m ...... 1-2
Workstation Interface ... 3
Remote Mic-Pre ............ 4
Rate Converter .............. 5
A Cure for the Jitters .... 6
VCA-2, MGC-2 ............ 7
Stuff .............................. 8
Voice-of-America Rebuilds with
Benchmark Analog Distribution Amps
Analog Audio Strong in Facility Rebuilds
continued on page 2
A
new eight channel analog/digital converter
family for the professional audio market was
released this spring. The first of the eight channel
converter series combines the award winning
AD2004s, and DAC2004s. These converters are
combined with an internal toroidal power supply,
and a motherboard into an RF-proof heavy-gauge
chassis. The combination yields the very finest
performance available. The family of products
includes: the AD2008 - an eight channel, 20-bit
analog to digital converter system; the ADA2008 -
a four channel, 20-bit A-to-D and D-to-A converter
system; and the DAC2008 - an eight channel, 20-bit
digital to analog converter system.
These converters not only have one of the
W
hen it came time to rebuild the facilities for
the Voice of America in Virginia, the
consulting engineers for the job, King Video, turned
to Benchmark Media Systems, Inc. The engineers at
King Video already had experience using Benchmark
Mic-preamps and line level DAs at the new NPR
facility. King Video has been a strong supporter of
the Power DA technology found in the System
1000. The engineers at King Video expecially
enjoyed the addition of the MLX backplane. This
card frame backplane has 3-pin latching Molex
®
male connectors and a polarized housing which
allows direct plug-in of all wiring to the frame. By
adding the BP-100 QCP interconnect panels, they
were able to save substantial time during installation.
Harris Systems handled the installation of over
275 distribution amplifiers. Once again, Benchmark
provided a custom board layout which gave access
to the gain of the preamps using dual front panel gain
potentiometers. The knobs on these pots protrude
through the Plexiglas front panel.
From what we can see, many systems engineers
are continuing to build facilities with analog audio
interconnections. Apparently the designers have
been able to utilize a less expensive technology with
which their staff is familiar, thus speeding up the
installation. When critical, as in edit suites, etc.,
they convert to digital for that workcenter and return
to analog for continued shipment around the plant.
If this is the direction you are planning, talk to
the engineers at Benchmark. We can provide you
with the best equipment for either domain.
System 1000
users include:
ABC Network
CNN Network
NBC Network
NPR Network
AP Radio News
ESPN
HBO
Boston Sym
Lucas Films
Walt Disney
Nortel
WPLJ Radio
TransWorldRadio
WMZQ Radio
KYW-TV
WSMV-TV
KCAL-TV
KFNS
KOGO
KGO-TV
WABC-TV... 2
AMEX
CORPORATE
AMERICAN EXPRESS
M a s t e r c a r d
VISA
For More Information, Call

800-262-4675
The
Update
For a film post facility not so long long ago, a
small band of rebels took up residence at a ranch
outside a great metropolis. Their technology
became known wide and far in the cosmos of
postproduction. Magic, some called it. Great
engineering, cried others. Over the passage of
time, an amazing trek of establishment warriors
brought their jobs to the rebels: the quality of their
work was undeniable.
This small band of rebels came in need of new
A-to-D and D-to-A converters. Making the right
choice between new technologies was extremely
important. After all, having built such a great
reputation during previous film wars, they dared
not jeopardize the future on what the wizards-of-
digital considered the reigning stars. Heated
debates soon turned into shootouts. The directors
and producers participated. When the shootouts
were over and the smoke had cleared, a new
Benchmark had emerged. The Boys from
Syracuse came through with the finest
performance and value: a new force in digital.
With the death of the stars secured, the rebellion
is pressing on, and, as always confounding the
establishment film makers.
The Benchmark Update is a peri-
odic publication and is made avail-
able as a free service to the
Friends of Benchmark. Address
comments, suggestions, and ad-
dress corrections to; Newsletter
Editor, Benchmark Media Sys-
tems Inc. 5925 Court Street Road,
Syracuse, NY 13206-1707 Copy-
right © 1998 Benchmark Media
Systems Inc. Syracuse NY 13206.
All rights reserved.
The Eight Channel Series
lowest costs per channel for any professional prod-
uct line, but they have the very highest performance
available. One reviewer recently likened the
ADA2008 to a piece of wire. The professionals
surveyed by Mix magazine have nominated the
ADA2008 converter system for their TEC Award.
The key to the superior technical and listening
performance is the attention paid to two critical
design areas; analog purity coupled with our exclu-
sive analog preprocessing, and the virtual elimina-
tion of sample clock jitter through a proprietary and
very sophisticated phase-lock-loop system.
Testing at Philips/Polygram records last year
was enough to convince their engineers of the verac-
ity in technology developed at Benchmark. They
currently have four systems in road packs for clas-
sical recording around the European community.
When large systems are created that require
redundant power, such as in broadcast facilities, the
new external PS-202D provides power for up to
twelve eight-channel converter systems, depending
on configuration. It can also be operated in a dual
non-redundant mode. The PS-202D has an optional
loss of power alarm.
Facilities can now afford to use the signal router
or digital console of their choice, without having to
accept poor converter performance. Pricing on the
converters range from $3950 to $4200. Call Rory
Rall today for more information.
continued from page 1
The ADA2008
Busy, we have been, yes!
Yogga (our pet audio Guru)
The PS-202D
The Galactic Battle
- a short story
Benchmark
Converter
Users Include:
Telarc Records,
San Francisco
Symphony,
New World
Symphony,
Lucasfilm Ltd.,
Philips/Poly-
gram Records,
Lawrence Rock
Productions,
Soundmirror,
Encore,
Turner Brdcst,
Broadway Video,
ABC-TV Network
KPBS-TV,
WFAA-TV,
WJRT-TV,
WFLD-TV,
WBEB-FM,
KRIV-TV... Visit our Web site http:
//
www.benchmarkmedia.com
/
3
The
Update
The progress
of the world is
dependent on
eminent
individuals.
It has never
been ground
out by political
machines.
Winston
Churchill -
1932
T
he new DAWI is a stereo digital audio worksta-
tion interface. It provides a single channel mic-
pre, three stereo line level analog source selections,
two digital input source selections, stereo A-to-D
conversion and stereo D-to-A conversion in a 1RU
rack mount chassis. The DAWI offers tremendous
flexibility and ultra-high, 20-bit A-to-D conversion
performance, as well as 24-bit D-to-A playback.
The DAWI is ideal for use as a broadcast news
editor's interface as well as a general, stand alone, no
compromise, front end to a digital audio worksta-
tion. The DAWI is priced at $2500 and is in its initial
production phase. Call Rory Rall for more details.
DAWI Features
t Microphone Preamplifier
t One -10 dBV Analog Input
t Two +4 dBu Analog Inputs
t Two AES/EBU Digital Inputs
t One SPDIF Digital Input
t Headphone and Monitor Outputs
t -102 dB 20-bit A-to-D THD+N
t -100 dB 24-bit D-to-A THD+N
t Signal Selection Router
t Analog Patch Insert Point
t TosLink Optical WS Connections
t International Power Supply
The DAWI
News Editor's DAW Interface
Bal to Bal +4 Receiver
Patch Receiver
Out = ADC Thru
Patch Select
Monitor Out
100
µ
F 25 V
100
µ
F 25 V
Mon Sel
Analog Out
Digital 1
Digital 2
Line 3 In
DAC Out
-10 dBV
Phones
Mic In
+4 dBu
+4 dBu
+4 dBu
+4 dBu
+4 dBu
+4 dBu
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
100 k 100 k 0.1
µ
F
0.1
µ
F
100 pF
100 pF
+4 dBu
+4 dBu
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
Left
Left
Left
Left
Left
Mic
+
+
-
+
-
+
-
+
-
+
-
+
Balanced Output
Amplifiers
Patch Return
Mic Gain
Microphone
Preamplifier
Monitor
Level
Line 2 In
Line 1 In
IN = ADC IN
-10 dBV Receivers
Main Out
Main In
Digital 2 In
AES
TRANSMIT
ADC
L+
L -
R+
R -
CK
DAC
CK
IN
L+
L -
R+
R -
FPGA
Control
Logic
Digital 1 In
AES/EBU
SPDif 1 In
DAC INPUT
ADC OUTPUT
ADC OUPUT
AES
RECEIVER
L
R
L
R
L
R
L
R
L
R
L
R
Mic
Power
Status LEDs
+48V
Master
Level
Optical
Reciever
Optical
Reciever
Optical
Transmitter
OUT
L
R
L
R
Headphone
-Monitor Amplifier
Optical Interface
Digital Audio
Workstation Interface
by Benchmark Media Systems, Inc.
Block Diagram
Some Signal Paths Shown Un-Balanced for Clarity 4
AMEX
CORPORATE
AMERICAN EXPRESS
M a s t e r c a r d
VISA
For More Information, Call

800-262-4675
The
Update
New Remote Gain Mic-Pre DA
It is a great
day in our lives
when we real-
ize that we are
not the gen-
eral manager
of the uni-
verse.
Dr. Dale
Turner
M
icrophone pre-amplifiers have consistently
been a strong product line at Benchmark.
With a 1 dB noise figure, distortion that disappears
into the noise, even out past 30 kHz, and a 250 kHz
RF immune bandwidth, our preamplifiers have
enjoyed outstanding success. You will find them in
use with Telarc Records, The Boston Symphony,
The Detroit Symphony, The Chicago Symphony,
NBCs Nightly News, among many others.
A number of years ago we married our
outstanding mic-pre design to the power amplifier
stage of our popular DA-101 and created a 10-output