Center Stage Quality - Hands-On Review of Applied Magic's OnStage TM Audio Card

When installed, it will function as a stand-alone audio system or support the audio functions of such popular nonlinear editing systems as in-synch's Speed Razor, DPS's Video Action NT, Adobe Premiere, Ulead's Media Studio Pro, and Discreet Logic's D/Vision.

The Applied Magic OnStage card (List Price $1,595) features just two stereo channels (its competitors in this price range offer four), but the quality of these channels makes a quantum leap over competitive boards. Instead of 16 bit record/playback, OnStage provides 20 bits of audio signal quality and the difference is perceptible. Perfect synchronization with video is achieved with an on-board reference clock oscillator that accepts digital input from AES/EBU, NTSC or PAL composite video sources with sampling rates ranging from 4 kHx to 50 kHz (almost twice that of any competitive PC board).

The OnStage board has been designed to allow more than one to be installed in a system, thereby allowing the user to double the amount of ins and outs with each new card, however, currently, the software does not support this. Applied Magic will be issuing this software via a software update by the time you read this. Look for it at www.applied-magic.com

Test Platforms

The Applied Magic OnStage card, configured with a DPS Perception video capture and playback card, was first tested on a Compaq Workstation 6000 equipped with 2 Seagate 9 gig Elite drives, one of which was dedicated to the sound files.

Other test platforms included a dual-Pentium 150 Intergraph machine, equipped with an Intense 3-D video card, two 4 gig Seagate Barracuda drives and a DPS Perception card set connected to the new 23 gig Seagate Cheetah drive. An Adaptec 2940 SCSI drive is included in most Intergraph motherboards, providing throughput of the audio data to one of the 4 gig Barracudas.

We also tested the OnStage on an Intergraph Studio-Z 400 platform, with the RealiZm video card and two Seagate 9 gig Elite drives for audio and video respectively.

Installation

Because of the architecture of the Compaq 6000, which offers no-screws, snap in installation into an easily accessed top-mounted PCI housing, setting up the OnStage card was like topping up the oil on a '55 Chevy.

Our facility is not equipped with sophisticated audio analysis equipment, so this evaluation was not run under strict laboratory conditions. The configurations, however, were subjected to several professional editors and a few clients who regularly evaluate the output of nonlinear editing suites for broadcast and non-broadcast corporate output. Our evaluations, therefore, are based on subjective, professional standards under real working conditions.

Specifications

The Applied Magic OnStage card emulates a virtual mixing board with 2 stereo audio tracks, driven by analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) converters running at 20 bits, resulting in an audio resolution of over 1 million increments per sample, over 15 times that of competing cards which top out at 16 bits! Sampling rates range from 4 kHz up to 50 kHz. The 40 MHz floating point DSP chip (TMX320C30PPM40) supports an 8-channel real time mixer supporting both MIDI and SMPTE timecode lock.

The design of the board is very clean with a slim profile and the now obligatory SIMM recess at the front end to accommodate tight installations where the front end of the board may overhang the motherboard's SIMM memory chips.

Because of the high bitrate, the OnStage AD/DA converters claim a signal-to-noise ratio of 110 dB, and a total system signtal-to-noise ratio of 100 dB, which is the highest of any card we've seen. Consequently the dynamic range is also expanded over most cards in its class, to 99dB with a frequency range of from 10 Hz to 22kHz.

In addition to the XLR connectors, input/output formats include AES/EBU, EIAJ, CP-340 Type I/IEC-95B and, with an optional adapter, S/PDIF for direct coupling to digital gear like a DAT or professional CD.

The card comes with two cable sets for connection to external devices. One set sports ten XLR connectors for 4-channel input/output analog and two for digital. The other cable set offers connections for MIDI, SMPTE and synch video throughputs. The audio cables (which measure a full six feet to reach whever you may need them) are exclusively fitted with (balanced) XLR connectors, suggesting that consumers need not apply here. All four channels automatically detect the difference between analog and digital input and adjust accordingly. Only in the playback mode must the operator instruct the software which mode to use.

Using the second set of cables, the user may connect the OnStage card to external MIDI equipment using the MIDI-in and/or MIDI-out cables. Longitudinal time code (LTC) in and out via BNC connectors and an external video synchronization clock input (via BNC in and out jacks which connect to the VCR) are supported. The card is capable of performing SMPTE time code burn-in, and can both read and write SMPTE through the

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can be read and recorded using convenient pop-up windows.

Installation

While installation of the OnStage card is rather simple, we would have preferred a more comprehensive instruction manual. The current manual has few illustrations, no schematic diagrams of the cabling and only minimal instructions. However, Applied Magic is going to print new documentation with full illustrations by the time you read this. The upgraded docs will be sent to registered owners automatically and others if they contact Applied Magic via the internet or phone.

Having installed several brands of similar audio cards, the OnStage provided no surprises, but for the novice, we felt the printed documentation was a bit too Spartan. All of the cables are well labeled, avoiding any confusion as to what cable connects where ( real benefit when the system starts growing and the cables become a plate of black spaghetti mysteries). Currently, OnStage drivers are only available for WindowsNT, but Applied Magic is working on a Windows95 version and should have it ready by the end of Q1.

Operation

We rarely use the included software of any sound card. For the most part, we install the product, make sure it plays back the standard Windows sounds, then verify that it records and plays back, using some audio mixing program like SoundForge or Saw 32. Then we forget about the sound card's software. On the other hand, if you are continually switching record parameters from MIDI to analog to digital, or you are economizing and don't have a sound editing program on board, the inclusive software might be of greater importance.

The software for OnStage is rather simple, but adequate. There is one module, the mixer, which includes 4-channel pre and post digitizing, record/play, gain, attenuation, multiple device emulation and control, resulting in a virtual environment of 4 stereo pairs.

The mixer optimizes analog input by sampling it at 20 bits and then delivering, automatically, the highest quality signal acceptable to the third party audio recording software, be it 16 or 20 bit, up to 32 bits. Therefore, if you are using Saw 32, for instance, which has the capability of processing up to 32 bits, OnStage will maximize Saw 32 to its highest quality.

The mixer's display features eight LED level meters, situated over eight gain sliders, over a push-button patch array that allows the signals to be distributed to any of the four output lines. This allows for flexible manipulation of outputs for such applications as surround sound. Each channel may be muted.

At the top of the mixer are three selection tabs, Record, Play and Adapter. The Record and Play tabs allow the operator to assign patches and levels appropriately. The Adapter tab offers controls for assigning the Clock Source (internal, digital, video and timecode); the Digital Format (for playback), either AES/EBU or S/P DIF. A Timecode In Position window shows the current position of the tape in HH:MM:SS:FF format. Another window controls the Timecode Out functions including Generate, a toggle switch that allows the system to produce its own timecode beginning at the number entered in the Position window below the switch; an LTC frame rate (30 or 29.97, 2, 24, Video In and LTC In are allowed); an LTC Edge Rate (SMPTE or EBU) selector and an LTC gain control. We found the LTC gain control a most welcome feature, since many of our decks produce a very low LTC signal that often requires pre-amplification which is cumbersome and often induces unnecessary noise.

NLE Operation

Integration of the OnStage card with the Perception set was faultless and worked very reliably in all test configurations. Using DPS's VideoAction NT, we noted that scrubbing seemed highly improved over other audio cards and, unlike the limitation of DPS's A4V card, which limits the actively previewable tracks to 4, unlimited tracks were available for preview with the OnStage.

Adobe Premiere and Ulead's Media Studio Pro worked equally well, but it should be noted that currently, all of these NLE programs work at 16 bits of sound resolution. It wasn't until we tested the OnStage with Innovative Quality Software's Saw 32 program that the advanced features of the OnStage board shined through. Betacam tapes that we had shot in the field, using a Sennheiser headset, played back with so much additional audio quality, that we decided to upgrade our monitoring on the cameras! Audio that we didn't know existed was now easily perceived when captured with the OnStage, and some of this audio was definitely not intended to be heard!

Although we chose to synchronize the OnStage card using the video pass-through connections, we found that the card maintained perfect, repeatable synchronization for more than 10 minutes of continuous playback with the video pass-through disconnected.

Technical Support

As noted above, the manual for the OnStage is minimal, but on-line technical support is superb. Applied Magic can be reached by a toll-free 888 number (MAGIC-55) and technical support staff, available from 8:00AM to 6:00PM, California time, are courteous, helpful and well versed in their products. A newly designed website (http://www.applied-magic.com) offers a wealth of information, including easy-to-find driver updates.

Summary

The PCI bus OnStage audio card for use in any WindowsNT application, adds tracks of 20 bit digital and analog audio capture and playback to a PC-based nonlinear editing system. Although minimally documented, it is a professional level product that offers perfect synchronization and the highest levels of fidelity on the current market. Well integrated with third party NLE and audio editing programs, the OnStage is a first choice product for professional project studios.

Quality of Product: 10
Ease of Installation: 9
Useful Tools: 8
Stability: 10
Technical Support: 10
Bang-for-Buck 10