Emagic Emi 2/6 User manual

Hardware
Owner’s Manual
emi 2 6
>> Version 1.1,July 2001
>> English

Table of Contents
3
Owner’s Manual
Version 1.1
22
22
1 Introduction
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2 EMI 2|6 Feature Overview
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Supported Audio Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3 Safety Instructions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4 Contents of the EMI 2|6 Package
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5 EMI 2|6 Hardware
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connectors, Switches and Displays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Application Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6 Installation and Updating
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Installation on Windows Millennium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Installation on Windows 98 SE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Installation on Windows 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Installation on Mac OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Driver Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
7 Configuring and Using the EMI 2|6
. . . . . . . . . . . 35
Audio Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Selecting The Appropriate Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Software Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Surround Output Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

4
Table of Contents
Emagic
EMI 2|6
8 Block Diagrams
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Schematic of EMI 2|6 Signal Flow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
EMI 2|6 Software Driver Architecture (Windows). . . . . . . . . . . 50
9 Technical Specifications
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Signal to Noise Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Dynamic Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Frequency Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Application of the Channel Status in the EMI 2|6 . . . . . . . . . . 55
10 Troubleshooting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
11 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
12 EMC Statements
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
EG Konformitätserklärung/
EC Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Introduction
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Owner’s Manual
Version 1.1
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1 Introduction
Thank you and congratulations on your purchase of the Emagic
EMI 2|6. You now own an innovative audio device that equips
your Macintosh or Windows PC with high-quality analog and
digital audio connectors.
The EMI 2|6 connects to any of your computer’s USB ports. Its
addition to your system doesn’t require opening the computer,
nor does it require an external power supply, as power is sup-
plied by the Universal Serial Bus (USB) itself. These features
make the EMI 2|6 an ideal audio interface for Windows lap-
tops, Powerbooks or iBooks, and also very convenient when
used with desktop computers.
As all electronic circuitry is physically placed outside the com-
puter, the risk of undesirable electronic interference is drasti-
cally reduced. This ensures exceptionally clear and clean sound
from the EMI 2|6 and maximizes the potential of its high-qual-
ity 24 bit converters.
In addition to its hardware design, we have taken great care
with the EMI 2|6 driver software. This ensures that latency is
minimal, making the EMI 2|6 an ideal audio interface for tasks
such as the realtime monitoring of software synthesizers, for
example.
This manual explains the set up procedure for the EMI 2|6 and
offers some application examples. Please read it carefully in
order to make the most of your EMI 2|6.
As this manual is cross-platform, much of the information
applies equally to both Windows and Macintosh systems.
Where information is Macintosh or Windows-specific, it will be
indicated by the topic or section header, or by use of the icons
shown to the right.
We wish you years of fun and productive work with the
EMI 2|6.
Your
E
team

6
EMI 2|6 Feature Overview
Emagic
EMI 2|6
2 EMI 2|6 Feature Overview
•
Compatible with USB 1.1 or higher
•
2 analog inputs with RCA connectors
•
6 analog outputs with RCA connectors
•
1 digital S/PDIF input with RCA connector
•
1 digital S/PDIF output with RCA connector
•
Headphone output with discrete volume control and 3.5mm
(1/8 inch) stereo jack
•
A/D and D/A conversion at 24 and/or 16 bit resolution
•
Supports sampling rates of 44.1 and 48kHz
System Requirements
Macintosh
•
CPU: (Power)Mac 604/200 MHz (with USB PCI card***) or
higher. Macintosh with integrated USB port—G3 or G4 pro-
cessor recommended
•
Memory: 64 MB RAM
•
Drive: CD-ROM or DVD-ROM
•
Interface: A free USB port**
•
Operating System: Mac OS 9.0.4 or higher
•
The EMI 2|6 is unsupported (as at the time of writing—
June, 2001) in Mac OS X. Please refer to the readme docu-
mentation on the supplied CD-ROM and visit the Emagic
web site www.emagic.de—for further information on Mac
OS X support.

Using the EMI 2|6 with Logic Audio requires version 4.7.3 (or higher)
of Logic Audio. The necessary updates for version 4.x.x are located on
the CD-ROM. Logic Audio users prior to version 4.x.x please contact
your local Logic Audio distributor for further update information.

EMI 2|6 Feature Overview
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Windows
•
CPU: Pentium or compatible—233 MHz or higher. (Pen-
tium III, IV or Athlon/600MHz or faster recommended)
•
Memory: 64 MB RAM.
•
Drive: CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.
•
Interface: A free USB port**
•
Operating System: Windows Millennium (Me) Recom-
mended, Windows 98 Second Edition (98 SE)*, Windows
2000*.
*Functionality of the digital input is limited when
Windows 98 SE or Windows 2000 are used.
**Power is supplied via the USB port. The port used must sup-
ply enough current and bandwidth to make full use of the
EMI 2|6. We recommend that the EMI 2|6 is directly con-
nected to a USB port on the CPU housing, rather than via a
hub. An optional Emagic power supply is available, if required.
***Check with the manufacturer of your PCI USB card to con-
firm that it supports the playback and recording of audio data.
Supported Audio Drivers
•
Mac OS: SoundManager, ASIO
SoundManager supports 16 Bit stereo audio. ASIO does not
have this limitation.
•
Windows: MME, DirectSound, ASIO, EASI.

Please note: When using the EMI 2|6 for the very first time connect
the EMI 2|6 to the USB port of your computer only after it has been
completely booted. Please follow the installation procedure after-
wards. From now on the EMI 2|6 can stay connected to the computer
permanently.

Please check www.emagic.de for updated driver versions and further
information.

8
Safety Instructions
Emagic
EMI 2|6
3 Safety Instructions
There are no user-serviceable parts inside the EMI 2|6. Please
do not try to open its casing. Any attempt to do so will automat-
ically void your warranty.
•
The EMI 2|6 is powered via USB. If an external power
supply is employed, it is strongly advised that only the
optional Emagic EMI 2|6 power supply unit is used.
•
Do not touch the connector contacts with sharp or metallic
objects.
•
Place your EMI 2|6 on a non-slip surface.
•
Avoid the use of the EMI 2|6 in extremely hot or cold condi-
tions.
•
Ensure that the EMI 2|6 is not placed in direct sunlight or
near other heat sources.
•
Protect your EMI 2|6 from moisture, heavy dust, aggressive
liquids and steam. If any moisture gets inside the EMI 2|6,
you should immediately remove all cables and contact
Emagic support.
•
Do not place your EMI 2|6 near electro-magnetic fields, as
this can affect audio quality. Avoid positions near to radios,
TVs and video units.
•
Never carry your EMI 2|6 with any cables connected to it.
•
Cleaning the casing of your EMI 2|6 should only be done
with a soft, dry anti-static cloth. Do not use any cleaning
solvents or chemical substances for cleaning the unit.
If you encounter any problems, please refer to the Troubleshoot-
ing section from page 56 onwards. If this information does not
provide a solution to your problem, please contact your local
Emagic retailer or distributor.

Contents of the EMI 2|6 Package
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4 Contents of the EMI 2|6 Package
Please check your EMI 2|6 packaging for the following con-
tents:
•
The EMI 2|6
•
The EMI 2|6 satchel
•
A USB cable
•
An installation CD which contains the driver software
•
This manual
If any of the abovementioned items are missing, please contact
your dealer or local Emagic distributor.
In order to connect the EMI 2|6 to other audio devices, the fol-
lowing items—not supplied with the package—are required:
•
RCA cables for the analog inputs and outputs.
•
75 Ohm coaxial cables for the digital inputs and outputs.
•
A pair of stereo headphones with a 3.5mm (1/8th inch) stereo
plug.
Note that the requirement for any, or all, of the items listed
above is dependent on how you connect and use the EMI 2|6.

10
EMI 2|6 Hardware
Emagic
EMI 2|6
5 EMI 2|6 Hardware
In this chapter, the connectors and hardware features of the
EMI 2|6 are explained. You will also find several application
examples outlined here.
Connectors, Switches and Displays
USB Connector
This is the jack used for the connection of the EMI 2|6 to your
computer. A USB cable is supplied. The EMI 2|6 is compatible
with the Universal Serial Bus Revision 1.1 or higher.
When the EMI 2|6 is connected to the USB port of the com-
puter, and the computer is turned on, the blue power LED will
be illuminated. The EMI 2|6 will be ready for use after a self-
initialization procedure which takes approximately five sec-
onds.
Please note that this assumes that the operating system is pro-
perly installed and configured. Also note that only the blue
power indicator LED will be lit until all drivers are loaded and
available for use by the EMI 2|6. The EMI 2|6 can not be used
when it is not connected to the computer or when the computer
is switched off.
Analog Inputs and Outputs
The EMI 2|6 is equipped with RCA connectors offering two
analog inputs and six analog outputs. The output level is
2.8Vpp or 1Vrms, which corresponds to approx. 0dBV or
+ 2.2dBu respectively. This makes the EMI 2|6 compatible
with (consumer) levels of − 10dBV (CD players and other “line”
devices) as well as with levels of + 4dBu (professional studio
equipment). A green LED that indicates level is available for
each input and output.

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Headphone Output
This jack allows the connection of a pair of headphones with a
3.5mm stereo plug. The headphone output jack mirrors the sig-
nals from outputs 1 and 2.
Headphone Volume Control
Headphone volume can be adjusted via the volume knob on
the front panel of the EMI 2|6.
Digital Input and Output
The EMI 2|6 offers digital input and output via coaxial S/PDIF
connectors. The digital input and output can also be used for
synchronizing the EMI 2|6 with another digital source. The
Channel Status of the digital signal is set to “Consumer Use”,
in accordance with the IEC60958 specification.
You may connect a CD player, digital mixer or a DAT recorder
to the EMI 2|6’s digital input in order to record their signals
digitally. The digital output of the EMI 2|6 always mirrors the
signals from analog outputs 1 and 2. It can be used to connect
the EMI 2|6 to a digital mixer for further processing or a DAT
machine for recording.

A table in the appendix displays the application of channel status in
the EMI 2|6, according to the IEC standard.
External Power Supply
The EMI 2|6 is powered directly via USB, and requires no
external power supply. In some circumstances, however, the
USB current delivered by some computers is not clean, or pow-
erful, enough for audio applications and can cause noise arti-
facts in the audio signals. In these situations/systems, the
EMI 2|6 can also be powered by an external power supply. If an
external power supply is connected to the power supply jack,
its current is used instead of the current supplied via the USB
port.

12
EMI 2|6 Hardware
Emagic
EMI 2|6
A suitable, high-quality power supply for the EMI 2|6 is availa-
ble from Emagic as an optional accessory. This power supply
has very precise specifications. Use of another power supply
may permanently damage your EMI 2|6, and will void your
warranty. Please ask your dealer or Emagic distributor for fur-
ther information.
Input Selector
This switch is used for the selection of the analog or digital
inputs. Only the signal from the selected input will be sent to
the computer. It is not possible to mix the analog and digital
inputs.
Clock Source Selector
This switch allows you to select between the EMI 2|6’s internal
clock, or an external clock source connected to the EMI 2|6’s
digital input.
If no valid digital clock signal is received, the EMI 2|6 automatically
switches to its internal clock and ignores the switch setting.
Some digital synchronization examples for the EMI 2|6 are
offered in the following section.

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Status LEDs
The configuration and operating mode of the EMI 2|6 is indi-
cated by eight status LEDs. The meaning of the LEDs and the
corresponding options are explained in the table below:
Function LED/
switch
Meaning Where to switch
Input Digital this LED is lit when the digital input is
selected
the input can be
selected via the left-
most switch
Analog this LED is lit when the analog input is
selected
Sample
Rate
44.1kHz this LED is lit when the selected sampling
rate is 44.1kHz
the sampling rate is
selected on the con-
nected computer
48kHz this LED is lit when the selected sampling
rate is 48kHz
24 bit Recording this LED is lit when the selected recording
resolution is 24 bit (unlit = 16 bit)
the bit resolution is
selected on the con-
nected computer
Playback this LED is lit when the selected playback
resolution is 24 bit (unlit = 16 bit)
Clock
Source
Intern this LED is lit when the EMI 2|6’s internal
synchronization is selected
the clock source for
synchronization is
selected via the clock
source switch on the
EMI 2|6
Extern this LED is lit when external synchroniza-
tion from the digital input is selected

14
EMI 2|6 Hardware
Emagic
EMI 2|6
Application Examples
This section describes how the EMI 2|6 is connected and set
up for some typical recording and playback applications.
A block diagram in the appendix provides a detailed overview
of the internal audio path of the EMI 2|6.
Analog Recording and Playback
This is the set up for recording via the analog inputs while mon-
itoring through the analog outputs. The clock source switch is
set to Intern, the input selector to Analog. If you wish to take
advantage of the EMI 2|6’s latency-free monitoring, you should
use outputs 1 and 2 or the headphone out.
monitoring and playback
recording
playback
USB monitoring and
playback
intern
analog
Power
Digital Analog 44.1kHz 48kHz Recording Playback Intern Extern
Input Sample
Rate
24 bit Clock
Source
Signal Present
12123456
In Out
InOut LR 123456
OutputInputDigital

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The volume of the monitor signal can be set via the Windows mixer
applet. See the Setting the Input Level section from page 45 onwards.
When using the SoundManager drivers, the volume of the monitor
signal can be set via the mixer in the Sound Control Panel. When
using the ASIO drivers, the monitor level is set via the input level
faders of the ASIO host application, if software monitoring is avail-
able. Where unavailable, the audio input is fed directly to outputs 1
and 2, making use of EMI 2|6’s hardware monitoring facility.
Digital Recording and Playback
When recording from a digital source, the Clock Source setting is
very important. The setting should correspond to the con-
nected device—i.e. if a clock master device is connected, the
switch should be set to Extern. If you insert an effects processor
intern or extern
monitoring and playback
recording
USB monitoring and
playback
digital
Power
Digital Analog 44.1kHz 48kHz Recording Playback Intern Extern
Input Sample
Rate
24 bit Clock
Source
Signal Present
12123456
In Out
InOut LR 123456
OutputInputDigital

16
EMI 2|6 Hardware
Emagic
EMI 2|6
(which will, in turn receive its clock from the EMI 2|6)
between the EMI 2|6’s digital input and digital output, Clock
Source should be set to Intern.
If the selected clock source and the received digital signal
aren’t phase-locked, some resampling will occur, possibly low-
ering the quality of the signal slightly.
A normal CD player—with digital outputs—is an ideal example of an
audio device that is only able to work as a clock master. The CD player
may have a digital out, but no digital in and therefore, can not be
clocked externally. A digital device receiving the CD player’s digital
output signal must be clocked by this signal and can not act as the
master device—i.e. it is the slave device. If two devices are acting as
clock masters in a digital setup, one of them must be resampled (i.e.
a sampling rate conversion must take place) in order to synchronize
with the other.

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Analog Recording and Playback with external Sync
This set up is similar to “Analog Recording and Playback”, as
described above. Here, however, the EMI 2|6 is synchronized
to a signal received at its digital input; the clock source setting
is set to Extern. This setup is useful when the EMI 2|6 is used
with another audio device with a digital output. By synchroniz-
ing the EMI 2|6 to this device, the sampling rates are locked to
one an other which prevent long audio files from “drifting
apart” during playback.
monitoring and playback
recording
playback
USB monitoring and
playback
extern
analog
external clock
Power
Digital Analog 44.1kHz 48kHz Recording Playback Intern Extern
Input Sample
Rate
24 bit Clock
Source
Signal Present
12123456
In Out
InOut LR 123456
OutputInputDigital

18
EMI 2|6 Hardware
Emagic
EMI 2|6
Analog/Digital Conversion
To use the EMI 2|6 for basic A/D conversion, simply connect
an analog signal to the two inputs and feed the digital out to the
digital device of your choice. Transmission of the signal from
the analog inputs to the digital output is achieved via the
EMI 2|6’s built-in monitoring function.
The volume of the monitor signal can be set via the Windows mixer
applet. See the Setting the Input Level section from page 45 onwards.
When using the SoundManager driver, the volume of the monitor
signal can be set in the Sound Control Panel.
digital output signal
USB
intern
analog
Power
Digital Analog 44.1kHz 48kHz Recording Playback Intern Extern
Input Sample
Rate
24 bit Clock
Source
Signal Present
12123456
In Out
InOut LR 123456
OutputInputDigital
analog input signal

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When using the ASIO drivers, the monitor level is set via the input
level faders of the ASIO host application, if software monitoring is
available. Where unavailable, the audio input is fed directly to outputs
1 and 2, making use of EMI 2|6’s hardware monitoring facility.
For this application, the EMI 2|6 can be either externally or
internally synchronized. Even though no signal is sent via the
USB connection, the computer needs to be switched on for this
functionality of operate.
Digital/Analog Conversion
For D/A conversion, a digital signal is fed to the digital input
and then passed to analog outputs 1 and 2 using the built-in
monitoring function of the EMI 2|6. To avoid resampling, the
EMI 2|6 should be synchronized to the incoming digital sig-
analog output signal
USB
extern
digital
Power
Digital Analog 44.1kHz 48kHz Recording Playback Intern Extern
Input Sample
Rate
24 bit Clock
Source
Signal Present
12123456
In Out
InOut LR 123456
OutputInputDigital
digital input signal

20
EMI 2|6 Hardware
Emagic
EMI 2|6
nal—i.e. Clock Source should be set to Extern. Even though no
signal is sent via the USB connection, the computer needs to be
switched on for this functionality to operate.