Sonicview 16

Sonicview 16 offers 16 analogue audio input channels while Sonicview 24 has 24. But internally, the FPGA mixing engine delivers a total of 64 selectable sources, including 40 mono input channels, 22 mix buses, and the main stereo bus. Of these, any 32 selectable sources can be sent and 32 returned via the integrated USB audio interface. Sonicview’s snapshot library lets you store routing assignments for instant recall.

Sonicview’s outstanding, cutting-edge performance is a direct result of Tascam’s engineering know-how, accumulated over many years of producing audio equipment for professional use. Tascam’s engineers have taken advantage of the latest technological advances while drawing on the expertise of the company’s signal processing specialists to implement the Sonicview’s 54-bit floating-point FPGA processing, original reverb algorithms and other innovative, next-generation technologies.

Sonicview’s mixing engine, which is based on a 54-bit floating-point, field-programmable gate array (FPGA), is a major contributor to the mixer’s best-in-class audio performance. An FPGA is a programmable integrated circuit with very high computing performance and low power consumption into which the designer can program multiple logical operations. Unlike a CPU or DSP, only the necessary processing operations are programmed with an FPGA, so parallel processing can be done efficiently, iimproving computing performance.

With the increased popularity of in-ear monitors, performers have become more sensitive to latency, so a digital mixer must keep latency as low as possible. The FPGA mixing engine’s floating-point processing makes it possible to flexibly change levels without compromising resolution and ensures ultra-low latency, even in analogue-to-analogue connections. While CPUs usually communicate through a general-purpose operating system or buses, an FPGA can directly access data sources. And since there is logic already built in, it delivers low latency and constant response speed. By employing an FPGA in Sonicview’s mixing engine, the latency within the FPGA is kept at two samples (20.8 µs) and achieves a very low latency of 0.51 ms from mic input to line output.

In addition, thanks to its high processing efficiency, the FPGA uses less circuit area for the same processing compared to a CPU or DSP. Since it processes only the needed operations, the FPGA offers higher power efficiency and lower power consumption. As a result, although Sonicview has multiple colour touch LCDs and features a rich power supply in its audio circuitry, it achieves a low power consumption of 65 watts for Sonicview 16 and 85 watts for Sonicview 24.

The result is no-compromises performance, including with Dante networks and in-line monitoring systems.

Sonicview’s mixing engine employs 54-bit floating-point processing, which provides the optimal balance of excellent audio performance and low power consumption, while requiring less processing capacity than 64-bit handling. Its 42-bit dynamic range for audio data is sufficient even when one channel is used for loud sounds and another channel is used for quiet sounds, so even quiet sounds have very good resolution.

Sonicview uses 32-bit A/D and D/A conversion and 54-bit floating-point resolution for signal processing and transmission, with 42 bits used for audio data. One advantage of precision higher than 32 bits is that the filter performance is superior to the 24-bit precision often found in digital audio products. Because the low frequencies of the parametric EQ and graphic EQ are quite low compared to the 96 kHz sampling frequency, a high-precision calculation is required to prevent deterioration of the signal-to-noise ratio. Sonicview delivers the precise calculations and high resolution required.

Sonicview processes audio data at 96 kHz throughout the entire signal chain, unlike many digital mixers in its class which are limited to 48 kHz. The effects processor employs a powerful 64-bit ARM “system on a chip” (SoC) CPU with a sample rate of 96 kHz. Using a SoC enables complete internal processing of high-bandwidth signal data, and sharing caches between the FPGA and CPU results in increased processing speed. Since power-hungry IC pads for placing integrated circuits on a board are not needed with an SoC, power consumption is reduced.

The audible result is superior effects including detailed control and improved sound quality for compressors, better-sounding EQ and outstanding, very detailed, dense reverberation. This increased reverberation density is very difficult to achieve with other, traditional models.

Sonicview’s stereo reverb and plate reverb algorithms are completely new designs that take advantage of the mixer’s processing power. For the plate reverb, we increased the reverberation density even more than in the stereo reverb and devised many ways to create tones. Except for full-fledged modeling-type reverbs, most digital reverbs share the same main body and use an EQ to create a plate-like sound. In contrast, Sonicview’s plate reverb creates a better tone by inserting the impulse response of the damping vibration into the input signal. A specialist engineer created an impulse response that mimics the vibration of a steel plate for more realistic results.

When developing the HDIA microphone preamp and the Sonicview’s analogue inputs and outputs, we drew on Tascam’s more than 50 years of expertise in acoustic design, combined with our engineers’ fresh ideas. Large and carefully selected capacitors are implemented in key areas of the circuit to achieve a power supply design that provides the energy required to handle low frequencies and loud signals. Peripheral discrete components, such as capacitors, resistors and coils, were carefully selected. An intensive study was conducted to obtain the most fitting filter coefficients of ADC.

As a result of this intensive research and development, along with field testing by professional audio engineers, we achieved a sound that reproduces rich low frequencies and extended highs while maintaining Tascam’s signature sonic transparency. The result is best-in-class sound that will never disappoint.

Dante Networking Built-In

Sonicview is includes a Dante 64-in/64-out interface. Whether an audio installation is large, medium or small there is a need to connect everything together: mixers, recorders, speakers, power amplifiers, microphones and more. This usually involves heavy cabling with limited routing capability and length that are prone to hum and noise.

Dante allows pristine digital audio to flow through standard slim Cat 5 cables using Ethernet connectors and switches to any Dante-capable device. Reconfiguring the routing is as easy as a click on the Dante control software (created by Audinate).

Dante audio-over-IP networks integrate thousands of concert touring systems as well as installed systems in recording studios, radio stations, corporate boardrooms, houses of worship and much more. Sonicview consoles can serve as the audio center of these systems, thanks to its built-in Dante interface that supports Dante Domain Manager in addition to AES67 and SMPTE 2110 interoperability. Two Dante ports in Sonicview enable redundant streams.

Dante Domain Manager (DDM)

Dante Domain Manager creates a domain that is independent of the network configuration and allows management of Dante devices (routing settings, security etc.) for each domain. It offers customisable security management of each domain and flexible networks that can be deployed across subnets or across a WAN, as well as real-time monitoring through the dashboard, detailed audit reports and remote monitoring via SNMP.

For more information visit the Audinate website.

AES67 Mode

Developed by the Audio Engineering Society, AES67 is a technical standard that enables interoperability between various IP-based audio networking systems such as Ravenna, Livewire, Q-LAN and Dante. Since it is a routable IP protocol, AES67 enables audio-over-IP solutions to scale beyond simple local area networks, passing through routers as well as switches.

Sonicview’s AES67 mode enables the mixer to create and receive AES67 flows and route AES67 using a Dante Controller.

SMPTE ST 2110-30 Mode

SMPTE 2110 is a suite of standards from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) that describes how to send digital media over an IP network – primarily useful in broadcast production and distribution facilities where quality and flexibility are more important than bandwidth efficiency. SMPTE 2110 is specified in several parts. ST 2110-30 is the part that refers to audio transport and is based on AES67.

Sonicview’s SMPTE ST 2110-30 mode allows for mutual operation with VoIP (Voice over IP) standards in broadcasting equipment. It creates audio flows complying to ST 2110-30 which can be routed with a Dante Controller (Dante Domain Manager is required).

For more information about SMPTE ST 2110-30 read this document published by Audinate.

When mixing a show, and especially a live event, you need to be able to make things happen very quickly, while still keeping an eye on your mix. Sonicview’s 18 definable user keys let you access a variety of functions at the touch of a button. Full-colour LEDs let you group each input source and function by your choice of ten colours and view them easily. For example, assign all your mute user keys to red, all monitor user keys to blue, and the talkback user key to green. Use the colour scheme that works best for the way you work.

Assignable functions include:

• Tap Tempo: FX tempo parameter settings
• Mute Group: Mute on/off per group
• Send: Send on/off per module
• Sends On Fader: easy switching between different sends with one button
• Snapshot:
  • Select: incremental select, direct select
  • Recall: incremental recall, number-defined recall, double-push recall
  • Store: store current snapshot, number-defined store, double-push store
• Talk-back: on/off control at once
• Monitoring:
  • Source selection
  • Mute control
  • DIM control

Sonicview mixers provide eight DCAs (Digitally Controlled Amplifiers) so you can easily control the level for groups of channels. When you have your drums submixed and processed the way you want them, assign the drum channels to a DCA. Now you can control the overall level of the submix with one fader yet still adjust individual drum channels within the DCA as needed. Use DCAs for sections of backing vocals, horns, strings — any group of channels for which you just want overall level control and don’t need to add processing to the whole group. You can set a group name, group colour, and icon for each DCA as well as mute and solo.

Output buses can be assigned to DCAs as well, so you could, for example, create several monitor mixes on individual output buses, including bus processing, and control the overall level of the grouped monitor mixes with one DCA. You can even assign several DCA groups to another DCA group to control the level of two or more DCA submixes with one fader. Sonicview lets you control virtually any combination of submixes any way you want. To top it off, you can assign DCAs to programmable layer keys to select which custom combination of channels, DCAs and output buses are controlled by the motorised faders.