multiple Undo/Redo - 99 levels of undo/redo, also non-destructive disk formatting with disk recovery mode. Automatic recovery from power down during recording.

Video Editor File Support -- Import audio from multiple edit decision lists (CMX, GVG or Sony formats), direct support for Avid OMFi, discreet edit and Lightworks/Heavyworks project file formats.

Audio File Import/Export -- Wave (.wav) or Broadcast Wave (.bwf), MPEG Layer 1 via QDesign ACM MPEG codec, and MPG (Layers 2 & 3) via Fraunhofer ACM MP3 Professional Codec

CD Writer -- Burn Red-Book compatible CDs with Point CD Audio software by PoINT Software & Systems

Cue Sheets -- Printable arrangements in standard cue sheet formats

Preliminary information can also be found at: www.mackie.com/mbp/index.html.

For more information, visit their web site at www.mackie.com.