AFMG, DSPECIALISTS Release Aubion X.8 Measurement Device

After an intense development period, German companies AFMG and DSPECIALISTS have released the AUBION X.8, an eight-input high-end measurement device utilizing standard Ethernet as the means of connection. The X.8 was purpose-designed for highly accurate and stable performance with professional audio measurement systems such as AFMG's EASERA and SysTune, the companies says, adding that sophisticated hardware/driver combination and a brilliantly simple user interface help avoid network hassle and tedious tuning.

"What sound technician or system integrator has not dreamt of a simple multi-channel measurement interface he could use for tuning his systems?" asks Stefan Feistel, manager of AFMG. "Maybe even one connected by Ethernet to avoid the limitations of USB and FireWire and to be able to transfer calibrated data smoothly in and out of SysTune, either on a PC or within parallels on the Mac? In collaboration with DSpecialists, we have now been able to accomplish exactly that." "Our main focus was on designing an easy-to-use system for high-precision acoustic measurements." adds Dr. Jochen Cronemeyer, managing director of DSPECIALISTS. "As a result we created the very user-friendly AUBION X.8 suitable for multiple fields of application like room-acoustic measurements, designing and testing loudspeakers or commissioning sound systems."

The AUBION X.8 is a fully ASIO-compatible audio measurement interface with eight inputs and two outputs that can be used in a standard Ethernet environment. The X.8 even comes with a built-in two-port Ethernet switch, allowing users to simply insert it into an existing network connection. AUBION X.8 devices are auto-detected by the driver and can be plugged in and out of the network without losing their configuration or assignment to a PC. The unit performs with a dynamic range of 110dB (unweighted) on inputs and outputs with an astonishing signal-to-noise ratio (THD+N) of below 0,001%. The AUBION X.8 integrates itself into Windows XP, Vista, and 7 as a standard ASIO multi-client audio devic,e which can be addressed by any ASIO compatible software running on the system. Used in conjunction with one of AFMG's measurement programs SysTune or EASERA, the X.8 has a major advantage over other audio interfaces: Any gain adjustments made in the GUI or directly on the device are transferred to the software thus maintaining any calibrations made. This is a priceless feature especially when performing calibrated measurements in live sound situations. The company says the rugged 1RU half rack-space design makes the X.8 the ideal traveling companion for any engineer or technician frequently installing and tuning large loudspeaker systems, including line arrays, using a number of microphones simultaneously. It is also suitable for complex measurements of room acoustics at multiple locations..