New DAD interfaces

[LukeHoward]

No DigiLink, but lots of other goodies: up to eight (AX64) instead of six (AX32) analogue cards; super low latency Thunderbolt; ADAT, Dante and Pro|Mon as standard.

https://www.digitalaudio.dk/page2118...ordid2118=1185

[BScout]

I am concerned what no backwards compatibility for future cards means (and the MTRX.) In essence, the AX64 means the end of the AX32 for DAD but does that mean no further development for the MTRX? The future-proof/modular nature of the MTRX might have been oversold in that case if only the current cards will be available for use.

[LukeHoward]

Originally Posted by BScout

I am concerned what no backwards compatibility for future cards means (and the MTRX.) In essence, the AX64 means the end of the AX32 for DAD but does that mean no further development for the MTRX? The future-proof/modular nature of the MTRX might have been oversold in that case if only the current cards will be available for use.

That's really a question for Avid. Looking here, the only modern HD interfaces that are past their final sale date are the Pro Tools | HD IO 16x16 Digital and Pro Tools | HD Omni. i.e. you can still buy a HD I/O.

It's not as if you can use the AX32 cards in a MTRX anyway... (I mean, maybe you can, but they're not supposed to work and certainly it isn't a supported configuration)

I think it's good that DAD continues to innovate. It's a pity of course there's no MTRX with a Thunderbolt port, as that would certainly be useful for Atmos renderer configurations. But perhaps that will be eventually solved in a different way.

[basehead617]

I’m not really an expert on PCI versions and all that, but is it possible Avid could make a 256 channel HDX card in the future, like a DigiLink 2.0 that supports 256 channels per card? that would certainly simplify things..

[LukeHoward]

Originally Posted by basehead617

I’m not really an expert on PCI versions and all that, but is it possible Avud could make a 256 channel HDX card in the future, like a DigiLink 2.0 that supports 256 channels per card? that would certainly simplify things..

If I've done my math right (which I may not have, ha), then a 16x PCIe 3.0 slot as one finds in the Mac Pro should be able to handle 4096 channels of 32-bit 96kHz audio (12.6GB/s).

But at that point you're probably just better off putting Thunderbolt or Ethernet on the audio interface itself...

[BScout]

You can't use the AX32 cards in the MTRX (they are firmware locked to models.) But the cards themselves are the same. The concern is keeping two product lines going for the option cards. Say a future AX64 card uses new ADC chips (supply issues, whatever; look at Merging and their improved cards, for instance.) Will DAD keep manufacturing the older cards until they run out of chip supply for the MTRX simply to keep prior owners as "second class"? There would be no technical reason why this "improved" card wouldn't be able to be manufactured for the MTRX (after all, the edge connector is the same.)

Just hate the idea that a chassis system (that many of us have sunk a lot of money into) could be excluded from future option card development. Which was a selling point of the MTRX. Since the MTRX debut, as far as I can remember, only 2 new cards have debuted: SPQ card and Digilink card. If that's it for this model's lifetime, it's pretty disappointing.

I'm not against DAD creating a new, improved chassis (with new features like TB3 and TB3 chaining.) Just that note about future option cards is worth flagging.

[Darryl Ramm]

The world is kinda inverted. Pro Tools requiring HDX for large IO counts, but with HDX DSP that is increasingly a boat anchor for large mixing. Different thing for low latency tracking.. but it's mind numbing that large post shops have to go DigiLink to MTRX etc. to get large IO count.

Yet another innovator's dilemma for Avid, yet another one I'll never be surprised if they keep on doing the wrong thing. But they need to decouple high IO counts from Digilink, and show a clear roadmap for the future high-end, is that Dante AVB or both or what? DigiLink needs to die. We are on the edge of interesting new computers like the Mac Studio, and hopefully soon the Mac Pro that make the processing power of a maximum config HDX system look so stupid.

[XJENSEN]

Indeed, trust comes on foot and leaves on horseback.

[RobertDorn]

Originally Posted by XJENSEN

Indeed, trust comes on foot and leaves on horseback.

Exactly

[basehead617]

Maybe he meant the ‘MTRX platform’