Using the same AD8D/P and DA8/P option cards as Horus but at a lower cost and smaller size, Merging Technologies’ Hapi audio converter has seen a steady demand since it debuted in March.
More details from Merging Technologies (www.merging.com)
Hapi started shipping in June, keeping to the target established back in March when it was first shown at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt. Orders have been flowing in at a steady rate over the last few months and are now rapidly approaching 120. Investing in an audio converter is usually a big decision that requires exhaustive listening tests but as Hapi uses the same AD8D/P and DA8/P option cards as Horus, customers have been happy to place orders without any audition.
Hapi has a compact 1u chassis with two card slots in contrast to the six with Horus. This reduction in size and cost make Hapi the perfect partner to Horus in a system where fewer inputs or outputs are required at a given position and it provides a lower cost entry point into the RAVENNA/AES67 world. Once again, digital connectivity is a major asset of Hapi. The standard chassis has the following features as standard:
8 AES/EBU I/O (on DSub 25)
8 ADAT or 2 SPDIF I/O (on TOSLINK)
RAVENNA/AES67 I/O (on RJ45)
Word Clock Input and Output (on BNC)
SYNC – LTC/MTC/Video ref/(requires CON-D15-VTC Cable)
2 Option slots for AD8D/AD8DP, DA8/DA8P and MADI option cards
AC and DC power connections
Web browser control interface
Detachable rack ears for placement in standard rack
It has been gratifying to see existing Horus users placing orders for Hapi but the lower price point and the CoreAudio and ASIO drivers (also available for Horus) have made this an attractive choice for a variety of different DAWs. The benefits of being able to control networked audio devices from any platform of personal computer, tablet or smart phone are obvious but the practical advantage in so many user environments have proved liberating. “RAVENNA and AES67 have enormous potential for Audio over IP in large systems but users are surprised how quickly the ability to remotely control all the I/O and mic pre parameters becomes an essential requirement in a small local network.” Claude Cellier, Merging’s President continues; “When combined with exceptional conversion technology and enormous headroom on the mic inputs, the package is irresistible to anyone recording today regardless of the DAW software they are using.”
