New dScope M1 Audio Analyzer

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A new compact, high performance audio analyzer from Prism Sound

The dScope M1 is a new audio hardware interface that works with the existing dScope Series III audio generation and analysis software for working with digital, analogue and Windows sound devices.  It is lower cost than the existing dScope Series III hardware, with a slight change in emphasis away from digital audio and towards electro-acoustics.  The audio performance is uncompromised, and the feature set is only slightly reduced, primarily in the connector options given the very compact and rugged case, but it makes up for it in other ways.

Building on changes in the way computers and hardware have changed over the past few years, the M1 moves all to the processing of the audio away from DSP in the hardware and into the host computer, implementing an audio streaming model over the USB connection.  This has allowed the M1 to provide analogue input analysis sample rates of up to 768kHz for a measurement bandwidth of over 300kHz. Generation is up to fs = 384kHz on the analogue outputs with Digital I/O up to 192kHz . Moving the processing to the host computer has allowed for larger buffer sizes and even faster processing and update rates. It's worth mentioning that this is a lot more than just a sound card.  The main thing that sets it apart is the precision calibrated gain ranging that allows it to generate and analyze audio over a wide range of levels while keeping its DA and AD converters at close to their optimum performance.  This gain ranging is implemented with careful consideration to the number and position of electro-mechanical components used so as to maximize its service life in production test environments where it can encounter scenarios where it is expected to switch ranges every few seconds 24/7.

Considering the reduced cost, the feature set and performance of the M1 is quite remarkable, and there are some areas where the M1 range exceeds the dScope Series III hardware*

• Analogue IO sampled at rates above 192kHz
• Phantom power / CCP (Constant Current Power) for microphones
• Integrated µVSIO I²S interface (single wire each way + clocks) or GPIO or dS-NET peripheral control
• DC coupling on the inputs under software control (dScope Series III is by internal jumpers)

There are initially four variants:

• The M1E being the "entry" level with basic features but good performance. Sample rates up to 96kHz.
• The M1D forgoes Phantom/CC power and instead provides digital sync capabilities and sample rates up to 192kHz.
• The M1 is the core product with sample rates of 384kHz on analogue I/O
• The M1HP is a higher performance/higher power version which can sample up to 768kHz on the analogue inputs and can generate up to +28dBu into >2kΩ

All this in a little box weighing 1.3kg that can be rack mounted in 1U.

We are anticipating demand outstripping supply once the product starts shipping so recommend you contact us for lead times and availability.  See the product page (link below) for pricing and a preliminary data sheet.

*not all features are available on all models or are by upgrade options and some cannot be used simultaneously (e.g., DC coupling with Phantom Power,  GPIO and µVSIO etc.).  Specifications and feature sets subject to change.  Some features are software options enabled by licence files.
 

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