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Introduction 1
provides audio buffering, level adjustment and mixing functions. Hardware
sampling rates of 48kHz, 96kHz and 192kHz are available, with the Windows
sampling rate converter transparently providing support for other rates. The
card supports extended bit depths to 32 bit and the software sampling rate
and bit depth (32, 24, 16 or 8 bits PCM) can be set independently for each
input and output channel.
Windows Wave, DirectSound and DirectShow API’s are supported, as are a
variety of audio compression modes via the Windows Audio Compression
Manager or other software compression systems. On Windows Vista/Server
2008 and later systems, the Core Audio API is also fully supported.
There are four configuration settings for the Auricon 4.4, these being Mode
(stereo/mono), H/W Sampling Rate, Input Coupling and Nominal Line Level.
The mode may be configured as either stereo or mono. In mono mode the
number of input and output channels that Windows sees is doubled. The
nominal line level can be set to +8dBu, +4dBu or 0dBu. In each case the
clipping level is 16dB above the nominal level. The input coupling can be set
to either DC or AC (the default is AC).
The playback topology consists of a master output level, mute control and
peak meter, and input monitor level and mute controls for each of the line
inputs. The record topology consists of a master input level, mute control
and peak meter, and level controls and mutes for the physical input and
digital loopback. The digital loopback allows the output of the card to be
digitally mixed back into the input. The range on the input and output
master controls is -96dB to +6dB, while the individual line controls range
from -96dB to 0dB.
Multiple cards may be installed in a single PC.
Two 44-pin high-density D-type connector to XLRs breakout leads are
offered as an option; either 4 stereo inputs and 1 stereo output, or 4 stereo
outputs and 1 stereo input.
Introduction
The Auricon 4.4 is a professional quality 4 stereo input and 4 stereo output
analogue PCIe audio card. The inputs and outputs can be reconfigured as
separate mono channels, giving eight inputs and outputs.
It is supplied with a Windows WDM driver to provide full sound card
functionality under Windows XP, Server 2003, Vista, Server 2008, Windows
7, Server 2008R2, Windows 8 and Server 2012.
The card uses 24-bit 192kHz sigma-delta converters which pass data to
and from the PC via a single lane PCI Express interface. An onboard FPGA