Apogee Trak 2 Manuale Utente Scaricare il pdf

Apogee Electronics Trak2

The Trak2 combines preamplification with conversion. William Bowden pieces this

review together.

pogee Electronics has been in the analogue to

digital conversion business a long time. While they

have branched out over the years into various areas

such as cabling and media, conversion has always been

their primary focus. They now have quite a range of con-

verters available comprising the budget two-channel

Rosettas, the two-channel PSX-100, the eight-channel

AD-8000, the 16-channel IntelliDAC and now the Trak2.

‘Where does the Trak2 sit in this veritable pantheon of

products?’, I hear you ask. Well, sort of near the top of

the two-channel range... but it also has some, erm...

eight-channel architecture... and it’s Apogee’s first

tracking device as well. If that sounds a bit confusing,

then I’ll draw a parallel between Star Trek’s Borg or

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: lots of familiar parts that

the user (or mad scientist) can assemble in many

different ways.

Options, Options, Options

The basic model Trak2 is a two-channel A/D converter

capable of 24-bit/96k resolution with two mic preamps

thrown in for good measure (or to give the Digi001

some serious competition!). The unit has a small

backlight LCD display for navigation,

up/down/sideways cursor buttons, PPM-style metering

and an aluminium Alpha dial-style data entry wheel.

Input and output is handled by balanced XLR connec-

tors and the mic pres have balanced/unbalanced (auto-

sensing) jack inputs in addition to XLRs. Digital audio is

handled by a single XLR which can output either

AES/EBU or S/PDIF formats. There’s also a COM port

on the back for allowing OS upgrades and remote

control (via Midi software).

The microphone preamp is, electronically, a totally

separate unit and can be patched internally to the A/D

converters or used as a stand-alone device. This is a very

good move on Apogee’s part as you often want to patch

in an external compressor while tracking vocals or

instruments. The Trak2 also has memories, so you can

store various permutations for instant recall. The system

it employs is best described by the Summit/Neve slogan:

‘Digital Control Over Analogue’. While that sounds a

little over-dramatic, you get the picture. Everything is

housed in a silver and purple 1U rack adorned with huge

heat sinks along the sides, the on/off button is on the

front panel and the power supply is linear toroidal – not

switch mode.

Notice I previously used the term ‘basic model’. That’s

because the Trak2 has several optional boards available

which greatly enhance its potential (and price). However,

before I get into analysing the performance of the (un-

optioned) review model, it’s worth having a look at the

options available. (Because you can use this device in

several ways and configurations, I think this will aid in the

general understanding of what the

Trak2 actually is.)

For starters, while

the Trak2 sports a

two-channel A/D

converter, a D/A

converter board is

optional. The

available D/A

board comes in two flavours: a two-channel version (2DA

$1,270) and an eight-channel version (8DA $2,900). Why

has Apogee done this? Because although the Trak2 can

only sample two channels on the input, it can monitor up

to eight channels of incoming digital audio (via further

optional cards). This capability presents you with a

choice. You can spec your Trak2 to be a stereo in/out

A/D D/A converter or you can have a two input (A/D),

eight output (D/A) system. This sort of approach is very

useful if you have an eight-channel multitrack recorder.

You could monitor all the outputs of the multitrack

through the Trak2, and at the same time be able to

record using the stereo A/D converters as the ‘front end’.

Of course you could forget all these options and just use

the Trak2 as a single-ended A/D converter.

If you are indeed using a DAW or multitrack, then

many formats are presently supported. Apogee has a

system called Apogee Multimedia Bus (AMB) which

allows simultaneous transmission of up to eight channels

of 24-bit/96k audio (input and output). These cards fit in

slots round the back of the unit, and if you have the

eight-channel D/A card installed and one of these AMB

cards, you can monitor all eight incoming digital outputs

through the Trak2. AMB supports a wide variety of

formats such as Digidesign, ADAT, TDIF, SDIF (that’s the

Sony format), SSL HiWay and FiberDX – an optical

protocol capable of sending your eight channels of

audio up to five kilometres! I guess I should also mention

1 2

Apogee Electronics Trak2 1

Sommario

Pagina 1 - Apogee Electronics Trak2

88Apogee Electronics Trak2The Trak2 combines preamplification with conversion. William Bowden pieces thisreview together.EQUIPMENT TESTApogee Electro

Pagina 2

that the Trak2 has two of these slots, which also allowsfor format conversion. So you could use an ADAT and aTascam DA38 (for example) alongside each

Più documenti per Amplificatori audio Apogee Trak 2

Per vedere il documento Apogee Trak 2 Manuale Utente

Apogee Trak 2 Manuale Utente (4 pagine)

Per vedere il documento Apogee Trak 2 Manuale del Proprietario

Apogee Trak 2 Manuale del Proprietario (42 pagine)

Apogee Trak 2 Manuale Utente (2 pagine)

Commenti su questo manuale

Nessun commento

Apogee Trak 2 Manuale Utente

Navigare online o scaricare Manuale Utente per Amplificatori audio Apogee Trak 2. Apogee Electronics Trak2 Manuale Utente

Sommario

Più documenti per Amplificatori audio Apogee Trak 2

Commenti su questo manuale

Prodotti e manuali riguardandi Amplificatori audio Apogee Trak 2