Published 3/3/09
PCIe multi-format soundcard
RME are well-known for their range of high-quality internal soundcards; in fact, they’re one of a handful of manufacturers still making internal cards for a range of budgets, since the external revolution of the early ’00s. The HDSPe AIO is the latest in the new range of PCIe cards designed for modern computers that don’t feature the traditional PCI slots. But it’s not just a re-packaged PCI card; RME claim that with a new DSP engine, the new model can outperform its predecessors in terms of latency.
RME are well-known for their range of high-quality internal soundcards; in fact, they’re one of a handful of manufacturers still making internal cards for a range of budgets, since the external revolution of the early ’00s. The HDSPe AIO is the latest in the new range of PCIe cards designed for modern computers that don’t feature the traditional PCI slots. But it’s not just a re-packaged PCI card; RME claim that with a new DSP engine, the new model can outperform its predecessors in terms of latency.The AIO has a mixture of analogue and digital inputs and outputs, and is especially useful for home and project studio users with existing external hardware. There are separate ADAT, S/PDIF and AES/EBU input and output busses, providing 12-in, 12-out digital operation without any channel-sharing. Stereo analogue inputs and outputs can be used for equipment without built-in A-D/D-A conversion, and a dedicated headphone output has its own D-A converter, meaning it can be controlled separately from the other analogue output.
What’s more, up to four additional balanced analogue inputs and outputs can be added using optional expansion boards, bringing the system’s maximum possible simultaneous I/O count to 18-in, 20-out. The AIO works at sample rates up to 192kHz, and an on-board ‘Steadyclock’ provides a solid clock source with RME’s jitter-suppression technology. Another optional card is required to provide sync capabilities.
The RME HDSPe AIO costs £499 and is shipping now.
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