Blackmagic Design ATEM Microphone Converter

Blackmagic Design has introduced the ATEM Microphone Converter, a new analog audio to digital converter for connecting other microphones to ATEM switchers, including the new ATEM Television Studio HD8 model. Thanks to the MADI connection, a complex configuration is avoided, because just connect a simple BNC cable. It offers ultra-low noise floor of -129dBV, dynamic range of 131dB(A), low distortion of 0.002% and uniform tolerance for all audio channels. The design also incorporates an HDMI monitor output with rolling waveforms. ATEM

Now it's easy to expand the MADI input of ATEM switchers to connect additional microphones or external audio mixers. ATEM Microphone Converter connects directly to the MADI input of ATEM Television Studio, without the need to configure complex settings. By cascading several, you can add even more sources. The converter has 4 analog inputs with mic/line selection and phantom power. Its design guarantees extraordinary quality audio, with extremely low background noise, wide dynamic range and very low distortion. It even employs 8 separate ADCs on each input to extend the overall dynamic range, and allows monitoring via the HDMI output, with smooth waveforms.

ATEM Microphone Converter's classic design houses the electronic components for high-quality analog-to-digital (ADC) audio conversion. It boasts XLR/TRS inputs for connecting both XLR-type and jack cables. It includes a MADI output dedicated to converted audio, and a MADI input that allows daisy-chaining of multiple ATEM Microphone Converters, thus integrating more than 4 channels of audio into a single MADI connection.

ATEM Microphone Converter's MADI output complements the 4 analog inputs as MADI channels 1, 2, 3, 4. ATEM Microphone Converter's MADI input is also used to daisy-chain multiple converters, which is ideal when more than 4 channels of audio are needed in a single MADI link. When one converter is connected to the input of another, the first converter in the series will place its 4 channels above the 4 channels of the second converter.

Each channel of the analog input integrates a fixed-gain pre-amplifier with ultra-low noise, scaled for high dynamic range audio ADC. It is a design that dispenses with mic preamps, avoiding the appearance of the typical distortion effect on the input. Unlike conventional converters with one ADC per input, each input of ATEM Microphone Converter converts analog to digital using 8 high dynamic range ADCs that collectively function as one ultra high dynamic range ADC. In fact, each channel of the audio inputs achieves a dynamic range of an impressive 131dB(A).

A common problem with microphone converters is a high noise floor, with electrical noise generated by the input amplifiers. ATEM Microphone Converter solves this problem with a completely different design where the input is converted using its own ultra high dynamic range conversion, allowing the RAW audio to be sent to the switcher, from which all gain can then be applied. necessary to obtain the correct audio level. In the absence of the noise caused in the analog gain phase, the result is a very low noise floor of -129dBV.

The wide dynamic range input therefore does not require an analog pre-amplifier, and microphone levels are adjusted with absolute stability in the digital gain pre-amplification phase. This phase also accommodates the different levels of analog audio, which tend to vary significantly depending on the brand of microphone. What's more, the digital pre-amplifier internally processes a depth of 32 floating bits of RAW audio, allowing you to adjust the audio more precisely than standard MADI audio.

Another benefit of ATEM Microphone Converter's innovative design is flawless matching between various incoming audio channels. In fact, thanks to 8 ADCs for each analog input, the specifications and tolerances are very similar, so all the input channels are statistically more uniform. Not only that, the 8 ADC per input design maintains a stable and constant noise floor, without the negative effects of modulation found in traditional distributed ADC systems.

ATEM Microphone Converter also offers an HDMI video monitoring output to connect a simple TV screen or monitor and display the full audio picture. Provides 4 scrollable waveforms for the last 60 seconds of time, which facilitates detailed and dynamic monitoring. There are meters for incoming audio levels, mic/line settings, and phantom power. By cascading various converters, more than 4 channels can be displayed on the monitor output.

Features of ATEM Microphone Converter

• Audio expansion with ATEM Microphone Converter

• Robust design

• MADI connection for multi-channel audio

• Very low background noise of -129dBV

• Ultra high dynamic range of 131dB(A)

• Accurate matching between inputs and low distortion of 0.002%

• HDMI monitoring with smooth waveform