Benchmark ADC1 USB Black Rackmount

The barrier between analog and digital should not limit the listening experience.  Benchmark's digital converter technology maintains the sense of musical engagement that was originally present when the sounds were created.  The life of the music is never lost in a quagmire of digital artifacts. The depth is never hidden, the image is never smeared. Benchmark converters always deliver faithfully, and consistently exceed expectations.  The Benchmark ADC1 USB continues a tradition of excellence.

The ADC1 USB is a two-channel 24bit/192-kHz analog-to-digital audio converter with an unprecedented feature set.  This converter was designed to consistently deliver reference quality conversion in 'real-world' conditions. It features Benchmark's jitter-immune UltraLock™(tm) clock system and an extraordinary analog front-end.

Jitter-immune UltraLock™
The UltraLock™(tm) system delivers consistent, high-quality conversion even when slaved to a poor quality external clock.  The performance of the ADC1 USB will not degrade when slaved to an external clock - a claim very few converters can make. Enjoy the convenience of a clock input that automatically recognizes AES/EBU, S/PDIF, Word Clock, or Super Clock sources - all with the unsurpassed jitter immunity of Benchmark's UltraLock™(tm) clock-isolation system.

Benchmark's Precision Analog Circuitry
Benchmark has a long tradition of building ultra-high performance analog circuits that are designed for maximum transparency.  The ADC1 USB extends this tradition by pushing performance to the limits of today's technology.  The analog front-end delivers low-noise low-distortion high-bandwidth performance over a wide gain range (45dB).  Precise gain and calibration controls allow for accurate channel matching. Capture exact imaging, difficult transients, and subtle details with stunning realism.

Intelligent Meters
The nine-segment dual-range, digital LED meters enable high-precision level monitoring.  Meter response times are matched to the response of the human eye so that every peak is clearly visible.  All metering is fully-digital and is not subject to calibration errors.  A peak hold function allows an infinite hold to verify that an over has not occurred.  Dual ranges allow signal presence monitoring, or precise headroom indication.  The meters even use an upsampling technique to detect and display inter-sample peak overloads.  This upsampled metering warns of potential overloads that may not be detected by conventional digital meters.

Flexible Digital Outputs
The ADC1 USB has a total of 5 digital outputs (1-XLR, 2-coax, 1-optical, and 1-USB).  These can operate simultaneously at up to three independent sample rates. One of the coaxial outputs can be configured for 16-bit TPDF dithered output.  This unique flexibility allows simultaneous recording to a CDR, while recording high-resolution to a digital recorder and a DAW. For example the CDR may operate at 44.1/16 while the DAW operates at 88.2/24 while the digital recorder operates at 192/24.   Backup and/or reference recordings can be created with ease while high-resolution outputs are fed to primary recording devices. The optical output supports AES or ADAT formats at resolutions up to 192/24.  In ADAT mode, high sample rates are supported using SMUX2 and SMUX4.

Benchmark's AdvancedUSB
Benchmark's AdvancedUSB solution provides a bit-transparent computer interface that is capable of streaming at rates up to 24 bit/96 kHz without installing any drivers. This reduces CPU loading, eliminates driver compatibility issues, and greatly improves the reliability of the data transfer.  Benchmark's unique driver-less AdvancedUSB(tm) solution is compatible with Mac OSX and Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. Benchmark's UltraLock™(tm) clock system insures the audio will never be contaminated with jitter-induced artifacts from a poor-quality computer-based clock. With the Benchmark ADC1, the performance of the USB interface matches the quality of the AES and ADAT interfaces. The convenience of a direct computer interface no longer comes with a performance penalty!

Consistent Performance
Often specifications only indicate how a product will perform under the most optimal conditions.  The ADC1 USB is designed to deliver consistent performance - even in adverse conditions. The ADC1 USB is fully specified at all gain settings, all sample rates, through all digital outputs, and even when locked to a high-jitter clock signal. This performance insures reliable and predictable results in the 'real world'.