Ferrofish Pulse16 AE is a 16-channel AD/DA converter with ADAT connectivity — a piece of studio and recording equipment built for engineers who need a dense, reliable analog-to-digital bridge without cutting corners on conversion quality. The new generation PULSE16, equipped with ESS ES9017 DACs and ESS ES9840Q ADCs, delivers higher dynamic range and lower THD+N than its predecessor while maintaining the same compact 19"/1U rackmount format.
ESS Converters, Temperature-Compensated Clocking and Active Jitter Reduction
The ESS converters operate on a 32-bit architecture, clocked by a temperature-compensated oscillator with ±1.5 ppm accuracy, coupled with an active PLL jitter reduction circuit. Output jitter across all digital channels measures 50–100 ps — a figure that defines the unit's class. Dynamic range reaches 130 dB with a +20 dBu analog headroom, covering all pro and live signal level standards in a single device. All 16 TRS inputs and outputs are individually calibrated in 1 dB steps from -8 dBu to +20 dBu, enabling seamless integration of both pro-level (+4 dBu) and consumer-level (-10 dBV) equipment simultaneously.
Single-Channel Routing Matrix, Headphone Monitoring and Expandability
The internal routing matrix allows any input to be freely assigned to any output — individually, in stereo pairs, or in groups of four and eight channels. This is a key improvement over the original Pulse16, which could only route in fixed blocks of eight. Four ADAT TOSLINK port pairs (2× IN, 2× OUT) handle 32 channels at 48 kHz, 16 channels at 96 kHz (SMUX/2), and 8 channels at 192 kHz (SMUX/4), with Port 4 switchable to S/PDIF. A dedicated front-panel headphone output with its own ESS DAC and 1 dB-step volume control lets you monitor any mono or stereo I/O without involving an external interface. The DSP Stick slot on the front panel is reserved for future processing expansion.
KEY FEATURES
- 16 balanced TRS analog inputs and 16 balanced TRS analog outputs, +20 dBu headroom
- ESS ES9017 DAC and ESS ES9840Q ADC — 32-bit architecture
- Dynamic range: 130 dB; premium ESS THD+N performance
- Per-channel I/O level calibration: -8 dBu to +20 dBu in 1 dB steps
- 4× ADAT I/O TOSLINK (SMUX): 32ch @ 48 kHz / 16ch @ 96 kHz / 8ch @ 192 kHz
- Port 4 switchable to S/PDIF
- Word Clock I/O (BNC, 75 Ω termination)
- Internal routing matrix: any In → any Out (mono, stereo pairs, groups of 4/8)
- Dedicated headphone output — separate ESS DAC, 1 dB-step volume control
- Dual front-panel TFT displays — full metering of all 16 inputs and outputs
- Temperature-compensated clock ±1.5 ppm, active PLL jitter reduction, 50–100 ps output jitter
- USB-C: remote control via RemoteFish software (Mac/PC) and firmware updates
- MIDI I/O: TRS Type A + USB-MIDI, remote control via MIDI CC
- DSP Stick slot: reserved for future processing upgrades
- Preset management, panel lock, Smart Guide on-board contextual help
- Form factor: 19" / 1U rackmount, fanless operation
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Analog inputs: 16× balanced TRS, max +20 dBu, adjustable -8 to +20 dBu (1 dB steps)
- Analog outputs: 16× balanced TRS, max +20 dBu, adjustable -8 to +20 dBu (1 dB steps)
- ADC: ESS ES9840Q, 32-bit
- DAC: ESS ES9017, 32-bit
- Dynamic range: 130 dB
- Sample rates: 44.1 / 48 / 88.2 / 96 / 176.4 / 192 kHz
- Digital I/O: 4× ADAT TOSLINK (SMUX); Port 4 switchable to S/PDIF
- Word Clock: BNC I/O, 75 Ω termination
- Headphone output: 6.35 mm TRS jack, dedicated ESS DAC, 1 dB-step volume control
- USB: USB-C (MIDI / remote control / firmware updates; no USB audio)
- MIDI: TRS Type A + USB-MIDI
- Output jitter: 50–100 ps
- Internal clock accuracy: ±1.5 ppm (temperature-compensated)
- Form factor: 19" rack, 1U
- Cooling: passive (fanless)