From: bc2y+@andrew.cmu.edu (Brian T Cheek)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.audio
Subject: Mini-Review: AD1012 by Sunrize
Date: 13 Dec 92 09:16:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.of_skTG00WB_A627dQ
Organization: Misc. student, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

MINI-REVIEW of Sun-Rize's AD1012 12 bit Direct to Hard Disk board.

For convenience, i'll use the term D2HD for Direct to Hard Disk.  Also,
please read up on D2HD terms before trying to decipher my mini-review.
This board is capable of producing 4 channels of audio consisting of
information recorded D2HD.  It's selling points would be for anyone who
wants to (but, of course, not limited to) do audio editing for video,
song mastering, remixing, etc.  It is unlike a sampler or sample
playback device, like the amiga's own outputs as you can not pitch shift
with it (for example, you can't record a middle C on piano, then play
back a scale.)

The main competetion is from the Macintosh (nothing else on the amiga
can do what this card can do).  The Mac program I'll compare it to is
Sound-Tools, a 2nd or 3rd generation program which does the same thing. 
Do note that the AD1012 lists for $595, the AD516 for $1595, and the Mac
version that does the equivelant (hardware only, anyway) is around
$6000.  Do you need 12 or 16 bit?  Ears, my friends, you must use your
ears.

The AD1012 sound is wonderful, and most people (myself included) could
easily confuse it for a 16 bit board.  It is a mono device with sampling
rates from 8,000 sps (samples per second) to 90,000 sps.  Because of the
design, it is ideal to pick one rate and stick with it.  I picked 44,646
sps (@CD rate).  Storing samples takes mondo hard drive space.  It takes
5 megabytes per sample minute per channel at CD-rate.  (For all you with
your calculators, the discrepency comes from the fact it stores samples
in 16 bit format to be completely compatible with the 16 bit card, which
I think they may have a trade in policy for).  So if you're doing 4
tracks on the AD1012, thats 20 meg/minute.  I'd recommemd a minimum of
200 megs devoted to this card, and devote the entire partition too,
because fragmentation can lead to jumps and skips on playback.

BTW, the AD516 supports 8 tracks and is in stereo.  No single card for
any computer can do that.  (Thats why the Mac equivelant is $6000, you
need multiple cards).  At CD-Rate, this translates into 40
megabytes/sample minute.  You may need (and it supports) multiple SCSI
chains (not drives) to accomidate.  BTW (and I'm not sure if this is
possible) if the program supports multiple 516's, that means 16 track
D2HD production.  Yes, you will put professional studio's out of
business.

The interface is clean, intuitive, and easy to use.  It supports
drag-and-drop for operations like cue-list making, and in 640x400, you
can see (assuming your monitor won't make you go blind) all you need to
see.  The interface is a little unlike Amiga standard, but that seems to
be a benefit (It looks pro).

Operation is simple and straightforward, and once you learn it
(excellent manual) It is as easy to drop new samples in as it is to use
a tape deck.  When you have a list of samples, you make a SMPTE
triggered cue-list.  This plays your samples in any order you choose,
according to incoming SMPTE (it has it's own SMPTE in port, as well as
it's own audio in/out).

Editing is sparce.  Current software (and to fix the problem would only
require software) only includes cut&paste, echo, FFT, normalize,
reverse, invert (phase shift? I'm not sure).  This is rudimentary, and
the board is well suited only if your source material is processed in
the way you want the output to sound.  The mac software is miles ahead.
(with things like real-time EQ, reverb, non-realtime; compression,
expansion).  Both Amiga and Mac's software are natural feeling, no
kludges, and don't crash (Studio 16 is up to at least 2.0).

Oh yeah, how's this for multi-tasking...  While playing a sample back, I
went to Workbench, booted DeluxePaint IV, loaded a 640x400 16 color
anim, played it, quit and returned.  The audio file never hiccuped.  It
played flawlessly straight through.  This is VERY important for
videographers, as your machine can run video stuff at the same time. 
This is also a tribute to the Sunrize programmers.  Good Job.  (I doubt
multifinder will allow this...).  This test occured on a 2000 with a
68030 accelerator.

This board was used in a 60 minute self-help production (talking with
music under it).  The project was without a hitch, and proved a success
for the board.  The client felt comfortable saying "Oh, move that line
back before this time"  With tape, you'd be getting out the razor blades
now.

This program also works with Bars&Pipes Professional.  From B&P, you can
trigger samples, and even open the edit screens from B&P.  Nice.  (And
with B&P2.0's virtual screen, drool!)

One note about the sound.  When you listen reeeallly close, there is a
noise floor.  The board isn't totally noise free (but then neither is my
professional sampler, which costs a lot more!)

This board works fine now, and also has great potential.  If they add
more editing tools, I will buy the 16 bit card, (if I can afford the
hard-drive to accompany).  This requires user feedback...

Hope this info was of help.
-Brian :)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.audio