User Guide English ProFire 2626 Introduction Minimum System Requirements About the ProFire 2626 FireWire Audio Interface ProFire 2626 Features Hardware Controls and Connectors Front Panel Rear Panel Architecture of ProFire 2626 ProFire 2626 Operation at High Sample Rates About S/MUX II and S/MUX IV modes: MAC OS X: 88.2/96 kHz Operation MAC OS X: 176.4/192 kHz Operation Windows XP/Vista: 88.2/96 kHz Operation Windows XP/Vista: 176.4/192 kHz Operation Control Panel Application Mixer Router Output Source Routing Active Input Ports Active Software Returns Input Channel Order Settings Sample Rate Master Volume Knob Mixer Peak Meters Standalone Mode About Additional Functions File Help User Guide 3 3 4 5 6 6 8 9 11 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 19 20 20 21 21 22 24 26 27 27 31 31 31 31 ProFire 2626 Digital Clocking Scenario 1: ProFire 2626 as Clock Master Scenario 2: ProFire 2626 Slaved to an Optical Input Scenario 3: ProFire 2626 Slaved to S/PDIF Input MIDI Connection Diagram and Example Scenarios Example Scenario #1: Recording a Duo Hardware Input and Output Connections Configuring the Mixer, Router, and Settings tabs Setting up the DSP Mixer: Routing the DSP Mixer outputs: Configure the Master Volume Knob to Control Your Studio Monitors: Disabling unused input ports: Using the DSP Mixer to create Cue Mixes Example Scenario #2: Mixing in Surround Hardware Input and Output Connections Configuring the Mixer, Router, and Settings tabs Configuring and Using your DAW to create a Surround Mix Troubleshooting Warranty Warranty Terms Warranty Registration User Guide 32 33 34 35 36 37 39 39 41 41 41 42 42 42 43 43 44 45 46 49 49 49 ProFire 2626 User Guide 3 1 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the ProFire 2626 audio interface ProFire 2626 is part of M-Audio's award winning series of FireWire-based digital recording solutions and features solid hardware design, robust driver technology, and a powerful Control Panel application--all designed to deliver professional connectivity, exceptional fidelity, and nextgeneration performance Even if you are experienced with digital recording, please take a moment to read through this guide It provides detailed information about the ProFire 2626 interface and will help you get the most out of your new purchase You may also want to refer to your audio software's documentation to better understand how ProFire 2626 can be integrated with the application Your experience with the interface will be greatly enhanced by a good working knowledge of your equipment 2 Minimum System Requirements Minimum System Requirements can be found on the M-Audio website at www m-audio com ProFire 2626 User Guide 4 3 About the ProFire 2626 FireWire Audio Interface The ProFire 2626 interface is a super-highway of audio inputs and outputs for your computer Like a highway, there are a certain number of "audio lanes" going to and from your computer--these "lanes" are referred to as streams ProFire 2626 gets its name from the fact that there are 26 streams going into the computer and 26 streams returning from the computer This means you can record up to 26 separate audio channels while simultaneously playing back an additional 26 audio channels if you use all of the analog and digital connections available on the interface ProFire 2626 has a variety of audio connections on its front and back panels The back panel features eight analog combo jacks These multi-purpose jacks accept either XLR or 1/4" balanced/unbalanced inputs and can be used to record microphone or line-level sources The eight XLR inputs are routed to preamps featuring the same technology found in the award-winning M-Audio Octane with controls for gain, phantom power, and 20dB pad on the front panel Next to the combo jacks are eight 1/4" TRS line-level outputs These balanced outputs can be used in a number of ways including monitoring the outputs of your audio software or sending tracks to an external mixer or effects processor Since ProFire 2626 has eight analog outputs, it can also be used for surround mixing in formats up to 7 1 (seven satellites and one subwoofer) The Master Volume knob on the front of the interface can be configured to adjust the output level of any combination of output pairs (i e , 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, or 7/8) for stereo mixes or up to all eight outputs simultaneously--perfect for surround mixing On the front panel of ProFire 2626, you'll find two 1/4" (TS) instrument input jacks You have the option of using these two jacks as inputs instead of using the first two combo jacks on the rear of the interface These two jacks differ slightly from those on the rear of the interface since they are optimized for instrument-level signals and can be used to record the direct output of an electric guitar or bass Like the rear panel XLR connectors, these inputs can also be routed to the preamps The front panel also features two 1/4" headphone jacks with an independent volume knob for each output The first headphone output is sourced from audio routed to analog outputs 1/2 while the second headphone output is sourced from audio routed to analog outputs 3/4 The remaining inputs and outputs on the interface are for digital signals ProFire 2626 supports both coaxial (RCA) and optical S/PDIF formats as well as the multi-channel ADAT standard (including high resolution S/MUX II* and S/MUX IV* modes) The Control Panel software allows users to scale the active I/O channels to preserve system resources, determine the format and number of digital input and output channels that will be available to your audio software, as well as set the order of the input ports as they appear in your software The Control Panel also includes an 18-input, 16-output DSP mixer allowing you to create near-zero latency monitor mixes ProFire 2626 also includes MIDI and BNC Word Clock inputs and outputs for connecting external MIDI instruments and synchronizing multiple pieces of digital audio gear to the same clock * To use high resolution S/MUX II or S/MUX IV modes, the device connected to ProFire 2626 must also support S/MUX II or S/MUX IV operation. ProFire 2626 User Guide 5 4 ProFire 2626 Features 26-input, 26-output audio configuration Up to 24-bit/192 kHz operation Eight XLR/TRS combo jacks on rear panel supporting mic or line-level signals Two 1/4" (TS) front panel instrument input jacks Eight high-quality preamps with award winning OctaneTM technology Phantom power, 20dB pads, and signal/clip LED indicators for all mic preamps Two Stereo 1/4" headphone outputs with individual level controls Eight balanced 1/4" (TRS) line-level outputs Two optical inputs supporting ADAT, S/MUX II, S/MUX IV or S/PDIF** Two optical outputs supporting ADAT, S/MUX II, S/MUX IV or S/PDIF** Coaxial (RCA) S/PDIF input and output BNC Word Clock input and output User-assignable Master Volume knob MIDI input and output Comprehensive software-controlled 18x16 DSP Mixer and Router Jet PLL synchronization technology provides robust clocking between digital devices Windows XP/Vista drivers for ASIO, MME/WDM, DirectX and GSIF2 protocols Mac OS X drivers for Core Audio and Core MIDI Standalone operation as eight channel mic preamplifier, A/D, and D/A converter Compatible with Pro Tools M-Powered 7 4 and later*** ** S/PDIF optical format available on Optical Port B only *** with downloadable cs update ProFire 2626 User Guide 6 5 Hardware Controls and Connectors 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 5 6 7 6 7 8 9 10 Front Panel 1 Instrument Inputs (Channels 1/2): These unbalanced 1/4" jacks are used for connecting high impedance instrument-level signals (i e , electric guitars and basses) to ProFire 2626 When using these inputs, make sure that the Mic/Inst (2) button is set to its "in" position in order to route the associated instrument input to NOTE: The 1/4" line input section of the combo the preamp connector (on the rear of the interface) is never sent to Mic/Inst Buttons: These buttons determine whether the channel's XLR input (rear-panel combo jack) or the 1/4" instrument input (on the front panel) will be routed to the preamp When this button is set to the "out" position, the combo jack's XLR connection will be active and the front panel input will be ignored Conversely, when this button is set to the "in" position, the channel's 1/4" front panel input will be active and the combo jack's XLR connection will be ignored Signal/Clip Indicators: The green LED indicates the presence of a signal at the corresponding analog input while the red LED indicates "clipping" or distortion at the input Use these LED meters to set levels for the eight analog inputs Gain Adjustment Knobs / 20dB Pads: These are dual function knobs that are used to adjust the preamp gain as well as to engage a 20dB pad Turn this knob clockwise to increase the input gain for a channel Pull the knob to the "out" position to engage a 20dB pad or leave the knob in the "in" position to allow signals to bypass the pad the preamp, however, the interface does sum the 1/4" line-level portion of the combo jack and front-panel instrument-level input. While the summing of these two 1/4" inputs does not affect either input's impedance or signal level, it does make it possible to record audio from both inputs simultaneously. If you have connected a line-level device to the rear of the interface but only intend to record from the corresponding instrument input on the front, please make sure that the connected device is not outputting any audio (or is powered off). 2 3 Setting Gain Levels To set gain levels for an analog input, begin by turning the Gain Adjustment Knob (4) for that channel fully counter-clockwise. While the sound source is playing at its loudest levels, slowly turn the knob clockwise until the red clip indicator (3) begins to illuminate. Then, turn the knob counter-clockwise until the clip indicator no longer illuminates. At this point, you should be ready to record with the optimum gain setting. Please keep in mind that the red LED indicates that your input is clipping (distorting) digitally. This is not the same kind of analog-style distortion found on guitar amplifiers and stomp boxes. Digital distortion is generally considered to be harsh and unmusical and it is recommended that you use these LED meters to avoid this type of clipping. 4 ProFire 2626 5 Phantom Power Buttons: These two buttons apply +48V phantom power to XLR inputs 1-4 and 5-8 The top button activates phantom power on XLR inputs 1 through 4 while the bottom button activates phantom power for inputs 5 through 8 The LED next to each button will illuminate when phantom power is being sent to the associated channels Headphone Level Knobs: These knobs adjust the output volume of the headphone outputs Turn these knobs clockwise to increase the level of their associated headphone outputs; turn them counterclockwise to reduce the output levels User Guide About Phantom Power: Be mindful when engaging phantom power since not all microphones require phantom power to operate. For example, most dynamic microphones do not require any phantom power whereas condenser microphones usually do. Some vintage ribbon microphones may be damaged if phantom power is applied to them. Always consult your microphone's manual before applying phantom power. 7 6 7 8 Headphone Jacks: Connect headphones to these jacks The first headphone output is sourced from audio routed to analog outputs 1/2 while the second headphone output is sourced from audio routed to analog outputs 3/4 Master Volume Knob: This knob controls the analog output levels of ProFire 2626 Turning the knob clockwise will increase the output level while turning it counterclockwise will reduce the output level By default, this knob is assigned to control analog outputs 1/2, however, the Control Panel application provides the option of setting the Master Volume knob to control any combination of analog output pairs (i e , 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, or 7/8) This includes the ability to control the level of all eight analog outputs simultaneously This feature has been implemented to facilitate many kinds of stereo and surround mixing scenarios See the Control Panel section of this User Guide for more information about how to configure and use the Master Volume knob HINT: To control the level of the main monitor mix without affecting the level at the headphone outputs, assign the Master Volume knob to either analog outputs 5/6 or 7/8 and use those outputs for your main monitors. This prevents the Master Volume Knob from influencing the levels of headphone outputs 1 and 2 and effectively provides front panel volume controls for three unique stereo outputs. If you already have a way of controlling the main monitor mix level (e.g. through the use of an external mixer), another good use for the assignable Master Volume Knob is as an auxiliary send. Simply connect one of the analog output pairs to an outboard effects unit and ...