Digital Audio Denmark DAD DADLINK Module

DADlink is a new proprietary audio and data format that establishes a super-fast highway between DADlink-compatible units such as AX64, AX Center, Core 256, AX32, and more. Depending on the samplerate, you can transfer up to 256 bidirectional channels between units at zero latency on two optical fibers.

Samplerates from 44.1kHz to 384kHz are supported, and the dynamic range is a staggering 237 dB, ensuring a fast and reliable transfer at the highest audio quality imaginable.

In fact, DADlink is not only the fastest track from DAD to DAD units, as some units by NTP Technology are also compatible with the DADlink format.

DADlink works with:
• AX64
• AX Center
• Core 256
• AX32*
• Penta 720*
• Penta 721s Series*
* Requires the most recent firmware.

Samplerates & Channel Counts
The DADlink format supports the following samplerates: 44.1kHz, 48khZ, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8.8kHz and 384kHz. The maximum number of bidirectional channels to run via DADlink depends on the samplerate you are using – lower samplesrates equals higher channel counts.

• 44.1kHz / 48kHz = 128 ch.
• 88.2kHz / 96kHz = 64 ch.
• 176.4kHz / 192k = 32 ch.
• 352.8.8kHz / 384kHz = 16 ch.

DAD Audio Quality
Over several decades, we have kept a very high standard when it comes to sheer audio quality. It all started with pristine AD/DA converters, and if you use a DADlink connection it means that you have already passed your analog audio signals safely and completely unspoiled into the digital domains through our high-end A/D converters.

Within the digital domain, the transfer resolution via DADlink is happening at 28bit floating point, which adds another 96 dB of headroom for a total dynamic range of 237 dB.

Further, also to preserve your valuable audio quality across independent units, phase alignment is applied within the system delay. Normally, this is set to 7 samples, but you can increase it for larger systems.

Zero Latency & System-Wide Timestamps
DADlink transfers happens at zero latency. Of course, there will always be some measure of latency, but it has been widely accepted that e.g. 42 microseconds – or 2 samples – latency on the MADI format is referred to as ‘near zero latency’.

Therefore, we are now going all in and just say ‘zero latency’, as DADlink provides <100 nanoseconds of latency. This translates to 0.005 sample at 48kHz – or 400 times faster than on a MADI connection.

Further, the DADlink format ensures transparency for audio time stamps across DADlink-connected units.