Netherlands–based Axon Digital Design has added to its Synapse modular AV signal processing system. Developed in co-operation with SoundField, which was recently acquired by TSL Professional Products; the latest Synapse addition takes the form of a dual digital audio up-mixer and down-mixer based on SoundField algorithms. Designated DSF66, the device is a dual hardware stereo-to-5.1 up-mix and down-mix processor, designed for HD broadcasters who use archived stereo material and wish to generate high quality 5.1 broadcast mixes from stereo soundtracks. Most software and hardware up-mixing tools create material for the extra three channels in a 5.1 mix by employing processing. Instead, the DSF66 generates the material for the extra channels by analysing the source stereo signal over time. Using a SoundField algorithm, the DSF66 can detect reverberant content in the stereo signal, differentiate it from the direct sounds in the mix, and separate it out. Users can adjust the details of the processing from the DSF66 GUI in Axon’s software-based monitoring and control platform, Cortex. This offers control over parameters including the level of the direct and ambient components in the front and rear channels, and the divergence of the centre channel in the generated 5.1 mix, with options from a centre channel at one extreme to a phantom centre at the other. Output level controls are also offered for each of the channels in the final 5.1 mix. The I/O configuration of the DSF66 can be changed to allow for convenient connection of external inputs, outputs or a combination. In standalone mode the DSF66 has four AES/EBU inputs and four AES/EBU outputs (eight mono in and eight mono out). In (quad speed) ADD-ON mode the unit can be configured as eight-in (16 mono in) or eight out (16 mono out) to connect either 16 mono external source channels listen to 16 external channels in eight-out mode. The unit can be used without physical I/O and all channels are routed from and to the Quad Speed Audio bus.www.axon.tv
