Specifications

FEATURES
APOGEE DIGITAL
BIG BEN
Studio Master Clock and Word Sync Distributor
For years
audio
professionals
have been
asking when
Apogee was
going to make
their legendary
clocking technology available as a stand-alone master clock. Introducing Big Ben, a radical new studio timepiece that will set
the pace for all master clocks to come.
COMPUTER HARDWARE
807
PHOTO - VIDEO - PRO AUDIO
ORDER & INFO. [phone] • FAX: [phone] [phone]
1-800-875-6951 • www.bhphotovideo.com
C777 Clock
Technology up to 192kHz
At the heart of any word clock regeneration is
a phase lock loop (PLL). Currently, and most
commonly in audio applications, the PLL is a
combination of analog and digital elements
without the ability to dynamically adapt to
the nature of the external clocks. That’s where
Apogee's C777 clock comes in. The C777 uti-
lizes an entirely digital process, that Apogee
has developed using the most advanced
Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) technology
available along with DSP based digital filter-
ing. The result? The most aggressive jitter
reduction ever. With a stable,crystal based
digital PLL ticking away as it’s heart, Big Ben
is able to intelligently manipulate incoming
signals and adapt to them accordingly.
Intelligent Clocking with
Adaptive Loop Filtering (ALF)
In digital audio, as in comedy, timing is every-
thing. But if your audio path has got the jit-
ters that’s no laughing matter! Enter Apogee’s
exclusive Adaptive Loop Filtering technology.
ALF maximizes Big Ben’s clocking ability with
an intelligent low pass filter. Because the C777
has made all incoming signals into data (1’s
and 0’s) Big Ben is able to dynamically com-
pensate for excessive jitter and even improve
already acceptable clock signals to levels unat-
tainable until now. No matter what your
input looks like,ALF can adapt and overcome
all obstacles to create a stable,reliable, low jit-
ter clock source.
Realtime Format Conversion
◆ Not that you would dare expect it from a
master clock, Big Ben gives you realtime
format conversion between all digital for-
mats. Use Big Ben’s intuitive digital display
to go from S/PDIF to AES/EBU,AES/EBU
to ADAT,ADAT to S/PDIF, etc.
◆ AES, S/PDIF, Optical I/O - Word
Clock/Video In - 6 Word Clock Outs
◆ Optional Firewire connection to facilitate
clocking and format conversion with other
Firewire devices
“SureLock”
What happens when Big Ben encounters the
ultimate disturbance in clocking, a dropped
signal? With “SureLock”Big Ben will
compensate by remaining locked on the last
relevant frequency sent by the delinquent
device. When the signal resumes,Big Ben will
gradually, and smoothly re-synchronize
without interruption.
Termination
Another feature to help you stop watching the
clock is Big Ben’s termination sensing ability.
Ve ry often in an elaborate audio chain word
clock signals are improperly terminated. Big
Ben will chime in with a visual indication of
over or under termination on it’s digital
display for each word clock output, allowing
you to troubleshoot more quickly and get
back to business.
Inputs:
• 2 x AES/EBU on XLR 44.1-192kHz single-
wide and 88.2 k–192k double-wide.
• S/PDIF optical on TOSLINK 44.1-48k
• S/PDIF coaxial on RCA 44.1-192k
• ADAT 44.1-48k
• ADAT/SMUX II for 88.2-96k
• ADAT/SMUX IV for 176.4-192k
• Word Clock BNC 44.1 –192k
• Video
• Firewire card option provides clocking and
format conversion functionality to Firewire
equipped devices.
Outputs:
• 2 x AES/EBU on XLR single or double wide
44.1-192k
• S/PDIF coaxial 44.1-192k
• S/PDIF optical on TOS-LINK 44.1-48k
• 6 x BNC Word Clock 44.1-192k (of which 2
can output 256fs at low sample rates)
• ADAT
• SMUX II/SMUX IV
• Optional Firewire
Specifications:
• Sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2,96, 176, 192kHz
• Video: PAL/NTSC/60Hz
• “SuperClock” (256fs)
•Pull up/down 0.1% and 4% from any sam-
ple rate
•Three stage termination indicator (under,
correct, over) on each Word Clock output
• 4 digit numeric true sample rate indication