Soundscape Mixtreme * Introduction

There are many companies in the market place offering PCI cards with multi-channel audio, but for most, this is where it ends. Some companies can at best just 'put chips on boards', but from Soundscape Digital Technology, there is an unbeatable combination of both software and hardware!

The Soundscape Mixtreme PCI card has a completely different concept, as not only does it provide 16 channels of 24 bit digital input and output via two industry standard 8 channel TDIF (Tascam Digital Interface) ports, but it also has full 24 bit digital mixing and real-time DSP effects plug-ins.

You can connect two Soundscape SS8IO-3 8-Channel TDIF to Analogue interfaces to Mixtreme, for a full 16 channels of 20 bit analogue input and output, or you can connect the TDIF port directly to a digital console or Tascam DA-88.

For ADAT users, there is the SS8IO-2 TDIF to ADAT converter, and you can connect two of these, or combine one ADAT and one Analogue interface.

With standard Multimedia drivers for Windows 95 and Windows NT, plus VST compatible ASIO drivers, Soundscape Mixtreme can be used with any PC based MIDI/Audio sequencer or PC based recording/editing software.

Right now you can have a 24 bit, 16 in/out, 16 bus virtual digital mixer at your fingertips, running high-end DSP effects plug-ins from Wave Mechanics, TC Works and of course Soundscape. Compressors, Expanders, Gates, Limiters, Delays, Chorus/Flangers, Reverbs and fully parametric EQs are now available and there are many other plug-ins in the works from the industry's top audio companies like Aphex Systems, manufacturer of the Aural Exciter. These will include Noise Reduction, Mastering/Level control, Spectral Enhancement, Guitar Effects and many others.

Don't expect low quality effects, these are all designed to perform to the highest levels!

The fully configurable Soundscape V2 Mixer from the world renowned SSHDR1-Plus Digital Audio Workstation was the world's first audio product to use the latest Motorola 56301 DSP family and the V2 Mixer has now been ported to run on the Soundscape Mixtreme card, which features the fastest Motorola DSP chip available. Thousands of our DAW users worldwide rely on this mixing every day, in professional Recording Studios, TV, Film, Radio, and Mastering facilities, so you can be sure that it will meet your expectations.

DSP based mixing has a very important advantage compared to computer based (i.e. Native) effects and mixing. The latency (delay) for most computer based mixers is anything from 100ms upwards, which creates an extremely annoying delay when you try to record while playing along with other tracks, or if even you just want to play through the 'real-time' effects. Imagine playing the keyboard or guitar when the sound that you hear is 1/5th second behind what you are playing and you'll get the idea of what Native effects do to your creativity. Mixtreme has a real DSP based digital mixer on-board, and so what you hear is real-time, just like a proper effects unit or digital console.

Soundscape Mixtreme is friendly to the rest of your studio too. You can hook up your external effects units into the V2 Mixer using any number of Pre/Post sends and place additional channel strips to mix the return signal. Every element in the mixer is a plug-in that you can place exactly where required, which means that you can record to disk through the EQs, compressors or other effects.

If you already have a mixing console or you use the native EQs from your sequencer or audio software, then you can use the power of the Mixtreme DSP for the cool DSP effects plug-ins rather than straightforward EQs and compressors. It's completely your decision, and this means that you don't end up paying for processing power that you don't need, as is the case with some PCI cards that offer an inflexible mixer, with no possibility of running plug-in DSP effects from 3rd Parties.

All settings and the entire mixer configuration can be saved and loaded from a PC file, so you never need to lose that perfect mix you were working on yesterday !

Users of the Soundscape SSHDR1-Plus DAW can take advantage of the Mixtreme card as well, to add additional DSP power to their existing system. Just hook up the TDIF connections and route the audio from the SSHDR1-Plus mixer. The second TDIF port can then connect to an interface unit or console.

The added bonus is that Soundscape Digital Technology is continually developing new software for it's systems, and as a Soundscape customer, you can take advantage of this. Each year, we release on average three software updates, with significant new features, and so far these have been free of charge. We invite all new Soundscape customers to take advantage of our policy and to log into our free web site download area and active user forum.

TDIF can connect to digital mixing consoles from Yamaha, Mackie, Tascam, Spirit, Soundtracs and Panasonic, plus digital multitrack tape machines like the Tascam DA-38/88/98 range. S/PDIF in/out and Wordclock/Superclock in/out are also provided, for lock up to all types of digital audio signals. Why buy a system that just provides proprietary digital interfaces when real industry wide standards exist ?

Soundscape Digital Technology has a long established reputation for producing reliable products of exceptional sound quality, with an attention to detail and customer support that is second to none. Why buy a PCI card from an unknown company, when you can rely on Soundscape for great performance and continued development ?

We invite you to talk with existing Soundscape DAW customers for their comments about our commitment. They rely on us every day in all kinds of professional environments and we always endeavour to provide the best support that you can get from any company. If you try to buy a Soundscape DAW on the secondhand market, you'll find that none are available. This is testament to the fact that we support our customers extremely well, to the best of our abilities.

Soundscape Digital Technology has many years experience in producing reliable hardware and software for the PC and is the premier provider of professional Digital Audio Workstations running under Windows 95 and Windows NT, including full TCP/IP network support.

To convert the two Mixtreme TDIF digital interfaces to 8 channel analogue or ADAT 'lightpipe', there is a range of interface units to meet every budget.

Soundscape SS8IO-1
The SS8IO-1 8-Channel Audio Interface is a professional 2U 19" rack unit that provides 8 channels of balanced inputs and outputs, with XLR connections, using high-end industry standard Crystal Semiconductors AD/DA devices. The audio performance is exceptional and ADAT 'lightpipe' in/out, programmable routing, plus presets and 8 channel LED metering is provided as standard.

Soundscape SS8IO-2
The SS8IO-2 Interface is a 1/2 rack 1U 19" unit offering 8 channel TDIF to ADAT 'lightpipe' conversion in both directions (simultaneously), with Wordclock/Superclock in/out connectors. Clocks can also be resolved from TDIF or ADAT inputs.

Soundscape SS8IO-3
The SS8IO-3 Interface is a 1/2 rack 1U 19" unit with 8 channel TDIF to unbalanced analogue inputs and outputs (cinch/RCA connectors). AD/DA convertors are 20 bit and Wordclock/Superclock in/out connections are also provided as standard.

	Mixtreme PCI Card - 16 channel digital I/O (2 x TDIF), Wordclock/Superclock I/O, 56301 based mixing - US$549
	SS8IO-2 TDIF-ADAT 8 Channel Digital Interface - US$599
	SS8IO-3 TDIF-Analogue 8 Channel 20 bit Analogue Interface - US$599
	Mixtreme S/PDIF Digital Option - US$149
	SS8IO-1 TDIF-ADAT- 8 Channel Interface, (balanced - XLR), 20 bit Crystal Semiconductors AD/DA, 8 channel metering - US$1999

Mixtreme PCI Card
Motorola 56301 DSP for Mixing and Effects processing
2 x 8 channel digital TDIF (Tascam Digital Interface) port (25 way SubD connectors)
Wordclock/Superclock In/Out (Cinch/RCA connectors)
Optional S/PDIF In/Out board - plugs into main PCI card
Optional Video Sync board (planned) - plugs into main PCI card
Internal sample clock - 10kHz to 50kHz
Locks to Wordclock from either TDIF port or External input (or to 256x Superclock)
Soundscape V2 Mixer software
ASIO drivers (e.g. for Cubase VST).
Multimedia Drivers for Windows 95 and Windows NT

SS8IO-3 Analogue to TDIF Converter
8 Channel Analogue Input, with 20 bit AD Converters (AKM)
8 Channel Analogue Output, with 20 bit DA Converters (AKM)
8 Channel TDIF (Tascam Digital Interface) In/out via 25 way SubD connector
Unbalanced +4dBU signals via Cinch/RCA connectors
94dB Signal to Noise Ratio (unweighted)
Total Harmonic Distortion (1kHz FS) - Less than 0.01%
Crosstalk (2kHz FS) - Less than -100dBFS
Wordclock/Superclock In/Out via cinch/RCA connectors
Internal 44.1kHz or 48kHz sample clock reference.
Locks to wordclock from TDIF or External inputs (or to 256x Superclock)
½ rack 1U 19" Casing

SS8IO-2 ADAT to TDIF Converter
8 Channel ADAT Optical 'Lightpipe' In/Out
8 Channel TDIF (Tascam Digital Interface) In/out via 25 way SubD connector
24 bit audio data with 8 channels in both directions (simultaneously)
Wordclock/Superclock In/Out via Cinch/RCA connectors
Internal 44.1kHz or 48kHz sample clock reference.
Locks to wordclock from ADAT, TDIF or External inputs (or to 256x Superclock)
½ rack 1U 19" Casing


Software and drivers support Windows 95/98, NT and Windows 2000	Introduction \| Screenshots


Download General Mixtreme Brochure: Adobe PDF Format - High Res (15.5MB) Adobe PDF Format - Lo Res (144KB)	Download Mixtreme Video Brochure: Adobe PDF Format - High Res (8.4MB)	Download Mixtreme Chili Brochure: Adobe PDF Format - Lo Res (63KB)


			Screenshots taken from the Mixtreme mixer software
			FAQ: General questions about the Mixtreme 16 Channel PCI Card