Professional 24 Bit Multitrack PC Recording System 10 In/10 Out PC Audio Interface with S/PDIF, MIDI & ADAT
Achieving superior sound requires simple, foolproof gear. That's why studio pros worldwide trust Aardvark digital audio products to always deliver natural, dynamic sound.
Built upon a decade of experience in engineering high-end digital audio gear, the Aark24's premium 24 bit outboard A/D converters and innovative design give your sound supreme clarity and precise accuracy. You'll notice the difference in any recording session where sonic excellence is an absolute must.
Complete with 8 analog In/8 analog out, S/PDIF digital I/O, ADAT 8 channel digital I/O and MIDI I/O, plus ultra low latency - multiclient drivers making the Aark24 the ideal solution for delivering the best from your software of choice including Cubase, Logic, Cakewalk, GigaSampler/Studio, Cool Edit pro etc.
NOW with ASIO and AWDM drivers for low latency in SONAR, Cubase, Logic, Reason etc.
In addition to phenomenal sound quality, the Aark24 is versatile enough to interface your PC with any gear in your studio. The standard ADAT I/O and ADAT Sync makes the Aark24 is the perfect complement to any ADAT based studio while the Word Clock I/O allows it to sync your entire studio to Aardvark's legendary clocking technology!
Sequence your synth gear using MIDI I/O while flying digital audio directly to your DAT via the coaxial S/PDIF I/O. And with TOSLINK stereo optical support you can make a direct digital transfer from any Sony Minidisc; or CD player. No other audio system can turn your PC into a professional workstation as easily as the Aark24. Simply put, the Aark24 brings multichannel audio to your PC with superior resolution and amazing sound quality.
Assignable Stereo Monitor Bus This lets you monitor or input or playback track with the click of a mouse. You can even mix, pan and level control each track independantly as you're tracking or recording a disk!
Switchable I/O Levels Switch from Pro +4 dBu to Consumer -10dBv, either one at a time or change all 8 inputs and outputs at once!
Four (4) Aark24 Units You can stack up to 4 Aark24 units together for 32 channels of fully synchronous 24 Bit I/O. You'll need 4 complete systems and then you've got 4 powerful DSP engines for 32 tracks of Audio!
Mono Rack The 2U Mono Rack is a 2 space, 19" rack plate/rack tray enclosure that gives your Aardvark PC audio gear a truly professional look. The 2U Mono Rack will mount one Aark24, Direct Pro LX6 or Direct Pro 24/96 breakout box flush in the center of the 2U rack.
Dual Rack The 2U Dual Rack will mount two Direct Pro LX6, Direct Pro 24/96 or Aark24 breakout boxes side by side in the same 2U rack!
Aark24 Breakout I/O Box:
Aark Host
Control Panel
Frequently Asked Questions about the Aark24
What is the background of Aardvark and the Aark24?
The technology in the Aark24 comes from Aardvark's experience in making professional converters and low-jitter master clocks that make high-end workstations easier to use and improves their overall sound quality. Just ask any professional Recording Studio or CD mastering facility and they'll be able to tell you about how our low-jitter clocks make their 24 bit workstations and 24 bit digital mixers sound a whole lot better. You'll be able to hear our quality and expertise when you check out the Aark24, but you don't have to spend an arm and leg to get it. We use the same technology and components in the Aark24 as we do in our other high-end products so you can make a truly professional workstation out of any PC! Back to beginning of FAQ's
The technology in the Aark24 comes from Aardvark's experience in making professional converters and low-jitter master clocks that make high-end workstations easier to use and improves their overall sound quality. Just ask any professional Recording Studio or CD mastering facility and they'll be able to tell you about how our low-jitter clocks make their 24 bit workstations and 24 bit digital mixers sound a whole lot better. You'll be able to hear our quality and expertise when you check out the Aark24, but you don't have to spend an arm and leg to get it. We use the same technology and components in the Aark24 as we do in our other high-end products so you can make a truly professional workstation out of any PC!
Back to beginning of FAQ's
Does the Aark24 really sound better than other high-end audio cards?
Absolutely. The main difference is in the quality of the components and our innovative design. We use premium A/D and D/A converters and our proprietary low-jitter clock technology to bring you an audio system that was designed from the ground up to sound phenomenal. The switchable balanced/unbalanced analog I/O jacks ensure optimum signal levels compatible with all your studio gear. Every component in the Aark24 is truly state of the art, producing the high detail and resolution that's required in a professional workstation. Back to beginning of FAQ's
Absolutely. The main difference is in the quality of the components and our innovative design. We use premium A/D and D/A converters and our proprietary low-jitter clock technology to bring you an audio system that was designed from the ground up to sound phenomenal. The switchable balanced/unbalanced analog I/O jacks ensure optimum signal levels compatible with all your studio gear. Every component in the Aark24 is truly state of the art, producing the high detail and resolution that's required in a professional workstation.
Is the noise from my computer going to get into my audio?
Not at all. Notice there's no noisy AC power cord on the back? The Aark24 uses a double-stage power filter to keep the AC noise away from our high-resolution converters! Also, our A/D converters are in a shielded breakout box that is far away from the noise and interference present in your computer. We know that high-end 24 bit audio conversion simply cannot be done inside the computer, so we custom designed the shielded breakout box enclosure to deliver a remarkably quiet audio environment. If you look closely at our PCI Host card, you'll notice that we were careful enough to put another shield covering all the critical components on the card inside the computer, too. This guarantees absolutely no interference and also protects the system from electrostatic discharges. Most high-end workstations don't even go this far! Back to beginning of FAQ's
Not at all. Notice there's no noisy AC power cord on the back? The Aark24 uses a double-stage power filter to keep the AC noise away from our high-resolution converters! Also, our A/D converters are in a shielded breakout box that is far away from the noise and interference present in your computer. We know that high-end 24 bit audio conversion simply cannot be done inside the computer, so we custom designed the shielded breakout box enclosure to deliver a remarkably quiet audio environment. If you look closely at our PCI Host card, you'll notice that we were careful enough to put another shield covering all the critical components on the card inside the computer, too. This guarantees absolutely no interference and also protects the system from electrostatic discharges. Most high-end workstations don't even go this far!
How easy is it to install?
The Aark24 practically installs itself. It is true 'Plug and Play' with no difficult parameters to change or menus to go through. All you do is put the card in, connect it to the breakout box and run the setup disk. Then just click on the Aark24 icon on your desktop and you've got yourself a professional multichannel workstation! Back to beginning of FAQ's
The Aark24 practically installs itself. It is true 'Plug and Play' with no difficult parameters to change or menus to go through. All you do is put the card in, connect it to the breakout box and run the setup disk. Then just click on the Aark24 icon on your desktop and you've got yourself a professional multichannel workstation!
Are there any DMA or IRQ settings I have to change?
DMA and IRQ problems are a thing of the past with the Aark24. It's a PCI card that reads the audio right from the hard drive so it doesn't even use the complicated DMA channels. As far as IRQ's are concerned, your Windows PC will assign an address to the Aark24, but our card won't even use it! This allows the Aark24 to quietly share an IRQ setting with existing hardware in your PC. This frees up your computer resources and frees you of any installation hassles -- no worries about altering your other IRQ settings! Even if you're running the card at the full-duplex 10 in/10 out, it's not going to use any more IRQ's! Back to beginning of FAQ's
DMA and IRQ problems are a thing of the past with the Aark24. It's a PCI card that reads the audio right from the hard drive so it doesn't even use the complicated DMA channels. As far as IRQ's are concerned, your Windows PC will assign an address to the Aark24, but our card won't even use it! This allows the Aark24 to quietly share an IRQ setting with existing hardware in your PC. This frees up your computer resources and frees you of any installation hassles -- no worries about altering your other IRQ settings! Even if you're running the card at the full-duplex 10 in/10 out, it's not going to use any more IRQ's!
Can I download anything to see how the Aark24 Control Panel works?
All you have to do is go to our driver downloads section of the Aark24 on the Aardvark website and download the latest driver. This is the actual working driver for use with Aark24 hardware, so you can see just how easy everything installs. Once you've got Aark Manager up on your desktop you'll quickly get a feel for how easy it is to use. All the control you need is right there at your finger tips: digital peak meters, sync functions, software driver assignments, pro/consumer settings, application status reports, level and panning controls and most importantly the Monitor Mixer bus that lets you create a separate stereo sub-mix to your speakers. Back to beginning of FAQ's
All you have to do is go to our driver downloads section of the Aark24 on the Aardvark website and download the latest driver. This is the actual working driver for use with Aark24 hardware, so you can see just how easy everything installs.
Once you've got Aark Manager up on your desktop you'll quickly get a feel for how easy it is to use. All the control you need is right there at your finger tips: digital peak meters, sync functions, software driver assignments, pro/consumer settings, application status reports, level and panning controls and most importantly the Monitor Mixer bus that lets you create a separate stereo sub-mix to your speakers.
What software works with the Aark24?
Because the Aark24 uses standard stereo MME drivers and ASIO2 drivers for WIN 95/98, it pretty much works with anything. It's been thoroughly tested with the software from the following manufacturers: Steinberg Cubase VST/24 Steinberg Cubase VST 5 Steinberg WaveLab Steinberg Nuendo Sonic Foundry Sound Forge Sonic Foundry CD Architect Sonic Foundry ACID Sonic Foundry Vegas Syntrillium Software Cool Edit Pro MAGIX Samplitude Studio MAGIX Red Roaster Cakewalk Pro Audio Cakewalk Sonar I.Q.S. SAW plus SAW plus 32 Canam Computer Quartz Pro Audio and we also are the only fully integrated multichannel and multiclient solution for the powerful Nemesys GIGASAMPLER/STUDIO! Back to beginning of FAQ's
Because the Aark24 uses standard stereo MME drivers and ASIO2 drivers for WIN 95/98, it pretty much works with anything. It's been thoroughly tested with the software from the following manufacturers:
Steinberg Cubase VST/24 Steinberg Cubase VST 5 Steinberg WaveLab Steinberg Nuendo Sonic Foundry Sound Forge Sonic Foundry CD Architect Sonic Foundry ACID Sonic Foundry Vegas Syntrillium Software Cool Edit Pro MAGIX Samplitude Studio MAGIX Red Roaster Cakewalk Pro Audio Cakewalk Sonar I.Q.S. SAW plus SAW plus 32 Canam Computer Quartz Pro Audio
and we also are the only fully integrated multichannel and multiclient solution for the powerful Nemesys GIGASAMPLER/STUDIO!
What is ASIO, and how does it work with the Aark24?
ASIO stands for Audio Stream Input Output. It is an audio software format developed by Steinberg, the creators of the popular Cubase VST and Wavelab audio software packages. ASIO was designed to drastically reduce the latency (the lag time between on-screen clicks and drags and their effect on the audio stream) inherent in PC based audio recording systems. Our drivers adhere to the ASIO 2.0 spec. Aardvark PC interfaces have been shipping with custom ASIO support for Steinberg's Cubase VST since September 1998. Our low-latency, real-time integration makes the Aark24 & Cubase VST one of the most powerful workstations available! Back to beginning of FAQ's
ASIO stands for Audio Stream Input Output. It is an audio software format developed by Steinberg, the creators of the popular Cubase VST and Wavelab audio software packages. ASIO was designed to drastically reduce the latency (the lag time between on-screen clicks and drags and their effect on the audio stream) inherent in PC based audio recording systems. Our drivers adhere to the ASIO 2.0 spec.
Aardvark PC interfaces have been shipping with custom ASIO support for Steinberg's Cubase VST since September 1998. Our low-latency, real-time integration makes the Aark24 & Cubase VST one of the most powerful workstations available!
I've heard that the Nemesys GIGASAMPLER runs great on the Aark24 - is this true?
The Aark24 features flawless multichannel and multiclient support for GIGASAMPLER/STUDIO, by Nemesys Music Technologies. GIGASAMPLER is the first digital sampler to stream samples real-time directly from the hard disk when played from a keyboard controller or another MIDI device. Huge instruments can be loaded in seconds, rather than minutes. Aardvark was the very first hardware manufacturer to offer true multichannel and multiclient compatibility with Gigasampler. The Aark24 is delivers 8 channels of simultaneous output from GIGASAMPLER's gigabyte worth of custom samples! Back to beginning of FAQ's
The Aark24 features flawless multichannel and multiclient support for GIGASAMPLER/STUDIO, by Nemesys Music Technologies. GIGASAMPLER is the first digital sampler to stream samples real-time directly from the hard disk when played from a keyboard controller or another MIDI device. Huge instruments can be loaded in seconds, rather than minutes. Aardvark was the very first hardware manufacturer to offer true multichannel and multiclient compatibility with Gigasampler. The Aark24 is delivers 8 channels of simultaneous output from GIGASAMPLER's gigabyte worth of custom samples!
Will the Aark24 easily integrate with my MIDI sequencer?
Aardvark fully designed the Aark24 to be perfectly integrated with any MIDI setup. The MIDI in and MIDI out jacks on the back of the Aark24 breakout box eliminate the need for external MIDI interfaces. Set up the MIDI application take the timing from the audio card -- it's as easy as that! Back to beginning of FAQ's
Aardvark fully designed the Aark24 to be perfectly integrated with any MIDI setup. The MIDI in and MIDI out jacks on the back of the Aark24 breakout box eliminate the need for external MIDI interfaces. Set up the MIDI application take the timing from the audio card -- it's as easy as that!
Can I use all the 10 inputs and 10 outputs at the same time?
When we say full duplex, we mean full duplex! With the Aark24 , you can use all 8 analog and 2 SPDIF digital inputs and outputs at the same time. Using the ADAT I/O, you can transfer 8 tracks digitally from your ADAT to your PC's hard drive while using the SPDIF I/O as well. This means you can do simultaneous record and play with as many channels as your computer can handle. The maximum number of channels that your multitrack audio software can handle depends on many things: The speed of the computer, how much RAM you have, how fast your hard drive is, and the efficiency of the software application your using. Our Minimum Requirements are a 200MHz Pentium with 64 MRAM and an IDE hard drive, which should allow recording of all 8 analog or ADAT channels at the same time. Faster and more powerful systems can take full advantage of the 10-input/10-output power of the Aark24 - or allow you to use multiple systems in the same PC for tons of I/O!! Back to beginning of FAQ's
When we say full duplex, we mean full duplex! With the Aark24 , you can use all 8 analog and 2 SPDIF digital inputs and outputs at the same time. Using the ADAT I/O, you can transfer 8 tracks digitally from your ADAT to your PC's hard drive while using the SPDIF I/O as well. This means you can do simultaneous record and play with as many channels as your computer can handle.
The maximum number of channels that your multitrack audio software can handle depends on many things: The speed of the computer, how much RAM you have, how fast your hard drive is, and the efficiency of the software application your using. Our Minimum Requirements are a 200MHz Pentium with 64 MRAM and an IDE hard drive, which should allow recording of all 8 analog or ADAT channels at the same time. Faster and more powerful systems can take full advantage of the 10-input/10-output power of the Aark24 - or allow you to use multiple systems in the same PC for tons of I/O!!
I use both balanced and unbalanced gear -- Can I still use an Aark24?
The " input and output jacks on the Aark24 can be set to +4 dBu balanced or -10 dBv unbalanced levels. This means that the Aark24 interfaces to any mixer, MIDI instrument, or outboard gear! The signal levels for each analog input and output can be switched between balanced and unbalanced levels in the Aark Control Panel. Back to beginning of FAQ's
The " input and output jacks on the Aark24 can be set to +4 dBu balanced or -10 dBv unbalanced levels. This means that the Aark24 interfaces to any mixer, MIDI instrument, or outboard gear! The signal levels for each analog input and output can be switched between balanced and unbalanced levels in the Aark Control Panel.
Can I transfer audio digitally between my Aark24 and my ADAT? What about other digital multitrack recorders?
The Aark24 ships standard with ADAT "lightpipe" I/O on optical jacks and a 9 pin ADAT Sync port. The lightpipe I/O gives you 8 track, all digital transfer between your ADAT and your PC multitrack audio software while the ADAT Sync allows you to slave your ADAT to Aardvark legendary synchronization technology! That's right, the power of an Alesis ADAT is included in the Aark24! ADAT I/O is also fast becoming the standard for multichannel digital I/O for professional studio gear in general, including digital mixers such as Yamaha Pro Mix series, Mackie range, Rolands new range and the new generation of standalone digital hard disk recorders such as the Yamaha AW4416 and AW2816. Back to beginning of FAQ's
The Aark24 ships standard with ADAT "lightpipe" I/O on optical jacks and a 9 pin ADAT Sync port. The lightpipe I/O gives you 8 track, all digital transfer between your ADAT and your PC multitrack audio software while the ADAT Sync allows you to slave your ADAT to Aardvark legendary synchronization technology! That's right, the power of an Alesis ADAT is included in the Aark24!
ADAT I/O is also fast becoming the standard for multichannel digital I/O for professional studio gear in general, including digital mixers such as Yamaha Pro Mix series, Mackie range, Rolands new range and the new generation of standalone digital hard disk recorders such as the Yamaha AW4416 and AW2816.
How can I get AES/EBU digital audio into the Aark24?
We sell separately both AES/EBU to S/PDIF and also the S/PDIF to AES/EBU adapters. These hook up to the S/PDIF input and output on the Aark24 with an RCA connector to give stereo AES/EBU I/O into and out of the Aark24. Just change the setting in the Advanced Tab to 'Digital Professional' and you now have the full AES/EBU I/O on standard XLR connectors to interface your Aark24 with any pro digital gear. Back to beginning of FAQ's
We sell separately both AES/EBU to S/PDIF and also the S/PDIF to AES/EBU adapters. These hook up to the S/PDIF input and output on the Aark24 with an RCA connector to give stereo AES/EBU I/O into and out of the Aark24. Just change the setting in the Advanced Tab to 'Digital Professional' and you now have the full AES/EBU I/O on standard XLR connectors to interface your Aark24 with any pro digital gear.
Can I use more than one Aark24 system in the same computer?
Absolutely. You can use up to four if you like! For each complete Aark24 system you'll need an available PCI slot. The Aark Control Panel automatically recognizes each card installed. You'll also need to make sure one Aark24 is the Master. Connect the Word Clock output of the master to the Word Clock input of the slave(s) - you'll have all the I/O you could ever need with sample accurate sync! We recommend at lease an EIDE, ATA, or DMA hard drive for use with multiple Aark24's. SCSI hard drives will give best performance. You'll also need at least 128 MB RAM and a fast microprocessor - a 333MHz Pentium or better. Back to beginning of FAQ's
Absolutely. You can use up to four if you like! For each complete Aark24 system you'll need an available PCI slot. The Aark Control Panel automatically recognizes each card installed. You'll also need to make sure one Aark24 is the Master. Connect the Word Clock output of the master to the Word Clock input of the slave(s) - you'll have all the I/O you could ever need with sample accurate sync! We recommend at lease an EIDE, ATA, or DMA hard drive for use with multiple Aark24's. SCSI hard drives will give best performance. You'll also need at least 128 MB RAM and a fast microprocessor - a 333MHz Pentium or better.
For professional applications, can I externally sync the Aark24?
As you may have guessed, the Aark24 has sync connections on the back panel so it will work in any professional or project studio. The Word Clock in/out is standard on all professional digital audio gear and is used to keep it in sample accurate sync with the rest of the setup. Usually this is when digital mixers or other workstations or MDM are involved. Make sure that you select "Word Clock" from the Aark24 Control Panel's Sync Selection drop down menu. Back to beginning of FAQ's
As you may have guessed, the Aark24 has sync connections on the back panel so it will work in any professional or project studio. The Word Clock in/out is standard on all professional digital audio gear and is used to keep it in sample accurate sync with the rest of the setup. Usually this is when digital mixers or other workstations or MDM are involved. Make sure that you select "Word Clock" from the Aark24 Control Panel's Sync Selection drop down menu.
When will there be NT/2000 WDM drivers? What about Mac Drivers? Will Aardvark support BeOS?
Windows 2000, WDM, Windows NT and Mac drivers are currently in development. Aardvark recognize the importance of these drivers and their completion is a priority to Aardvark. It is impossible to put a firm release date on these drivers, but please check this FAQ periodically for updates. Back to beginning of FAQ's
Windows 2000, WDM, Windows NT and Mac drivers are currently in development. Aardvark recognize the importance of these drivers and their completion is a priority to Aardvark. It is impossible to put a firm release date on these drivers, but please check this FAQ periodically for updates.
