M-Audio Delta 66 User manual

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DELTA 66
™
DELTA 66
User Guide
Tested to comply with
FCC Standards
For Home or Studio Use
Delta 66
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Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
What’s in the Box? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
About the Delta 66 Digital Recording Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Product Features & Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Minimum System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Quick Guide to Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Hardware Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Delta Driver & Software Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Windows 98 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Windows 95 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Windows NT Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Macintosh Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Verifying Windows Driver Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Verifying Delta Control Panel Installation, PC & Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Delta System Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Delta’s Analog Input/Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
The Digital Monitor Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
The Patchbay / Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Using the Delta 66 with your Software Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Delta 66 Control Panel Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Monitor Mixer Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Patchbay/Router Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Hardware Settings Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
S/PDIF Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
About Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Save, Delete, Load Buttons; H/W Installed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Delta 66 Recording Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Typical Setup #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Typical Setup #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Typical Setup #3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Transferring from DAT to Delta 66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Transferring from Delta 66 to DAT, monitoring with DAT . . . . . . . . . .38
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Troubleshooting Tips for Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Appendix A-Technical Specs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Appendix B -If You Use An External Mixer... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Limited Lifetime Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Delta 66 Manual

Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the Delta 66 Digital Recording Interface
designed and built by M Audio. Even if you are experienced in digital recording,
please take the time to read this manual. It will give you valuable information on
installing your new card and the supporting software, plus help you to fully
understand the function and usability of the Delta 66. Once you’re up and running,
you will quickly discover the power and brilliance, both in sound and design, of your
Delta 66 Digital Recording Interface.
What’sin the Box?
Your Delta 66 box contains:
• This instruction manual.
• The Delta 66 break-out box.
• The Delta 66 PCI host adapter card.
• 15-pin D-sub to 15-pin D-sub cable.
•CD containing drivers & Delta Control Panel software for Windows 98/95/NT
and Macintosh OS 8.5.1 or higher.
• M Audio Warranty Registration card.
About the Delta 66 Digital Recording
Interface
The Delta 66 functions as a 6-input, 6-output digital recording interface. Four
analog inputs and outputs plus coaxial S/PDIF I/O give you the highest quality
digital I/O available — all up to 24-bit data width and any sampling rate from 8kHz
to 96kHz. Connect a line-level signal from your instrument, mixer, or pre-amp to
the Delta 66’s TRS jacks on the break-out box. Match the operating levels of your
input and output signals using the +4, ‘Consumer,’ or -10 signal level software
switches. Record a digital audio signal from your DAT, MiniDisc, CD, or external
A/D converter via the Delta 66’s S/PDIF input located on the PCI Host card. Control
all routing and hardware settings with the Delta’s comprehensive control panel
software.
Within the Delta 66’s PCI chip is a hardware digital mixer. Controlled by the
included Delta Control Panel software, it may handle all of your routing needs, give
you extra control of all left, right, and stereo levels, in addition to control of pans,
solos, and mutes.
2

Product Features & Specifications
• 6x6 24-bit/96khz full-duplex recording interface.
• PCI host card with external break-out box.
• 4x4 analog I/O accepts balanced or unbalanced connections on 1/4” TRS jacks.
• Analog I/O configurable for +4dBu, Consumer, and –10dBV signal levels.
• Analog dynamic range exceeding 103dB.
• All data paths support up to 24bit/96kHz performance, no upgrades necessary.
• Comprehensive digital mixing, routing, and monitoring capabilities with
included Delta Control Panel software.
• Hardware sample-accurate sync will allow linking of multiple Delta units
(expected November 1999).
• Windows 95/98 multi-card drivers with ASIO1 and ASIO2 multi-card, GSIF
and EASI drivers included; Windows NT multi-card and Mac OS drivers with
ASIO 1&2 also included.
Minimum System Requirements
• Windows 95 or Windows 98, Mac OS 8.5.1 or higher.
• Pentium II 266MHz for 96kHz operation. Pentium 200 MMX for 48kHz
or less.
• 128 MB of PC100 RAM for 96kHz operation. 64MB SDRAM for 48kHz
or less.
•Mac G3 or G3 accelerator with 64 MB of RAM, 128 recommended. Some
faster Power PCs will perform adequately.
•UDMA EIDE or fast SCSI HDD recommended.
3

Break-Out Box Front Panel:
1. Analog OUTS 1-4: These jacks output analog audio to a variety of external
sources. Each jack is 1/4” TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) and is compatible with 1/4”
TRS (balanced) or TS (Tip-Sleeve unbalanced) connections.
2. Analog INS 1-4: These jacks input analog audio from a variety of external
sources. Each jack is 1/4” TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) and is compatible with 1/4”
TRS (balanced) or TS (Tip-sleeve unbalanced) connections.
Break-Out Box Back Panel:
3. Host Cable connector: This 15-pin D-sub connector is used to attach the
external break-out box to the PCI host card, using the supplied host cable.
PCI Host Adapter Card:
4. Coaxial S/PDIF Input: This RCA connector receives an S/PDIF stereo signal
from your coaxial S/PDIF digital source such as a DAT, MiniDisc player or
external A/D converter.
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5. Coaxial S/PDIF Output: This RCA connector sends an S/PDIF stereo signal to
your coaxial S/PDIF digital target device such as a DAT, MiniDisc player or
external D/A converter.
6. Host Cable connector: This 15-pin D-sub connector attaches to the supplied host
cable to allow communication between the PCI host card and the break-out box.
Quick Guide to Getting Started
Here is a list of the steps required to get your Delta 66 up and running:
1. Physically install the card in your computer and connect it to the Delta 66 break-
out box (see ‘Hardware Installation’).
2. Start Windows and allow Windows’ Plug-and-Play to prompt you for the
Delta 66 drivers via the Add New Hardware wizard. Install drivers and support
software (see ‘Windows Software Installation’).
3. On the Mac, drag the Delta extension to the Extensions folder, and the
appropriate ASIO driver to your application’s ASIO folder. Restart. If not using
ASIO, set the Sound Manager to Delta (see Mac Installation).
4. Configure your digital recording software to use the Delta 66 as its active audio
device (see ‘Using the Delta 66 with your Software Application’ and also your
software application’smanual).
5. Hook up your digital and analog audio gear (see ‘Delta 66 Recording
Tutorials’). Configure your Delta Control Panel software for proper monitoring
and playback.
HardwareInstallation
To mechanically install the Delta 66, do the following:
1. Turn off your computer.
2. Remove the computer’s cover and position the computer so that you may easily
access its PCI slots.
3. Select the PCI slot where you will install your Delta 66 PCI host card. Make
sure the slot is a PCI slot. If you don’t know what “PCI slot” means, check the
owner’s manual for your computer. PCI slots are distinguishable from ISA slots
by being shorter and set back farther from the outside of the computer, however
some newer computers have only PCI slots.
4. Before removing the Delta 66 PCI host card from its protective anti-static bag,
touch the metal power supply case of the computer in order to dissipate any
static electricity your body may have accumulated. You might want to pick up
agrounding wrist strap (available from electronics stores like Radio Shack) if
you want to be doubly sure you aren’t carrying a static charge that could damage
5

the card.
5. Remove the metal bracket that covers the access hole on the back of the
computer. This bracket is usually fastened to the computer with a single screw.
6. Position the Delta 66 PCI host card over the target PCI slot and fit the card
loosely over it with the card in the upright position. Press the card gently but
firmly downward into the slot until the card is completely and squarely seated
in the slot. If the card seems difficult to seat, a slight rocking motion may help.
7. Screw the Delta 66 PCI host card’s metal bracket down into the screw hole on
the back of your computer using the screw you removed in step 5 above.
8. Place the cover back on your computer.
Now it is time to connect the Delta 66 break-out box to the PCI host card that you
have just installed. Never attach the break-out box with the computer turned on.
Doing so could damage the PCI card, and void your warranty. With your computer
turned off:
1. Place the Delta 66 break-out box on a desktop in a convenient but secure place,
or mount the unit in a 19” rack-mount chassis. Rack mounting may be
accomplished with a universal rack-mount tray, using a 5mm screw through the
tray and into the mounting hole on the bottom of the Delta 66 break-out box.
2. Connect one end of the supplied host cable to the 15-pin D-sub connector on the
break-out box.
3. Connect the other end of the host cable to the 15-pin D-sub connector on the
Delta 66 PCI Host card that now resides in your computer.
Delta Driver & Software Installation
The Delta 66 system includes a “Drivers CD” for Windows 98/95/NT and
Macintosh, containing all Windows drivers, Macintosh drivers (including all ASIO
drivers), and Delta Control Panel software. Toinstall these on your system, please
follow these steps:
Windows 98 Installation
1. After installing the Delta 66 hardware, boot your system and start Windows.
During the Windows boot procedure, the new hardware will be automatically
detected by the ‘Add New Hardware Wizard’, as shown here. Click ‘Next>’.
6

2. The ‘Add New Hardware Wizard’ will now ask how to locate the driver.
“Search for the best driver for your device” is already selected. Click ‘Next>’.
3. Windows will give you a selection of locations to search. Make sure that only
“Choose a Path” is checked, or click on the check box to do so. Insert the
Drivers CD into your CD ROM drive. Type in the drive letter of your CD drive
(we will assume here that it is D:\) and the path to the Delta drivers, which will
be D:\Delta Products\Delta98. Click ‘Next>’.
4. The ‘Wizard’ reports that its Windows driver file search has found the M Audio
Delta 66. Click ‘Next>’.
5. Windows is now ready to install the driver files from the specified location.
Click ‘Next>’. Windows will start to copy the files and show you a progress
report screen.
6. The Wizard reports that Windows has finished installing the software. Click
‘Finish’. Your Delta 66 is ready for action.
After completion of the driver installation, Windows may require you to restart
Windows. If it does request a restart, remove the Drivers CD from the CD drive and
respond by clicking “Yes”. The system will restart and your Delta 66 is ready for
play.
Windows 95 Installation
1. After installation of the Delta 66 hardware, boot your system and start
Windows. During the Windows boot procedure, new hardware will be
automatically detected.
2. Choose the Install of “driver from disk provided by hardware manufacturer,”
then click OK.
3. An ‘Install From Disk’ dialog will prompt you to copy files from the A:\ drive.
Insert the Driver software CD into your CD ROM drive. Type in the drive letter
of your CD drive (we will assume here that it is D:\) and the path to the Delta
drivers, which will be D:\Delta Products\Delta98 (these drivers also work in
7

Win95). Click ‘Next>’.
4. Windows will start to copy files, with a progress indicator on the screen. Once
this process completes itself, your Delta 66 will be ready for action.
After completion of the driver installation, Windows may require you to restart
Windows. If it does request a restart, remove the Drivers CD from the CD drive and
respond by clicking “Yes”. The system will restart and your Delta 66 is ready for
play.
Windows NT Installation
1. Power up your computer after physically installing the Delta 66 card.
2. Go to Start | Settings | Control Panel and double click on ‘Multimedia.’ Click
the ‘Devices’ tab, then click the ‘Add’ button.
3. “Unlisted or Updated Driver” will be highlighted at the top of the list. Click
OK.
4. The ‘Install Driver’ box will prompt you to insert the driver disk, and the A:
prompt will appear as the path. Insert the Drivers CD into your CD ROM drive.
Type in the drive letter of your CD drive (we will assume here that it is D:\) and
the path to the Delta drivers, which will be D:\Delta Products\DeltaNT. Click
OK.
5. The “M Audio Delta Interface Card” driver will appear in the Add Unlisted or
Updated Driver dialog box. Click OK.
6. Windows NT will require you to restart your computer for the changes to take
effect. Choose “Restart Now.” Upon restart, your Delta 66 will be ready for
use.
Macintosh Installation
1. Open the System folder on your Macintosh hard drive. In the System folder,
locate the Extensions folder.
2. On you Drivers CD disk, open the Delta Products folder, then the Delta 66
folder. Place the extension file "Delta 66 Driver" in your Extensions folder by
clicking on it and dragging it to the Extensions folder.
3. If you are using a music program that uses ASIO drivers, it will also have an
ASIO folder within the application’s folder. In your Mac Delta Drivers folder
you will find three Delta 66 ASIO drivers. For Cubase versions 4.x, use the
"ASIO2 Delta66" driver. For Metro, or earlier versions of Cubase, use the
"ASIO Delta66v3" driver. For any music program that is not ASIO2 capable,
use the “ASIO Delta 66” driver instead (check your program’s documentation).
Place the file "ASIO Delta" in your program's ASIO folder by clicking on it and
dragging it to the ASIO folder.
4. Drag the "DeltaPanel PPC" file onto your Macintosh hard drive. You can run
the Delta Control Panel from any place that's convenient, though music software
applications that use ASIO will allow you to launch the Delta panel from within
the program. If not, we suggest creating a alias to the control panel by
8

highlighting it and pressing Command (Apple key)+M. Then, drag the alias to
the desktop.
5. With the Delta 66 PCI card installed, restarting the computer will load the Delta
66 extension. You will be able to visually see the Delta extension icon pass by
as your system loads extension.
6. Go to the Apple menu |Control Panel | Sound. You should see the “built-in”
sound icon, plus the Delta icon if your Delta 66 is properly installed. If your
music program does use ASIO, leave the Sound Manager driver set to "built-in"
for both Sound In and Sound Out. If your program does not use ASIO (check
your software’s documentation) and you will be using the Sound Manager to
communicate with your Delta 66, set Sound In and Sound Out to “Delta.” See
the section “Hardware Settings Page” in the Delta 66 “Control Panel Software”
section for information on selecting Sound Manger inputs and outputs. Your
Delta 66 is now ready for use.
Verifying Windows Driver Installation
Windows displays the Delta 66 driver status in the Device Manager page of the
System Properties dialog box. The Device Manager page is opened via the Windows
Start button: select Start | Settings | Control Panel | System | Device Manager. With
the Device Manager displayed, click on the ‘+’ next to “Sound, video and game
controllers” to open a list of devices, the Delta 66 being a device of that nature.
Below is an example view of the Device Manager.
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This example shows the M Audio Delta 66 and Midiman WINMAN 4x4/S (another
product shown here only as an example) entries in the Windows Device Manager
device list. The Delta 66 is properly installed with no conflicts, as is the WINMAN
4x4/S. If you do not see your M Audio Delta 66 in your Device Manager in this
fashion, please jump ahead to the “Troubleshooting” section of this manual.
Verifying Delta Control Panel Installation, PC & Mac
In Windows, open the Windows Control Panel (do so via Start | Settings | Control
Panel ). If your Delta 66 hardware and Delta Control Panel software are properly
installed, the Windows Control Panel should display an “M Audio Delta H/W” icon.
By double-clicking on that icon, you may launch the Delta Control Panel software.
Also for convenience, you may create a shortcut on your desktop by dragging a copy
of the “M Audio Delta H/W” icon from the Control Panel to your Windows desktop
using your mouse or trackball. After completing the drag operation, a dialog box
will ask you if you wish to create a shortcut — click on ‘Yes’. Once the shortcut is
installed, all you have to do is double-click on the shortcut icon on your desktop to
launch the Delta Control Panel software.
On the Macintosh, the Delta Control Panel may be placed anywhere on your hard
drive, or any partition of your hard drive that you find convenient. Once the control
panel file has been dragged from the CD onto your hard drive, you may double click
it to launch the Delta Control Panel software. You may create a alias to the control
panel by highlighting it, then holding Apple key+M. This alias can then be placed
on your desktop.
NOTE: When using a music softwareprogram that is ASIO
capable, launch the Delta Control Panel software from within
that program. Some of the control panel functions will be
controlled from within that program, such as master clock
setting and sample rate, so it is desireable to launch the music
program first, and then the Delta Control Panel from the the
program’s “launch” or “control panel” button. Without the
music program open however,it is okay to open the Delta panel
from your desktop or other location.
Delta System Overview
Delta’sAnalog Input/Outputs
The Delta 66 Digital Recording Interface’s analog inputs and outputs are compatible
with a wide variety of audio products. The Delta Control Panel software allows you
to configure the signal level of each analog input individually, and all analog outputs
as a group. Signal level settings of +4/Consumer/-10 are available. Selecting the
‘+4’ radio button configures the channel(s) for use with +4dBu signal levels,
compatible with most musical instruments and professional mixers. Selecting the
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‘–10’ setting sets up the channel(s) for -10dBV nominal signal levels, commonly
used with consumer equipment such as CD, MiniDisc, cassette tape and DAT
players. The ‘Consumer’ setting is preferred for semi-pro audio equipment and
some consumer equipment that is too ‘hot’ for the ‘-10’ setting. The ‘Consumer’
setting offers approximately 6dB more headroom than does the ‘-10’ setting. Semi-
pro and consumer devices’ signal levels vary from manufacturer-to-manufacturer
and even product-to-product, so a little experimentation between Consumer and –10
settings may be required for optimal results.
NOTE: In order to preserve its high dynamic range and
minimize distortion, the Delta 66 does not have microphone
pre-amplifiers built into it. Therefore direct connection to a
microphone is not recommended. Instead run the microphone
signal through a microphone pre-amp (such as the Midiman
"Audio Buddy™") and then connect the pre-amp output to the
input of the Delta 66.
All analog jacks on the Delta 66 break-out box are of the 1/4” TRS (Tip-Ring-
Sleeve) variety. The TRS jacks allow connection to either balanced (typically
professional) or unbalanced (typically consumer or semi-pro) equipment. +4dBu
balanced configurations provide the highest performance and should be used
whenever possible. However,the Delta 66’sanalog connections support
combinations of balanced and unbalanced, +4dBu, consumer, and –10dBV level
signals.
The Digital Monitor Mixer
The Delta 66 Digital Recording System has a hardware digital audio mixer built into
its PCI controller chip. It accepts digital audio streams from all hardware inputs and
all outgoing software audio devices, mixes them with 36-bit internal precision and
then provides the mixed output to one or more locations. For the purpose of
monitoring, the output of the mixer may be routed to the first set of Delta 66 analog
outputs (H/W OUT1/OUT2 as a stereo pair) and/or the S/PDIF digital output. At the
same time the mixer may be used for stereo mix-down, with the mixer’s output
recorded into the user’s application software. The digital audio mixer is configured
and controlled by the included Delta Control Panel Software.
The Patchbay / Router
In addition to the built-in monitor mixer,the Delta 66 Digital Recording Interface
includes an output patchbay/router. The patchbay/router allows each output (analog
or digital) to be connected to a variety of input sources. The Delta 66’s outputs may
accept audio from software sources (the output devices visible in your audio
software applications) or from hardware sources such as the analog and digital
inputs or the monitor mixer.This capability makes the Delta 66 quite flexible for
WAV output, monitoring, or directly connecting inputs to outputs for “system test”
purposes.
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Synchronization
For proper operation, the entire Delta 66 system is always synchronized to a single
master clock. The master clock is chosen via the Delta Control Panel software and
this clock may be derived from either the Delta 66’s internal crystal oscillators or
S/PDIF In. Most of the time the master clock is taken from the internal crystal
oscillators. However, the S/PDIF option is used in situations where the Delta 66
must be synchronized to external digital audio or sample rates.
As stated, most of the time the master clock is derived from the internal crystal
oscillators. Operation in this mode is similar to that of a generic sound card — for
instance, when a WAV file is played through the Delta drivers, the software
application playing the WAV file is responsible for setting the sample rate in the
sound card hardware. The Delta 66 supports these sample rates by using either of
its internal crystal oscillators and dividing the rate of that oscillator by some value
to derive the proper sample rate.
In situations where S/PDIF In is being used, the Delta 66 should be configured to get
its master clock from the S/PDIF In data stream. The reason for this is simple —
even if the sample rates are set the same, an S/PDIF data stream coming from an
external source is rarely going to be in sync with the Delta 66 (or other digital audio
devices in the system for that matter). If the master clock were set to use the internal
crystal, then the incoming S/PDIF audio would have “pops,” “crackles,” and other
undesirable audio artifacts present in it. Instead, setting the master clock to “S/PDIF
In” will synchronize the Delta 66 to the S/PDIF input data and its digital audio will
be transferred properly.
Finally, the S/PDIF In option may be used to operate the Delta 66 at non-standard
sample rates. When this option is selected, the Delta 66’ssample rate will
automatically match that of the incoming S/PDIF data stream.
NOTE: When the S/PDIF In is selected as the master clock
source, the Delta 66 mixer’s frequency response will be affected
by whatever sample rates you inject at the S/PDIF In. This is
because (1) the digital mixer operates at the same sample rate
as the rest of the board, and (2) sample rate and frequency
response are directly correlated.
Using the Delta 66 with your SoftwareApplication
Once the Delta 66’s hardware and driver software are properly installed, it is ready
for use with your music application software. Some of these applications may
require you to highlight or enable the Delta 66 drivers within the program, and others
may have a utility that analyzes or profiles the audio cards in your system and
enables the drivers. Your software should have an audio device driver setup page.
WINDOWS MME AUDIO INPUT DEVICES: All Delta 66 analog and S/PDIF
inputs may be used simultaneously for a total of 6 input channels. Within your
software application(s), the names of the Delta 66 audio input devices are:
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PCM In 1/2 Delta-66
PCM In 3/4 Delta-66
S/PDIF In Delta-66
Mon.Mixer Delta-66
The PCM In devices allow recording a stereo stream directly from the specified
analog input pairs. The S/PDIF In device allows you to record a stereo stream
directly from the S/PDIF input. The Mon.Mixer device allows stereo recording from
the digital “monitor” mixer built-into the Delta 66. The audio data recorded from
this device is the mix of input and output streams set up in the Delta Control Panel
software (see Delta 66 Control Panel Software section).
Note that all of the input devices are stereo. Your application
software may break these down further to “left” and “right”
mono devices. Therefore you may see them as “Left PCM In 1/2
Delta-66, Right PCM In 1/2 Delta-66”, “Left S/PDIF In Delta-66,
Right S/PDIF In Delta-66”, or “Left Mon. Mixer Delta-66, Right
Mon. Mixer Delta-66,” etc. from within your recording software.
WINDOWS MME AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICES: All Delta 66 analog and S/PDIF
outputs may be used simultaneously for a total of 6 output channels. Within your
software application(s), the names of the Delta 66 audio output devices are:
WavOut 1/2 Delta-66
WavOut 3/4 Delta-66
WavOut S/PDIF Delta-66
WavOut devices allow playing a stereo audio stream to the analog hardware outputs
(for WavOut 1/2, 3/4), the S/PDIF hardware output (for WavOut S/PDIF), or into the
hardware router or mixer. Your application software may break each of these stereo
devices down further to “left” and “right” mono devices. Therefore you may see
them as “Left WavOut 1/2 Delta-66, Right WavOut 1/2 Delta-66”, or “Left WavOut
S/PDIF Delta-66, Right WavOut S/PDIF Delta-66”, etc. from within your music
software. Most software will handle the outputs as stereo pairs but allow you to pan
audio left or right within the pair. Therefore to send a mono output to OUT1 (for
example), choose WavOut 1/2, then pan that track hard left.
Note that each device name begins with “WavOut.” This is to
remind you that these are software devices, and not always
connected directly to output hardware. Instead they are
connected to the Delta 66’s internal patchbay/router and may
be sent to one of several destinations. For moreon the
patchbay/router, see the Patchbay/Router section of the Delta
Control Panel software discussion.
MACINTOSH SOUND MANAGER INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: The Apple Sound
Manager limits the user to one stereo pair for input and one stereo pair for output.
Within your music software, the device selection when using the Sound Manager
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drivers for input and output will be “Sound Manager” both for input source and for
output port.
To select the Sound Manager driver, open the Apple Menu and go to Control Panel
|Sound. For both “Sound In”and “Sound Out,” click and highlight the Delta icon,
then exit. You may select which Delta hardware stereo input pair and stereo output
pair will be used for the Sound Manager’s Sound In and Sound Out in the Delta
Control Panel “Hardware Settings Page” (see section, “Hardware Settings
Page”under “Delta Control Panel”). Whichever stereo pair you select, the software
input and output device selection within your music program will remain the same.
ASIO DRIVER INPUT DEVICES: When using the ASIO audio drivers with
programs that support ASIO-style audio, the input devices are displayed as mono
devices. Within ASIO software applications, the names of the Delta 66 audio input
devices are:
Analog In1 Delta-66
Analog In2 Delta-66
Analog In3 Delta-66
Analog In4 Delta-66
S/PDIF In L Delta-66
S/PDIF In R Delta-66
Mon.Mixer L Delta-66
Mon.Mixer R Delta-66
Notice the S/PDIF In and Monitor Mixer names include “L” and “R” characters.
“L” indicates the left channel of the stereo stream, while “R” indicates right channel.
ASIO DRIVER OUTPUT DEVICES: The Delta 66’s ASIO output devices appear in
stereo pairs. Because each device is stereo, you may see “left” and “right”
references within your software application. This allows the application to pan
audio left and right under software control. To send a signal to a Delta ASIO output
1(for example) as a mono output send, one would choose “Analog 1/2 Delta-66” for
that track’s output port, and then pan that output hard left. The ASIO outputs are
named as follows:
Analog 1/2 Delta-66
Analog 3/4 Delta-66
S/PDIF L/R Delta-66
WINDOWS MULTIMEDIA SETTINGS: Windows may be set up to use the
Delta 66 as its default audio device, allowing system sounds to be sent out the Delta
66. This also enables you to use the Delta 66 with the sound applets included with
Windows. To set this up, go to Control Panel | Multimedia. In the Audio Properties
page, set the Playback and Recording devices to the Delta 66 input and output
devices of your choice.
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Delta 66 Control Panel Software
ON THE PC: Once the Delta 66 is properly installed, an "M Audio Delta H/W" icon
will be displayed in your Windows Control Panel. By double-clicking on that icon,
you will launch the Delta Control Panel software. You may also launch the Delta
Control Panel software from the desktop if you have previously created a shortcut
there (see "Verifying Delta Control Panel Software Installation" section for
instructions on how to do this). Once the Delta Control Panel software has been
opened, you will see the main panel and its several tabs. To display a desired page,
click on its tab. Below are functional descriptions of each page.
ON THE MAC: The Delta Control Panel must be placed on the hard drive by
dragging the application from the Drivers CD. Once this is done, a alias may be
created by highlighting the Delta Control Panel on the hard drive and pressing the
Apple key+M. Then, this alias may be dragged to the desktop. Double clicking
either will launch the control panel. Once the Delta Control Panel software has been
opened, you will see the main panel and its several tabs. To display a desired page,
click on its tab. Below are functional descriptions of each page. Though most of the
desciptions are Windows based, the functions are identical unless otherwise
indicated. Within each section you will find the necessary name changes for using
the Delta Control Panel “ON THE MAC.”
NOTE: When using a music software program that is ASIO
capable, launch the Delta Control Panel software from within
that program. There will be a button in the ASIO or Audio setup
page that will allow you to do so. Some of the control panel
functions will be controlled from within that program, such as
master clock setting and sample rate, so it is desireable to
launch the music program first, and then the Delta Control
Panel from the the program’s“launch” or “control panel”
button. Without the music program open however, it is okay to
open the Delta panel from your desktop or other location.
Monitor Mixer Page
The Monitor Mixer is the first page that appears when the Delta Control Panel is
opened, and controls the digital mixer built into the Delta 66’s PCI controller chip.
As described in previous sections, the output of this mixer may be assigned to the
OUT1/OUT2 analog outputs and/or the S/PDIF Out digital output. At the same
time, the mixer outputs may be recorded in stereo by software.
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The Monitor Mixer Page is essentially a collection of volume level faders, audio
level (or ‘peak’) meters, and solo/mute controls. For each mixer output and input
channel there is one of each: a volume fader, a peak meter,asolo control, and a mute
control.
LEVEL FADERS: Each volume fader may be controlled by dragging its fader
‘handle’ vertically with the mouse, or by clicking on the ‘handle’ to make it active
and then adjusting it with the up/down cursor keys of your computer keyboard.
Because the mixer has no gain, these faders only attenuate (reduce) the signal levels.
The highest setting is 0dB, or ‘Unity Gain.’ The default fader setting is the quietest
setting, –144dB, which essentially mutes the audio. A pair of level faders may be
“ganged” so that both channels may be adjusted together as a stereo pair.
Also, at the top of each fader and meter is a fader level “fine adjustment” control.
Clicking on the small “up” and “down” arrows will adjust the corresponding fader
setting in 0.5dB increments. Next to each fine adjustment control is a numerical
fader readout that is always current and active.
PEAK METERS: Each peak meter indicates an audio signal level in “dB relative to
full-scale.” This means that a full-scale signal is referred to as “0 dB” and a signal
that is 12dB ‘quieter’ than full-scale is referred to as “-12dB.” The meters are
vertically color-coded into three sections: green, yellow and red. The green section
represents a safe zone, ranging from approximately -48dB to -12dB. Most audio
signals should appropriately fill this section of the meter. The yellow section ranges
from -12dB to -3dB as the signal approaches a ‘hotter’level. For best capture
resolution, recording in this area is both safe and advised. The red section of the
meter ranges from -3dB to 0dB. On the input level meters, a 0dB condition indicates
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overload and audio clipping may occur. Therefore be careful to adjust the incoming
audio levels so that they do not peak in the red section too long (you might use the
monitoring capability of the Delta 66 to let your ears be the judge). On all output
level meters, 0dB indicates full-scale output. Unlike the inputs, hardware clipping
is impossible on the outputs because of the 36-bit resolution built into the mixer
hardware. However, please note that it is possible to mix multiple tracks within your
software application and cause clipping to occur in the output stream before it
reaches the Delta output hardware or monitor mixer.
MASTER VOLUME: At the left side of the Monitor Mixer page, you will see the
‘Master Volume’ faders and peak meters. These faders have the longest ‘throw’ and
highest meter resolution of any level controls in the mixer page. They control the
overall stereo level of the mixer output. The peak meters indicate the output signal
levels with respect to full-scale and are directly affected by the settings of the master
volume faders.
MIXER INPUTS: The ‘Mixer Inputs’ are inputs to the monitor mixer. These inputs
accept hardware audio streams (directly from the Delta’s analog and digital input
ports) and software audio streams (digital audio generated in software to be output).
This combination of streams makes the monitor mixer extremely flexible. Each
mixer input channel has its own level fader and may be panned anywhere in the
left/right stereo field. Each input also has its own peak meter. The peak meters
indicate the incoming “pre-fader” levels of the incoming audio and are therefore not
affected by the fader settings. However, the input faders do affect the levels of the
signals exiting the mixer and you will see the effect of the input faders on the output
“Master Volume” peak meters.
Because of the large number of mixer inputs, not all inputs are displayed
simultaneously. You may use the scroll bar at the bottom of the Delta Control Panel
to scroll the view left or right. From far left to right, the inputs are labeled “WavOut
1/2,” “WavOut 3/4,” then “WavOut S/PDIF.” These inputs accept the digital audio
streams being sent from your software application (or Windows) to the driver
devices with those same names. Each name begins with “WavOut” to remind you
that these are software streams and may not necessarily be routed to any physical
outputs (see Patchbay/Router Page). Further to the right are more channels, labeled
“H/W In S/PDIF,” “H/W In 1/2,” and “H/W In 3/4.” These mixer inputs are audio
streams from the physical Delta 66 hardware inputs, hence the “H/W” at the front of
each label. On the Mac, these inputs are labeled “SM/ASIO,” as these software
streams will be receiving their digital audio either from the Sound Manager or the
ASIO driver,depending on your selection.
PAN: Each mixer input may be individually panned anywhere in the stereo output
mix. A pan control is positioned directly under each input channel peak meter and
has the appearance of a small vertical pointer. To make a coarse adjustment, click
on the pan control with your mouse and drag it to the desired position. For finer
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adjustment (in 1% increments), you may click on the pan control to make it active,
and then use the left/right or up/down cursor keys on your computer keyboard.
Either way, while the pan setting is being adjusted, its value will appear numerically
in the Master Volume’s status box (below the Master Volume Stereo Gang control)
as a percentage from left pan to right pan: -100% represents far left, +100%
represents far right, and 0% represents the center.
SOLO: Each mixer input channel has a “Solo” checkbox associated with it.
Clicking on and activating a Solo box will solo the selected channel by essentially
muting all other signals. When more than one channel has Solo selected, all solo
channels will be summed to the solo ‘buss’ (path), which is what one might consider
an ‘in place’ solo as opposed to a PFL, or pre-fader listen (levels and pans still
apply). Deactivating all solo boxes will return all input channels to their previous
mute/unmute states.
MUTE: Every mixer input channel has a “Mute” checkbox associated with it.
Clicking on and activating the Mute box will remove that signal from the stereo
buss. Deactivating the Mute box will add the signal back into the stereo buss.
STEREO GANG: All input channel pairs have a “Stereo Gang” capability. Clicking
on and activating the Stereo Gang checkbox will link (or “gang”) the left/right faders
so that both channels may be adjusted together as a stereo pair.
Patchbay/Router Page
The Patchbay/Router page allows you to connect each of the Delta 66’s hardware
outputs (2 pairs of analog outputs and 1 pair of digital output channels) to specific
audio sources within the Delta 66 board. To display this page, click the
“Patchbay/Router” tab of the Delta Control Panel.
ON THE MAC: Please substitute the name “SM/ASIO” where referrences are made
to “WavOut.” SM/ASIO are the software outputs on the Mac, while WavOut are the
software outputs on the PC. Substitute “Windows multimedia applet” with “Sound
Manager Applet.”
The leftmost vertical column of Patchbay/Router page, “H/W Out 1/2,” connects this
hardware analog stereo pair to one of six stereo sources:
1. The default setting, “WavOut 1/2”, connects ports OUT1 and OUT2 to your
music software or Windows multimedia applet. In other words, when music
software plays audio to the device named “WavOut 1/2 Delta-66” it will be
routed directly to the “hardware” analog outputs 1 & 2 of your Delta 66’s break-
out box.
2. The second option, “Monitor Mixer,” connects ports OUT1 and OUT2 to the
outputs of the Delta 66 monitor mixer. For more information of the capabilities
of the monitor mixer, please see the section “Monitor Mixer Page.”
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3. The third option, “S/PDIF In,” connects ports OUT1 and OUT2 directly to the
hardware S/PDIF input on the Delta 66 PCI host card. The left channel of the
S/PDIF In is routed to OUT1 and the right channel of the S/PDIF In is routed to
OUT2.
4. The fourth option, “S/PDIF In (L/R Rev.),” functions identically to the third
option, except that the left and right channels are swapped. Therefore in this
mode, the left channel of the S/PDIF In is routed to OUT2 and the right channel
of the S/PDIF In is routed to OUT1. Note that this option is solely for
monitoring/mixing purposes — the S/PDIF In will not record in reverse when
this option is checked.
5. Selections five and six connect the hardware analog inputs 1 & 2 or 3 & 4
(respectively) directly to the Delta 66’s hardware analog outputs 1 & 2. For
example, if “H/W In 1/2” were selected, any signal present at the IN1 port will
be copied to OUT1, and any signal present at the IN2 port will be copied to
OUT2. This same behavior applies to “H/W In 3/4” when selected.
The next vertical column of the Patchbay/Router page “H/W Out 3/4,” connect this
hardware analog stereo pair to one of five stereo sources.
1. The default setting, “WavOut 3/4”, connects ports OUT3 and OUT4 to your
music software or Windows multimedia applet. In other words, when music
software plays audio to the device named “WavOut 3/4 Delta-66” it will be
routed directly to the “hardware” analog outputs 3 & 4 of your Delta 66’s break-
out box.
2. The second option, “S/PDIF In”, connects ports OUT3 and OUT4 directly to the
hardware S/PDIF input on the Delta 66 PCI host card. The left channel of the
S/PDIF In is routed to OUT3 and the right channel of the S/PDIF In is routed to
OUT4.
3. The third option, “S/PDIF In (L/R Rev.)”, functions identically to the second
option, except that the left and right channels are swapped. Therefore in this
mode, the left channel of the S/PDIF In is routed to OUT4 and the right channel
of the S/PDIF In is routed to OUT3.
4. Options four and five connect the hardware analog inputs 1 & 2 or 3 & 4
(respectively) directly to the Delta 66’s hardware analog outputs 3 & 4. For
example, if “H/W In 1/2” were selected, any signal present at the IN1 port will
be copied to OUT3, and any signal present at the IN2 port will be copied to
OUT4. This same behavior applies to “H/W In 3/4” when selected.
The rightmost vertical column of Patchbay/Router page, “H/W Out S/PDIF,”
connects the Delta 66’s hardware S/PDIF output to one of six stereo sources:
1. The default setting, “WavOut S/PDIF,” connects the S/PDIF Out port to
your music software or Windows multimedia applet. In other words, when
music software plays audio to the device named “WavOut S/PDIF Delta-
66” it will be routed directly to the hardware S/PDIF output on your Delta
66’s PCI host card.
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