RME ADI-648 MADI/ADAT Converter
RME·Model ADI-648·rme-adi-648
Photos
Manufacturer product photography — the drawn faceplate above stays true to panel layout; these show the hardware itself.
About the RME ADI-648
The RME ADI-648 converts between MADIA pro digital format carrying 64 channels on one coax or optical cable. Point-to-point — one sender, one receiver, no network required. and ADATOptical digital audio: 8 channels at 48 kHz down one Toslink lightpipe (4 at 96 kHz). The usual way to add more channels to an interface. formats, handling up to 128 channels across two independent MADI streams. It is the go-to solution for integrating ADAT-equipped interfaces or effects processors into a MADI-based infrastructure. Particularly useful in playback rigs where your interface speaks ADAT but your console or distribution system runs on MADI.
The RME ADI-648 exists to solve one specific problem cleanly: your console or snakeA multicore cable bundling many channels into one stage-to-console run. A sub-snake collects one corner of the stage into a drop box. infrastructure speaks MADIA pro digital format carrying 64 channels on one coax or optical cable. Point-to-point — one sender, one receiver, no network required., and something else in your chain — a playback interface, a hardware effects unit, a legacy recorder — speaks ADATOptical digital audio: 8 channels at 48 kHz down one Toslink lightpipe (4 at 96 kHz). The usual way to add more channels to an interface.. Instead of rearchitecting your whole signal flow, you drop this 1UThe standard slice of rack height: 1U = 1.75″. A 3U box takes three slices; half-rack gear pairs two units side by side in one. box in the rack and let it translate. It handles two independent 64-channel MADI streams simultaneously, each converting to or from eight ADAT optical ports, giving you up to 128 channels of bidirectional conversion in a single rack unit that draws less than 25 watts.
In practice, those two independent MADIA pro digital format carrying 64 channels on one coax or optical cable. Point-to-point — one sender, one receiver, no network required. streams are what separate the ADI-648 from simpler single-stream convertersThe circuitry that turns analog audio into digital data and back (A/D and D/A). Converter quality sets a digital rig’s sound ceiling.. You can feed console returns on one stream while routing playback outputs on the other, keeping those signal paths discrete all the way to the optical connections. The BNCThe twist-lock coax connector used for word clock and antenna runs — it locks, so it can’t be pulled out mid-show. MADI connections are robust and locking in a way that optical MADI connectors simply aren't under load-in abuse. At 200mm depth and 1.7kg, it sits without complaint in a shallow touring rack. RME's clock handling is reliable enough that in most rigs it will lock and hold without babysitting.
This box belongs in a MADIA pro digital format carrying 64 channels on one coax or optical cable. Point-to-point — one sender, one receiver, no network required.-centric rig that has ADATOptical digital audio: 8 channels at 48 kHz down one Toslink lightpipe (4 at 96 kHz). The usual way to add more channels to an interface. gear it can't replace — a DanteThe most common audio-over-network standard: dozens of channels of uncompressed digital audio down one ordinary Ethernet cable between Dante boxes. or AVBAudio Video Bridging — open network audio (MOTU, PreSonus) where the switch reserves bandwidth so streams can’t glitch. Milan is its pro profile. playback rig pushing audio through an ADAT-equipped interface toward a MADI console, or a festival monitor rack bridging a legacy analog stage boxThe I/O endpoint on stage: mics plug in there and one digital line (AES50, Dante) carries everything to the console. The snake, digitized. with optical outs into a digital infrastructure. If your entire chain is already MADI end-to-end, you don't need it. If you're running a fully modern Dante or AES67The interop standard that lets different audio-network flavors (Dante, Ravenna, Livewire) exchange streams on the same network. system, a network bridge is a better answer. But for the MADI-to-ADAT translation problem specifically, there isn't a more trusted tool at this form factor.
In the rack
- Label each BNCThe twist-lock coax connector used for word clock and antenna runs — it locks, so it can’t be pulled out mid-show. connection at both ends with stream number and channel range before the cable leaves the rack — 'MADIA pro digital format carrying 64 channels on one coax or optical cable. Point-to-point — one sender, one receiver, no network required. In 1: Ch 1–64 Playback' saves real time at a dark festival stage.
- If you're using this as a playback interface bridge, verify your sample rateHow many times per second audio is measured when digitized — 48 kHz is the live standard; 96 kHz measures twice as often. and word clockThe shared heartbeat keeping every digital box sampling in lockstep. One device leads, the rest follow — or you get clicks and pops. source in RME's TotalMix or via the front panel before doors open; a clock mismatch here shows up as dropoutsA brief audio gap when the radio link fails — the thing diversity, distros, and coordination all exist to prevent. that are easy to misdiagnose as a network or DAWDigital Audio Workstation — the recording and playback software (Logic, Ableton Live, Pro Tools) at the center of a computer rig. issue.
- Keep the ADATOptical digital audio: 8 channels at 48 kHz down one Toslink lightpipe (4 at 96 kHz). The usual way to add more channels to an interface. optical ports covered with dust caps during transport — contaminated ToslinkThe square optical connector that carries ADAT or S/PDIF audio as light down a fiber — immune to hum and ground loops. connectors are a common and avoidable failure point that won't show up until you're mid-soundcheck.
- With two independent MADIA pro digital format carrying 64 channels on one coax or optical cable. Point-to-point — one sender, one receiver, no network required. streams available, consider dedicating one stream to playback sends and the other to monitor returns so a routing error on one path can't cascade into the other.
2x 64-channel MADIA pro digital format carrying 64 channels on one coax or optical cable. Point-to-point — one sender, one receiver, no network required. to 8x ADATOptical digital audio: 8 channels at 48 kHz down one Toslink lightpipe (4 at 96 kHz). The usual way to add more channels to an interface. (or reverse). Great for legacy integration.
I/O Ports (5)
| Port | Connector | Direction | Signal | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MADI In 1 (BNC) | MADI BNC | input | digital audio | 64 |
| MADI In 2 (BNC) | MADI BNC | input | digital audio | 64 |
| MADI Out 1 (BNC) | MADI BNC | output | digital audio | 64 |
| MADI Out 2 (BNC) | MADI BNC | output | digital audio | 64 |
- Power (IEC) (IEC C14)
Deciding between two?
Rack space, watts, weight and every connector, side by side.
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