Besides, they're hardly likely to say "now even less likely to explode"
Besides, they're hardly likely to say "now even less likely to explode"
from
The ADA8200 http://soundforums.net/varsity/4299-...html#post48225
Over the past years, customers complained about synchronization issues with the predecessor ADA8000 in conjunction with Motu interfaces.
We have since launched a thorough analysis and discovered that the problems are related to the ADAT Alesis/Wavefront Chips that are used in the unit. All our efforts to get those problems resolved with Wavefront have unfortunately been unsuccessful and hence we recently decided to design our own semiconductors. The first prototypes should be available in April and we are confident that we will be able to ship the ADA8200 right after.
We apologize for the delays, but unfortunately there are unforeseeable issues that are out of our hand. However, we have learned from our past mistakes and won't release any product unless we are absolute sure it is properly tested and meets all specifications and expectations.
Warm regards
Uli
Word from Uli, copy and paste from soundnetforumsnet:
Dear Dan,
thank you for your question and please allow me to answer.
The FCA FireWire/USB Interface delivery has indeed been delayed for more than a year. Both FCA units use a highly complex FW/USB chip from a company called Archwave (a BridgeCo spinoff that designed the AirPlay technology) which also provides the firmware and the drivers. While the hardware has been ready for a long time, the delays are solely related to firmware and driver issues which are out of our hand. Unfortunately with every new release, much time goes into testing those units with all kinds of different computers and configurations.
We are working feverishly with Archwave to get those issues resolved and hope to finally ship in Q1 this year. On the positive side, we have used the opportunity to upgrade the mic preamps to a Midas design at no additional cost for the customer.
The ADA8200 has a different issue.
Over the past years, customers complained about synchronization issues with the predecessor ADA8000 in conjunction with Motu interfaces.
We have since launched a thorough analysis and discovered that the problems are related to the ADAT Alesis/Wavefront semiconductors that are used in the unit. All our efforts to get those problems resolved with Wavefront have unfortunately been unsuccessful and hence we recently decided to design our own semiconductors. The first prototypes should be available in April and we are confident that we will be able to ship the ADA8200 right after.
We apologize for the delays, but unfortunately there are unforeseeable issues that are out of our hand. However, we have learned from our past mistakes and won't release any product unless we are absolute sure it is properly tested and meets all specifications and expectations.
Warm regards
Uli
Last edited by Uli Behringer; Yesterday at 10:18 PM.
Hmm... something doesn't sit too comfortably with me here...
That sounds very much to me like the "first prototypes" will make their way into the ADA8200. I don't really fancy having to fork out cash to beta their brand new hardware! Plus, that completely flies in the face of his following statement:
Still, kudos to him for proactively engaging with his customers himself. I'm sure it'll pay off as a pretty good marketing strategy.we have learned from our past mistakes and won't release any product unless we are absolute sure it is properly tested and meets all specifications and expectations.
Looking at the forthcoming procession of little red Behringer boxes I still can't see what, for me, would be the holy grail: a bank of low-cost, remotable preamps connected via ethernet to a computer interface with either hardware pots or (preferably) software control of the preamps. Am I missing something in the new Behringer lineup or does this still not exist?
It does make me wonder if it might be an intentional omission. If such a unit did exist it would obviously compliment software like SAC very well and therefore would take even more shine off the X32.
They've got the S16... which is almost what you want. Having bought proven examples of the technology with their Klark Technik acquisition Behringer will likely stick to AES50.
Any other option would mean developing yet another 'standard' or paying licensing fees for one of the other 'standards'.
Everything that works over Ethernet uses closely guarded or expensively licensed protocols.
I think the Peavey SB3216 will be interesting. We've only seen a photo of it alongside the Waves virtual mixer demo at Namm. That uses Soundgrid, which has ASIO support and is already providing low latency audio I/O to PCs... how low latency the ASIO driver is, I don't know.
However you'll still likely not have preamp control without using the Waves mixer.
I also think Behringer want to make sales of their kit. If making the S16 more interoperable with things other than the X32 will potentially lead to sufficient sales to justify the development, it'll happen.
Right now they'll be entirely focussed on getting their digital console line out the door, and resolving the no doubt significant numbers of problems with the X32.
As for the 'prototype chips' I strongly suspect they've provided a spec to a manufacturer, if the chips that arrive meet the spec... sorted. If they don't, try again. The job they have to do is fairly straight forward to test and really they'll either work properly or not.
The problem they had with the Wavefront Semi chips is trusting the chips met the spec.
A quite separate issue is that QC didn't seem to pick up problems with failed chips leaving the line and even when ADA8000 units with the failed chips were in the shops, Behringer were quite happy to have customers carry on buying them.
DF
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