LAYLA 24 Owner’s Manual Version 1.0 for Mac Layla24 is designed and manufactured in the U.S.
Important Safety Instructions 1. Read Instructions - Be sure to read all of the safety and operating instructions before operating this product. 2. Retain Instructions - The safety instructions and owner's manual should be retained for future reference. 3. Heed Warnings - All warnings on Layla24 and in the Owner's Manual should be followed. 4. Follow Instructions - All operating and use instructions should be followed. 5. Moisture - Water and moisture are detrimental to the continued good health of Layla24.
10. Servicing - Do not attempt to service this unit yourself, as opening the case will expose you to hazardous voltage or other dangers. All servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. 11.
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Table of Contents Introduction What You Should Have Received in the Layla24 Box System Requirements 6 6 6 Layla24 Installation Checking your Macintosh Install ASIO based Multitrack Recording Software Installing the Layla24 Hardware Connecting to Layla24’s Rack-mount Audio Interface Running the Echo24 Card Installer ASIO Driver Installation & Configuration OMS Setup 7 7 8 9 12 16 18 19 The Echo Console Input Levels Monitor Channels Setting Clock Sources and Destinations Synchronizing Multiple Devices Dig
Introduction Thank you for choosing Layla24. We think you’ll find Layla24 to be an extremely flexible, high-performance tool for your computer-based hard disk recording system.
Layla24 Installation Complete Layla24 installation consists of performing a system check, installing ASIO based multitrack recording software, installing the Layla24 PCI card, connecting the rack-mount audio interface to the card, installing the Layla24 Macintosh drivers into your system, and manually installing the ASIO driver to your multitrack audio recording/editing application(s). Checking your Macintosh 1. Do you have enough memory? With your mouse select Apple – About This Computer.
Install ASIO-based Multitrack Recording Software If you haven’t already, we recommend that you install your ASIO based software now. Layla24 currently does not support Sound Manager. It only works with audio software that supports ASIO. For a list of currently supported ASIO-based software please see Appendix B: ASIO Audio Software FAQ in this manual. We frequently update our drivers, so please check our website at www.echoaudio.com for new drivers and an updated software compatibility list.
Installing the Layla24 Hardware Once you have checked your system requirements, verified that there are no problems with your system, and installed your ASIO-based software, it is time to install Layla24 into your computer. Please refer to the section in your Mac manual for installing a PCI card. IMPORTANT - Unplug your computer and detach all peripherals before proceeding with the following steps. 1. Remove your computer’s cover. This operation differs from computer to computer.
Layla24 card to the computer’s rear panel. On some older Macs, the locking mechanisms used to hold down the PCI cards cause difficulties properly seating the cards. We recommend checking the card and making sure it is well seated and liable to stay that way. If the card is loose or being pushed around by the locking mechanism, we recommend loosening the hex screws that hold the back-plate of the card to the Mac.
Caution: Never connect the rack-mount interface to the computer while either the interface or your computer is turned on. 9. You can now attach external audio devices to the interface box. Layla24 can accommodate eight analog input signals and can generate eight independent analog output signals. In addition, Layla24 provides stereo S/PDIF digital input and output via coaxial RCA or optical connectors, and eight channels of ADAT optical I/O.
Connecting to Layla24’s Rack-mount Audio Interface The back panel of Layla24’s rack-mount audio interface contains a wide variety of connections that allow great flexibility in the operation of Layla24. To achieve the optimal performance with Layla24, it is critical that the appropriate cabling and connectors are used. Analog Inputs and Outputs Layla24 has eight analog inputs and eight analog outputs on the rear panel.
The Computer Connector Next to the analog inputs and outputs is a connector labeled COMPUTER. This connector is known as a DB-9, and is similar to the serial port on a PC. It is the point at which the audio interface connects to the Layla24 PCI card inside your computer. A cable was supplied with your Layla24 for this purpose. This custom made cable is manufactured to certain specifications and, if necessary, should only be replaced by a special Layla24 cable available only from Echo.
S/PDIF Next to the ADAT connectors is a pair of connectors labeled S/PDIF, IN and OUT. These S/PDIF connectors are used to transmit digital data among digital audio devices via an electrical signal. S/PDIF data can use the full 24-bit sample width used internally on Layla24. When connecting devices to the S/PDIF jacks on Layla24, the use of standard analog RCA audio cables is not recommended. For reliable S/PDIF operation, 75-ohm coaxial (RG59) video cables are recommended.
MIDI The last set of connections to the Layla24 interface is for MIDI. The MIDI ports can be used for receiving MIDI time code (MTC), or sending MIDI signals from your digital audio/MIDI sequencing software to external sound modules, etc. MIDI cabling is highly standardized and widely available.
Running the Echo24 Card Installer Now that you have completed the hardware installation, you need to run the installer for Layla24 to interact properly with the Mac OS and your ASIObased recording software. 1. Power up. Turn on the power to the Layla24 box and then power up your Macintosh. 2. Start the Installer. Insert the Layla24 Installation CD into your CDROM drive. Double click the icon called Install Echo24 Card. Click the Continue button.
4. Installation completed. You will now see a message telling you that the installation was successful. Go ahead and click the Quit button. If you do not see this message, then please turn to Appendix A: General Troubleshooting Guide in the back of this manual for help.
ASIO Driver Installation & Configuration Now that you’ve run the Echo24 Card Installer program, you will need to manually install the ASIO Echo24 driver. 1. Find it. Find the ASIO Echo24 file in the newly created Echo folder. 2. Copy it. Create a copy of this file. You will need one copy for every ASIO based software program you have installed. You can copy it by dragging it to the desktop (or another folder) while holding down the option key. 3. Move it.
OMS Setup If you have OMS for MIDI, then you will need to run OMS Setup to allow your audio programs to use the Echo24 OMS driver. Please keep in mind that this section is just an aid to the instructions in your OMS manual. 1. Run OMS Setup. First, you will need to find the Opcode folder on your hard drive where you installed OMS. Open it and then open the folder called OMS Applications. Find OMS Setup and double click it. 2. Create a New Studio Setup. Go to the File menu and click New Studio Setup.
3. Verify that the Echo OMS driver is recognized. The OMS Driver Setup window recognizes MIDI hardware drivers in your system. If there is something missing, then refer to your OMS manual and follow the instructions. If everything is OK, then click OK. Now you will see the OMS MIDI Device Setup window.
4. Verify that your MIDI devices are recognized. This window recognizes any MIDI devices (like synthesizers) currently attached to your system through your MIDI hardware (like Layla24). In the example you can see that an MU5 Tone Generator is attached to the system through Layla24. Scroll down and make sure everything is OK. If there is a problem, or you need to edit your setup, then refer to your OMS manual for instructions. If all is well, click OK. 5. Save the new studio setup.
The Echo Console Included with your Layla24 is a “virtual control surface” application called the Echo Console. The Console allows you to control the audio I/O and clocking functions of Layla24, and it brings these controls to a single easyto-use location. From the Console you can control the input monitoring, select synchronization clocks, and select the digital mode. The Echo Console software can be found in the Echo folder that was created during installation.
Input Levels The Input Levels are located in the upper portion of the Console surface. Each input (and output) has a nominal level switch that can be found in the Options menu. This allows you to switch between professional (+4dBu) and consumer (–10dBV) levels. This way you can connect either professional or consumer gear to each input (and output). Make sure to set the nominal level switches to match the equipment that you have connected to Layla24’s inputs (and outputs).
The Echo Console will keep track of the settings for all sets of monitor controls, but is only able to display the settings for one output pair at a time. For example, when the 1-2 button is selected you will see the controls for monitoring all inputs through output pair 1-2. Selecting the 3-4 button will display just the controls for monitoring through output pair 3-4, etc. Take note that these controls are only for the routing of audio signals from Layla24’s inputs to its outputs.
Remember that all of the monitor controls remain in effect even when they’re not displayed. The degree of attenuation (or muting) of each level is set by the monitor controls. The Console program constantly maintains a level setting for each of the monitor paths it controls. Clicking on an output pair selection button simply selects the settings that are displayed.
but be aware that operating alongside another product is not the same as operating with it. In order for accurate synchronization to occur, the other audio product(s) in your system must support a synchronization mode that is compatible with Layla24. Without such synchronization, the individual pieces of equipment will act independently of each other. This scenario may be fine for some musical applications; however, it is not appropriate for situations where sample-accurate synchronization is required.
ADAT – The Alesis ADAT optical interface can send and receive up to 8 simultaneous channels of digital audio data over fiber optic cables. Unlike wire cables, fiber optic cables do not add noise or interference. Layla24 can send out (or “master”) ADAT clock as well as slave to it. If you want Layla24 to slave to an ADAT clock, just set Layla24’s input clock to the ADAT setting. Layla24 can only sync to ADAT clock if the master device is set to a sample rate between 40kHz and 50kHz.
Now a little more complicated set-up: You have two Layla24s connected. Simply set Layla24 #1 to Internal for its input clock. Now connect the first Layla24 to the second one via a BNC cable running from Word Clock Out on Layla24 #1 to Word Clock In on Layla24 #2. Now select Word for Layla24 #2’s input sync. The second Layla24 will slave to the first one and your Layla24s will now operate in unison. No matter how many devices you are synchronizing, the concept is essentially the same.
Show ADAT Controls While you are in the ADAT optical digital mode, you can view the Console ADAT controls at any time by checking the “Show ADAT Controls” checkbox. As seen below, these controls are the same as the monitoring controls. If you want to go back to the analog controls, just uncheck the “Show ADAT Controls” checkbox. You cannot monitor the S/PDIF inputs through the ADAT outputs or vice versa.
The Options Menu The first option General…, is grayed out because it is not currently supported. It will be used in future driver releases for such things as resetting the Console to its default settings.
MTC Settings The fourth option is MTC Settings… Selecting this option will bring up a window that allows you to change the settings that affect Layla24’s performance reading MTC. MTC stands for MIDI Time Code. Because of the somewhat coarse resolution of MIDI Time Code, and its ability to exhibit “wow and flutter” (fluctuations in timing and consistency), the sync signal may sometimes stray from optimal. The Layla24 driver will automatically correct for these inconsistencies.
If you feel that a change is needed in the defaults for these settings because of poor MTC synchronization, it is generally wise to adjust the Tolerance setting first. Use the Damping adjustment if you are unable to obtain satisfactory results with the Tolerance setting. S/PDIF Output Format The fifth and sixth options are S/PDIF Pro and S/PDIF Consumer. Layla24 can transmit digital information in either of two formats, “professional” or “consumer.
ASIO Based Software and the Echo Console Depending on what software you use, you will have different options for monitoring your audio inputs. The more common type is software monitoring. With software monitoring, your audio application handles mixing inputs to outputs internally (i.e., on the PowerPC processor). Typically, this adds latency, meaning that the audio you hear on the outputs is delayed from the inputs.
I want to use software monitoring Run the Echo Console and mute all the monitors. This will disable hardware monitoring. Using hardware and software monitoring simultaneously won’t hurt anything, but you’ll get a noticeable delay effect in your outputs (kind of like a slapback echo) since the hardware and software monitors have different latencies. The best method, therefore, is to mute the monitors in the console and to control your software monitoring from within your audio application.
ASIO Control Panel In all ASIO programs you can access a special window that lets you control certain hardware settings for your Echo24 card. Each ASIO program has a different name for it (ASIO Device Control Panel, Hardware Settings, Driver Setup, etc…) and a different way of accessing it. There are two controls in this window that you can use. The Allow ASIO 2 Direct Monitoring checkbox does exactly what it say it does.
Contacting Customer Service If you experience any trouble with your Layla24 system please go to the support area of our website at www.echoaudio.com and check out the tutorials & troubleshooting FAQ’s we have there. If you can’t find a solution to your problem there, please fill out the provided technical support email form. This form will be sent to our technical support staff and they will respond to you quickly. Please fill out the form completely.
Appendix A: General Troubleshooting Guide Problem: You can’t get Sound Manager to recognize your Layla24. Solution: The current driver does not support Sound Manager. It only supports ASIO based programs. We will be adding Sound Manager support to our driver at a future date. Problem: You upgraded your computer with a processor upgrade card and now Layla24 doesn’t work. Solution: Layla24 is not compatible with processor upgrade cards. It only supports genuine Apple processors without upgrades.
equipment designed for home use in the consumer market. The primary difference between the two modes is in the implementation of the SCMS copy protection bit, which, in the consumer format, prevents the user from making digital copies of a digital copy. In most professional equipment, this copy protection bit can be turned off or on according to the user’s needs. In consumer products, the SCMS bit is always enabled.
Solution: Although it may seem obvious, the first thing to check is that there is a physical connection between the device generating the clock and Layla24’s rack mount interface. Just because multiple devices are connected to the same computer doesn’t mean they are synchronized. Next, be sure that you have selected the desired input clock source in the Layla24 Echo Console. Problem: Recordings made using the S/PDIF port contain occasional pops or skips.
Problem: The sound cuts in and out, or the left or right channel doesn’t work. Solution: You may have a bad audio cable. Try using a different cable in the problem channel. Problem: There is no sound unless I pull the audio plug out a little. Solution: Not all ¼” plugs are made to the exact same dimensions. Try a plug/cable from a different manufacturer.
Appendix B: ASIO Audio Software FAQ ASIO Software Compatibility List – 11/06/2000 Cubase 4.0 (or higher) Digital Performer 2.61 (or higher) Metro 5.0 (or higher) Peak 2.1 (or higher) We are currently working on ASIO driver compatibility with Logic and other ASIO based programs for future driver releases. Echo24 ASIO Driver and ASIO 2.0 Q: Can I use all Echo cards together at the same time in my ASIO program? No. There are two different Echo ASIO drivers.
Q: What does ASIO 2.0 support do for me? For our purposes, ASIO 2.0 adds ASIO Direct Monitoring. ASIO Direct Monitoring lets you control the monitoring features of your Echo card (low latency hardware monitoring) from within your ASIO program. Cubase VST version 4.1 is the first program to support Direct Monitoring, but other ASIO programs will probably support this feature in the future.
Appendix C: An Introduction to Digital Recording Converting Sound into Numbers In a digital recording system, sound is represented as a series of numbers, with each number representing the voltage, or amplitude, of a sound wave at a particular moment in time. The numbers are generated by an analog-todigital converter, or ADC, which converts the signal from an analog audio source (such as a guitar or a microphone) connected to its input into numbers.
Sample Size The more bits that are used to store the sampled value, the more closely it will represent the source signal. In an 8-bit system, there are 256 possible combinations of zeroes and ones, so 256 different analog voltages can be represented. A 16-bit system provides 65,535 possible combinations. A 16bit signal is capable of providing far greater accuracy than an 8-bit signal. Figure B shows how this works. Figure B.
Sample Rate The rate at which the ADC generates the numbers is equally important in determining the quality of a digital recording. To get a high level of accuracy when sampling, the sample rate must be greater than twice the frequency being sampled. The mathematical statement of this is called the Nyquist Theorem. When dealing with full-bandwidth sound (20Hz−20kHz), you should sample at greater than 40,000 times per second (twice 20kHz). Layla24 allows you to sample at rates up to 96,000 times per second.
Storing Digital Data Once the waveform has been transformed into digital bits, it must be stored. When sampling in stereo at 48kHz using a 20-bit word size, the system has to accommodate 1,920,000 bits per second. Though this is a lot of data, it is well within the capabilities of personal computers. Most computer-based digital recording systems record the data directly to the computer’s hard disk.
1.0, converting dBV levels into dBu levels is as simple as subtracting 2dB (2.21 to be exact). Signals are also occasionally represented with units of dBm. This is an older unit that measures power instead of voltage levels with 0dBm representing 1 milliwatt. Earlier tube-based audio equipment used standardized input and output impedances of 600 ohms, so a 0dBm signal was produced with a voltage of .775 volts.
Unbalanced and Balanced Inputs and Outputs An unbalanced signal, commonly used for guitars and consumer electronics, contains two components, a ground signal and a “hot” or active signal. The ground is the barrel of a ¼” connector and the shell of an “RCA” style connector. A balanced signal contains two active signals instead of one in addition to the ground. These are referred to as the “plus” and “minus” signals. A balanced input amplifier amplifies the difference between these two signals.
Dynamic Range Dynamic range represents the difference between the maximum signal that can be recorded and the “noise floor”, or level of noise with no signal present. A system with a high dynamic range will be quieter than one with a lower dynamic range. Dynamic range is a very important specification and Layla24 uses converters that have very high dynamic range. Theoretically, a 24-bit system has a dynamic range of 144dB and a 16-bit system has a dynamic range of 96dB.
Appendix D: Specifications Audio Performance Analog Inputs (x8 balanced TRS): !"Frequency Response: 10Hz – 22kHz, ±0.25dB !"Dynamic Range: 110dB A-weighted !"THD+n: <0.001%, 20Hz–22kHz A-weighted !"Nominal Input Level: +4dBu !"Maximum Input Level: +22dBu !"Input Impedence: 10K Analog Outputs (x8 balanced TRS): !"Frequency Response: 10Hz – 22kHz, ±0.25dB !"Dynamic Range: 115dB A-weighted !"THD+n: <0.
Hardware !"Host Interface: PCI bus mastering card !"Eight balanced ¼” analog inputs with precision 24-bit 128x oversampling analog-to-digital converters !"Eight balanced ¼” analog outputs with high performance 24-bit 128x oversampling digital-to-analog converters !"S/PDIF digital I/O with up to 24-bit resolution !"ADAT optical digital I/O !"Headphone output with volume control !"On-board 24-bit Motorola DSP !"24-bit data resolution maintained throughout entire signal path !"Multiple sample rates from 8kHz t
Index + D +4dBu/-10dBV switch · damping setting · 31 decibels · 46 digital data · 46 digital mode · 11, 24, 34, 41 digital mode switch · 28 digital recording · 43 digital-to-analog converter · Direct Monitoring · 33, 35, 42 driver installation · 16 dynamic range · 49 23, 30 9 96kHz recording, problems · 39 A ADAT · 11, 13, 27, 28, 29, 39, 41 analog resolution · 44 analog-to-digital converter · 43 ASIO · 8, 18 ASIO 2.
input clock · 25 input levels · 23 inputs, analog · 12 interface box, installing · 12 interface cable · 6 Internal input clock · 27, 28 P pan · 23 PCI card, installation · 9 PCI slot · 7 processor · 7 processor upgrade card · 7, 37 professional mode · 32, 37 professional output setting · 32, 38 L latency · 33, 35 Layla24 installation · R 7 rack-mount box, installing · recording, pops or skips · 39 M memory · 7 MIDI · 15, 19 MIDI time code · 15, 27 monitor controls · 23 MTC · 15, 27, 31 MTC settings
tolerance setting · 31 troubleshooting guide · TRS · 48 W 37 website · 36 word clock · 14, 26 word clock cabling · U unbalanced · 48 54 14
