Heritage Audio has announced the availability two new 8 channel units — the Súper 8 preamp, and the OST-8 ADAT. The Súper 8 is an 8 channel transformer-coupled class A mic preamp with premium 24 bit 192k ADC providing eight channels in a 2U enclosure. The OST-8 ADAT is a 3U rack-mountable, eight-slot 500-Series enclosure, allowing workability with a premium 24-bit/192kHz ADC creating a clean, direct pathway for sending signals to a DAW using an ADAT Lightpipe cable.

Súper 8
The Súper 8 offers a compact solution for when several high quality preamps and top class conversion is needed. It allows eight high-quality signals to be recorded into a DAW with an ADAT Lightpipe cable. The unit can either be the Master or Slaved to another unit as there is a BNC IN and OUT for reliable syncing. It also offers an alternate route to the converter via a DB25 connector to expand the unit’s flexibility.

Using its Class A 73 Preamp building experience Heritage Audio was able to fit 8 MIC/Line preamps into a sturdy 2 unit rack. All 8 are faithful to its 3 stage all Class A design with Carnhill transformers fitted at the input and the output. The first two channels also include its high quality JFET DI as well as a fully sweepable Lo-cut filter. All 8 channels include switches for 48V, Line, Lo-cut(-3dB at 82Hz) and Phase.

There is built in analog to digital conversion available on 3 different digital formats: ADAT, AES/EBU and SPDIF with BNC connectors for reliable word clock syncing. Selectable sampling frequencies from 44.1kH to 192kH. The MIC/Line Preamp outputs can be directly sent to the DAC, but there’s also the possibility of choosing an alternative input — per channel — for the digital conversion, making this an extremely flexible unit. This can come in useful if you need to output the preamps to an EQ or compressor before returning them for digital conversion.

Features:

• 8 Class A 73 Style Preamps with 3 Stage design offering up to 80dB of Gain
• Exclusively designed Carnhill Transformers on the Input and Output
• High quality JFET D.I. before the Input Transformer on first 2 Channels
• Sweepable LoCut filter on first 2 Channels
• Premium 24Bit/192kHz 8 Channel ADC
• ADAT, SPDIF, AES/EBU Digital Output options
• Analog Inputs & Outputs on Gold Plated XLRs as well as DB25 Connectors
• Alternate Input path to ADC available

OST-8 ADAT
Many people rely on the ADAT format and almost every serious sound card includes an ADAT option, so incorporating an ADAT output is a practical progression for Heritage Audio designs. The OST-8 ADAT is an 8 slot 500 series enclosure with its own built-in premium converter to make capturing, processing, and digitalising signals at a high quality a reality. 

Here Heritage Audio has relied on its trusted On Slot Technology to guarantee a clean, protective environment for your valuable 500 series modules. It offers filtering and isolation for each slot, and each module is individually regulated providing each module with tis own power supply. 

The OST-8 ADAT incorporates a high quality 24Bit/192kH ADC that can operate as a MASTER unit or SLAVE to another with a BNC connector to sync to WordClock to assure a stable conversion. A great feature is that it’s possible to select individually, per channel, the input routed to the ADC. This means one can choose between the signal directly from the input, the signal after going through the 500 module or an ADC external in signal. This last option is useful as it gives the user more processing possibilities before the conversion stage.

The OST-8 ADAT is solidly built and includes gold plated XLR connectors as well as the Inputs and Outputs duplicated on DB25 connectors for further convenience. Then there’s the ‘LINK’ button on the back which has become a must have as it permits you to internally connect one module’s output to the next, adjacent module’s input with the no need to use patch cables.

Features:

• Premium 24Bit/192kH 8 Channel Analog-To-Digital converter can be either MASTER or SLAVE to another unit and guarantee correct syncing with its BNC connector
• Heritage Audio’s ‘On Slot Technology’ has been used to offer protection, filtering, and isolation for you modules
• Alternate Input path to ADC available
• 2 X ADAT Outputs enables SMUX use
• 3 selectable input options per channel (Pre 500 module, Post 500 module or External Aux) of the 8 channel ADC means you will always have the most flexible routing possible
• Trusted, streamlined connection with your audio interface using just one Lightpipe cable
• OST-8 ADAT also includes the popular ‘LINK’ button to internally connect one module to the next without the need for patch cables
• Gold plated, balanced +4dB connectors are used throughout as well as duplicated on DB25 connectors for even more convenience

It is unusual for a six-year-old product to achieve record sales but MERGING+HAPI has never been usual.

Since the beginning of October 2020, more than 120 units have been sold and the diversity of user and countries has been remarkable. On the one hand, there were four sold to the French theme park, Puy du Fou along with two Horus units which, when added to their already significant installation, makes them one of the largest individual purchasers worldwide. On the other, units were supplied to film and post studios, classical recording facilities, Dolby Atmos studios globally.

This flourish of activity provides the ideal scenario for the launch of MERGING+HAPI MKII which will start shipping in March. Advance orders are already more than fifty, so eagerly is this product anticipated. All the good bits of Hapi remain, meaning all the current and future AD/DA interface cards will slot straight in as will the PT64 HDX and MADI cards.

New Features

• Channel-based routing. Each channel can be routed individually to make the most efficient use of resources
• Improved Headphones specifications and features
• Mastering grade Headphone Amp
• Powerful Headphone Amp suitable for ultra-low to very high impedance headphones.
• Headphones DSD volume support (DSD64, DSD128, DSD256)
• Headphones DSD256 support
• Per channel Headphones Trims for level and polarity
• New front panel with improved display. Clear Plexiglas with dimming options
• ST2022-7 Support. Perfectly complementing Anubis SPS and MAD, Hapi MKII is now fully compliant with the Seamless Protection Switching strategy
• Switch mode support – Remove the need for an external network switch when using one additional Networked Interface
• Additional DA Roll Off filters
• Per channel DA Trims level and polarity support
• 0.1 dB level precision steps on DA and all trims – Precision mastering control

Hapi MKII also retains the redundant power supply option and now has ST2022-7 Seamless Protection Switching added to the NMOS and ST2110-30 compatibility it already had. The dual Ethernet ports also allow “Switch Mode” operation which permits the connection of one additional RAVENNA/AES67 device without the need for an external switch. This is particularly useful for compact location recording systems where additional switches add to the complexity and overall weight. Anubis and Hapi provide a surprisingly powerful package that delivers exceptional audio fidelity with all the control needed to route your microphones, control your monitoring and even provide the talkback to the artists.

The core of Hapi MKII is the powerful ZMAN “system-on-a-chip” featured in MERGING+ANUBIS and this allows for individual channel-based routing and the other important enhancements to the headphone performance and DA control. The headphone amplifier now monitors full DSD256 material with volume control from the front panel and, as with Anubis, it is now capable of driving ultra-low to very high impedance headphones.

Additional roll-off filters on the DA have per-channel trims and polarity switching. Demands from many mastering houses have seen all trims including the DAs to be adjusted in 0.1 dB steps to provide the precision demanded by this speciality. These adjustments are also applicable to the headphone monitoring making sure that you get identical results whether you are listening on speakers or headphones. As an added bonus, the front-panel display is improved and has dimming options to cope with any lighting conditions.

Rune Jacobsen, Merging’s newly appointed International Sales Manager commented; “I have been blown away by the 2020 sales results that have defied all earlier predictions. Hapi has been one of the outstanding products recently and we are certain that Hapi MKII will achieve even greater success.

The company’s best performing product to date, the ADA-128 is the latest in Prism Sound’s internationally acclaimed range of Dream A/D and D/A converters. By applying the same ‘no compromise’ design philosophy, Prism Sound has created a product that complements its existing range, which includes the popular ADA-8XR multichannel converter that can be found in many audio facilities worldwide. This new converter brings exceptional levels of flexibility, functionality, and cost effectiveness to the professional audio market without any compromise in sound quality.

Mark Evans, Prism Sound’s Sales Director, says: “This is the first product of a new generation of Prism Sound converters and we are confident that it will be well received by audio professionals across many different disciplines, including music recording, post production, broadcast and installation. It builds on everything that is great about Prism Sound conversion but takes it to a new level in terms of power and flexibility. It is also a very cost effective solution for people who require a high channel count – to put this into perspective, for 128 channels of our flagship ADA-8XR conversion it would cost approximately £25,000 more and take up a lot more space in a rack!”

Designed as both a conversion system and a high-performance, networkable audio distribution and processing system, the ADA-128 is built around a flexible 2RU mainframe that can be fitted with up to 16 analogue and digital IO modules (each of which nominally provides eight input or output ports, or both). Up to four Host modules provide bidirectional multi-channel connections to host computers, workstations, networks etc. The ADA-128 provides free routing between all of these inputs and outputs under detailed user control, as well as a wide range of processing functions.

“The ADA-128 has a host of exciting features including low-jitter master clocks, flexible routing and synchronization options and a comprehensive store system for fast-access factory and user pre-sets,” Mark Evans adds. “However, one of its key benefits is the ability to independently synchronise the I/O cards to create four different domains, each with its own sample rate and clock. This will definitely appeal to facilities with more than one control room, as well as projects requiring a large amount of I/O.”

The inspiration for the ADA-128 originally came from discussions between Prism Sound’s Managing Director Jody Thorne and The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, a faculty of Birmingham City University.

“The Conservatoire were looking for high quality converters and knew Prism Sound’s reputation in this area, which is why they approached us,” Jody Thorne says. “Our discussions identified the need for a high channel count conversion system that could be networked across their entire facility. As this didn’t exist, we set about designing it and that project formed the basis of the ADA-128.”

During the development period, The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire have installed Prism Sound ADA-8XR converters in its studios but will now take delivery of the first ADA-128 units to roll off the production line. Another early adopter is the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Other facilities are also specifying the unit and eagerly awaiting delivery.

Prism Sound’s new ADA-128 will be officially unveiled this month during the (online) 149th AES Convention. An ADA-128 chassis will retail at £5,000 with Host cards from £750 and I/O cards from £1,650. 

The 10 MHz reference clock generator REF10 SE120 marks a new top position within its product category in terms of technology and audiophile performance. With a phase noise value of <‑120 dBc measured at 1 Hz distance from the carrier frequency of 10 MHz, the REF10 SE120 produces uniquely low jitter measured values of an average of <15 fs in the crucial measuring range between 1-100 Hz.

This outstanding technical quality has a clearly audible impact on the sonic performance of connected devices. Thanks to its extremely noise-free and exact clock the MUTEC REF10 SE120 improves and enhances the sound quality of compatible DACs, audio re‑clockers and music servers. Precision, transparency, spatiality and dynamics of the musical presentation now reach an unprecedented level.

The MUTEC REF10 SE120 is a special version of the worldwide successfully sold predecessor REF10 that was launched in 2017 and has now been further enhanced in terms of signal performance. The REF10 SE120 differs from the standard REF10 in regards to its much more elaborately manufactured and selected oven‑controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO).

“Without doubt, the REF10 was and is a milestone in the development of audiophile reference clock generators. During the development, we noticed that its sonic performance in particular is decisively influenced by the crystal oscillator used. As a result, our REF10 developer and our oscillator supplier came together to optimise the oscillator’s production so that a sufficient quantity of oscillators can be produced in the quality level required for the REF10 SE120. 

“We are sure that with the REF10 SE120 we are offering our customers a product that fully meets the continuously increasing demands for audiophile improvement of audio components as well as delivering perfect clock synchronisation in a commercial studio environment.“ – Christian Peters, CEO MUTEC

Because of its versatile connectivity, the REF10 SE120 is extremely flexible while maintaining an easy way of operation. Eight simultaneous available clock outputs at both 50 ohm and 75 ohm impedance not only allow to use the REF10 SE120 in combination with MUTEC products having a 10 MHz input like MC3+/MC3+USB Smart Clocks and iClock/iClock dp, but also 10 MHz compatible components by third-party manufacturers.

• 10 MHz reference master clock generator with ultimately low phase noise of ‑120 dBc at 1 Hz
• Improves significantly compatible DACs, audio re‑clockers, music servers and master clocks
• Engineered around an elaborately manufactured and selected OCXO made in Germany with outstanding low phase noise
• Provides simultaneous reference outputs with 50 Ω and 75 Ω impedance for maximum compatibility with audio components by other manufacturers
• Sub‑Hz optimized, lowest noise power supplies for every circuit section
• Integrated highest quality international linear power supply
• Highly efficient power line filtering
• Easy operation

Due to the limited availability of meticulously tested and selected crystal oscillators, the MUTEC REF10 SE120 is available only in small batches and will be shipped with either a black or aluminium coloured front plate for the list price of € 5,498.00(including VAT).