Neumann, a manufacturer of analog microphones, will introduce its DMI-8, an eight-channel version of the DMI-2 digital microphone interface, at AES 2009. The new unit provides remote digital microphone control and offers more channels at less cost per channel in a space-saving rack-mountable chassis. The DMI-8 also adds new features to the digital microphone interface concept, including computer-free gain adjustment, multiunit cascading up to 128 channels, and a variety of industry-standard, multichannel output formats.
The DMI-8 delivers AES 42 to AES/EBU conversion; multiple-microphone synchronization even without a sample rate converter; automatic word clock or AES 11 synchronization; sample rate output from 44.1kHz to 192kHz; and control and storage of digital microphone settings from either a Mac or a PC using Neumann’s RCS software.
In addition, up to 128 digital microphones can be simultaneously controlled from cascaded DMI-8s or DMI-2s. The DMI-8 also allows users to view signal and adjust gain right at the unit, even with no computer connected. External commands, such as an on-air red light indicator, can be controlled via a nine-pin user port. Output formats are ADAT optical and D-sub 25 with Tascam and Yamaha pin assignments. In addition, open architecture will allow later connection to other multichannel interfaces and audio networks, such as EtherSound and MADI.
