RME M-16 DA [34/57] Technical background

User’s Guide M-32 DA © RME

16. Technical Background

16.1 Terminology

Single Speed

Sample rate range originally used in Digital Audio. Typical applications are 32 kHz (digital radio

broadcast), 44.1 kHz (CD), and 48 kHz (DAT).

Double Speed

Doubles the original sample rate range, in order to achieve higher audio quality and improved

audio processing. 64 kHz is practically never used, 88.2 kHz is quite rare in spite of certain ad-

vantages. 96 kHz is a common format. Sometimes called Double Fast.

Quad Speed

Controversially discussed way of ensuring hi-end audio quality and processing by quadrupling

the sample frequency. 128 kHz is non-existent, 176.4 kHz is rare, if at all then 192 kHz is used,

e.g. for DVD Audio.

Single Wire

Standard audio data transfer, where the audio signal's sample rate is equal to the rate of the

digital signal. Used from 32 to 192 kHz. Sometimes called Single Wide.

Double Wire

Before 1998 there were no receiver/transmitter circuits available that could receive or transmit

more than 48 kHz. Higher sample rates were transferred by splitting odd and even bits across

the L/R channels of a single AES connection. This provides for twice the data rate, and hence

twice the sample rate. A stereo signal subsequently requires two AES/EBU ports.

The Double Wire method is an industry standard today, however it has a number of different

names, like Dual AES, Double Wide, Dual Line and Wide Wire. The AES3 specification uses

the uncommon term Single channel double sampling frequency mode. When used with the

ADAT format, the term S/MUX is commonly used.

Double Wire not only works with Single Speed signals, but also with Double Speed. As an ex-

ample, Pro Tools HD, whose AES receiver/transmitter only work up to 96 kHz, uses Double

Wire to transmit 192 kHz. Four channels of 96 kHz turn into two channels of 192 kHz.

Quad Wire

Similar to Double Wire, with samples of one channel spread across four channels. This way

single speed devices can transmit up to 192 kHz, but need two AES/EBU ports to transmit one

channel. Also called Quad AES.

S/MUX

Since the ADAT hardware interface is limited to Single Speed, the Double Wire method is used

for sample rates up to 96 kHz, but usually referred to as S/MUX (Sample Multiplexing). An

ADAT port supports four channels this way.

S/MUX4

The Quad Wire method realizes the transmission of two channels at up to 192 kHz via ADAT.

The method is referred to as S/MUX4.

Note

: All conversions of the described methods are lossless. The existing samples are just

spread or re-united between the channels.