Many of MARIAN's digital audio products have been world firsts and offer far more than just professional inputs and outputs for a PC. Based on the virtues of PCIe interface, MARIAN currently offers a whole range of "Made in Germany" sound cards with professional connections and field-proven features. The latest example is the MARIAN Clara E card, supporting real-time transfer of up to 1,024 uncompressed audio channels via standard Ethernet infrastructures. MARIAN combined the versatility of the Dante audio network technology with its own technology to deliver a solution designed for flexibility and reliability.
The Dante audio networking protocol has been established as a de facto standard for real-time transfer via Ethernet, building on previous technologies to segment and wrap audio in data packets suitable for transmission across a standard IP network. MARIAN combined the renowned flexibility of Dante with the reliability of its Clara and Seraph systems in the new Clara E. The solution can work in tandem with other MARIAN solutions through the TDM bus, behaving like one cohesive sound system, recognized by the audio software. Latest-generation MARIAN drivers feature both multi-client support for ASIO 2.2 and multichannel WDM audio / WASAPI, guaranteeing extremely short latency of around a millisecond through the fast PCIe four lane connection.
With a maximum of 512 bidirectional channels transmitted via IP, Dante real-time transmission of digital audio is easy to integrate into existing Ethernet infrastructures, configuring itself for the most part, and allowing for a cost-effective and flexible audio network. The MARIAN Clara E sound card offers access to all those 512 inputs and outputs at 48kHz - 256 channels at 96kHz or 128 inputs and outputs at 192kHz.
With proven systems in the field, MARIAN audio solutions are recognized for their reliability and the new Clara E satisfies strict broadcast standards in that regard. Two separate Ethernet connections enable full hardware redundancy – if one line fails, the system immediately switches to the other one without interruption. Both Ethernet ports are also AES67 compatible, allowing to alternatively work with Ravenna or other Audio-over-IP formats.
With its staggering number of channels, Dante presents unprecedented possibilities in complex installations. However, managing these resources is a challenge in itself. MARIAN overcomes this challenge with the 1,024 x 1,024 real-time routing matrix integrated with Clara E. Even internal sources or signals from other systems connected through the TDM bus can be managed seamlessly, including level-adjustments inside the matrix.
Clara E also comes with MARIAN's proprietary Beast DSP digital mixer, processing up to 64 inputs within the computer, and mixing them latency-free to eight sums. All input channels feature parametric four-band EQs modeled after analog high-end studio consoles. MARIAN Beast DSPs leave the host computer’s CPU untaxed with the mixer totally integrated into the hardware. This provides latency-free routing, EQ processing, pre/post aux summing and many other functions for all input signals and also the playback signals from the DAW, just like in an analog mixer.
But the possibilities go even further. Optional modules expand the MARIAN Clara E system with additional inputs and outputs, including digital AES/EBU interfaces, while the MWX version Clara E+ adds MIDI interfaces to the system, making it the control centre of complex installations and studio setups. This card is also compatible with current Thunderbolt PCIe adapters.
MARIAN Clara E PCIe cards are available from mid August 2022 at €1980 EUR MSRP for Clara E, and €2080 EUR MSRP for Clara E+, both with a five year warranty.
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