Crimson

USB Audio Interface + Monitor Controller

Crimson combines an audio interface with high-quality preamps and a fully-featured monitor controller. You can play and play back, record and convert, control and listen with one single device.

So all you essentially need for a professional recording start-up is the Crimson and a DAW.

•Max. six recording and six playback channels

• 10 source connections, 20 monitoring channels

• 34V operational voltage for pro levels up to +22dBu

• 24Bit/192kHz converter

• Two discrete mic preamplifiers

• Two instrument preamplifiers (Hi-Z, +22dBu)

• Two separate headphones amps

• Connect and control two stereo speaker sets

• Monitor mix from recording and DAW return paths

• Individual artist monitoring signal, with talkback option

• Hot-plugging iPad recording/monitoring (Class 2 compliance)

• Hi-Speed USB 2.0 (480MBit/s), MIDI I/O, SPDIF I/O

• WIN XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 (32/64 Bit)

• MAC OSX 10.6/higher, iOS 6/higher

• HxWxD: 60x330x207 mm, 2.36"x13"x8.15"

• Made in Germany

New Features of the 2nd Revision:

•Monitoring of a digital input (SPDIF SOURCE) available in stand-alone mode (no DAW required)

•Artist Mode can be disabled via dip switch, if SPK B is used for a second pair of speakers

•Improved gain matching with new level range dip switch

•Improved Mic Gain potentiometer range

•Improved Mic inputs overvoltage protection

•Longer illumination/Peak Hold of the -6dB LEDs

•Longer illumination/Peak Hold of the MIDI LED

Crimson is designed to operate with your Digital Audio Workstation. But you can also do a lot with it as a stand-alone device: plug in an instrument and play. Connect a microphone and sing along.

Mix your own monitor signal with playback or guide tracks from any source – including your smartphone. What you are playing is not bad? Turn on the DAW and record it.

The Crimson leaps forward to set a new sound quality benchmark in its price range. With the Crimson you have a boutique device at a fraction of the price we used to know from traditional engineering and manufacturing.

Recording Channels

2 microphone inputs (XLR)

2 Instrument inputs (TRS)

4 balanced line inputs (TRS)

2 S/P-DIF

Note: any 4 analog channels can be recorded simultaneously. Including S/P-DIF, six channels can be recorded simultaneously.

Playback Channels

4 channels via USB (DAW 1-4)

Analog Inputs (Sources)

2 TRS line input channels (balanced)

2 RCA line input channels (rear, unbalanced)

1 mini jack stereo input (unbalanced)

Digital Inputs

1 USB

1 S/P-DIF stereo input (coax)

1 MIDI

Analog Outputs

Speakers A: 2 XLR sockets (L/R, balanced)

Speakers B: 2 TRS sockets (L/R, balanced, w. trimming)

2 headphone sockets (TRS)

Digital Outputs

1 USB

1 S/P-DIF stereo output (coax)

1 MIDI

Hardware

•USB 2 audio/MIDI system

•High-performance, 32bit microcontroller

•24bit audio processing

•6 input and 4 output channels at 192kHz (6/6 at 96kHz)

•Sample rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz or 192kHz

•Fixed master clock for lowest jitter

•True 1:1 audio, no sample rate conversion or clock recovery

•S/P-DIF and MIDI I/Os

•Selectable internal and external clock source or automatic detection

Software

•Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 (32 and 64 bit) Mac OS X 10.6 or higher

•Multi-application mode, simultaneous ASIO and/or WDM playback

•Extremely low-latency Mac OS X (ASIO-like) HAL plug-in driver (1 ms)

•Extremely low-latency Windows ASIO and WDM driver (1 ms)

•Driver feedback synchronization to hardware clock

•ASIO control panel for Windows and Mac

•USB Audio Class 2.0 compliance (asynchronous mode)

Mac Driver Download

Driver version: 3.3.11 (for Crimson rev. 1 and Crimson rev. 2)

Mac OS X 10.6 and higher

Release date: Nov 16, 2016

Installed firmware version on Crimson revision 2: 2.0.0

Latest firmware version for Crimson revision 1: 1.0.9

Notes:

•Optimized for macOS Sierra: This driver version makes the Bit Accurate driver fully compatible with macOS Sierra.

•The Bit Accurate driver should not be installed under OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Instead Crimson should be run in class compliant mode (no driver install required).

Windows Driver Download

Driver version: 2.9.86.25 (for Crimson 1 and Crimson 2)

For Win XP / 7 / 8 / 10

Release date: February 26, 2016

Installed firmware version on Crimson revision 2: 2.0.0

Latest firmware version for Crimson revision 1: 1.0.9

Legacy Drivers

Mac

•3.3.7

•3.2.4

•3.1

•3.0.3

•3.0.2

•3.0.1

Win

•2.9.65

•2.9.62

•2.9.60

Input Sockets

•Mic Inputs 1, 2: XLR

•Line Inputs 1, 2: 6.3mm TRS

•Instrument Input: 6.3mm TS

•Source 1 Input: 6.3mm TRS

•Source 2 Input: RCA

•Source 3 Input: Mini-J

Output Sockets

•Speaker Out A: XLR

•Speaker Out B: 6.3mm TRS

•Headphone Outputs 1 and 2: 6.3mm TRS

Input Impedances

•Microphone Input: 10kohms

•Line Inputs: 10kohms unbalanced, 20kohms balanced

•Instrument Input: 1.1Mohms

•Source 1 Input: 10kohms unbalanced, 20kohms balanced

•Source 2 Input: 10kohms

•Source 3 Input: 10kohms

Output Impedances

•Speaker Outputs A and B: 75ohms unbalanced, 150ohms balanced

•Headphone Outputs: 33ohms

Maximum Input Levels

•Mic Inputs: +14.5dBu (Gain fully left)

•Line Inputs: +22.5dBu

•Instrument Input: +24dBu (Gain fully left)

•Source 1 Input: +22.5dBu

•Source 2 Input: +22.5dBu

•Source 3 Input: +22.5dBu

Maximum Output Levels

•Speaker Output A and B: +22.5dBu

Microphone Preamplifiers (balanced, XLR)

•Gain Control: +7dB - +60dB

•Frequency Response: 10Hz - >200kHz

•Noise (unweighted, 30dB gain, input termination 150Ohm): -90dBu

•Equivalent Input Noise: -128dBu

•Common Mode Rejection Ratio: < -70dBu

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (30dB gain, input termination 150Ohm): 0.003%

•High Pass Filter: fg = 80Hz, 6dB/Oct.

•Phantom Power: 48Volt

Instrument Input (Unbalanced, 6.3mm TS)

•Gain Control: -6dB - +31dB

•Frequency Response: 10Hz - >200kHz

•Noise (unweighted, unity gain, input termination 100kOhm): -85dBu

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (unity gain, input termination 100kOhm): 0.005%

Line Input (balanced, 6.3mm TRS)

•Frequency Response: 10Hz - >200kHz

•Noise (unweighted, unity gain, input termination 600Ohm): -95dBu

•Common Mode Rejection ratio: < -60dBu

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (unity gain, input termination 600Ohm): 0.002%

Source 1 Input (balanced, 6.3mm TRS)

•Frequency Response: 10Hz - >200kHz

•Noise (unweighted, unity gain, input termination 600Ohm): -95dBu

•Common Mode Rejection ratio: < -60dBu

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (unity gain, input termination 600Ohm): 0.002%

Source 2 Input (unbalanced, RCA)

•Frequency Response: 10Hz - >200kHz

•Noise (unweighted, unity gain, input termination 600Ohm): -90dBu

•Noise (unweighted, -10dBV, input termination 600Ohm): -85dBu

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (unity gain, input termination 600Ohm): 0.003%

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (-10dBV, input termination 600Ohm): 0.003%

Source 2 Input (unbalanced, Mini-J)

•Frequency Response: 10Hz - >200kHz

•Noise (unweighted, unity gain, input termination 600Ohm): -88dBu

•Noise (unweighted, +15dB, input termination 600Ohm): -76dBu

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (unity gain, input termination 600Ohm): 0.003%

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (+15dB, input termination 600Ohm): 0.005%

Headphone Outputs (stereo, 6.3mm TRS)

•Frequency Response: 10Hz - >200kHz

•Power@0dBu: 47Ohm load: 13mW/300Ohm load: 1,7mW/600Ohm load: 1.0mW

•Power max: 47Ohm load: 670mW/300Ohm load: 265mW/600Ohm load: 150mW

•THD+N Ratio@1kHz (Power@0dBu): 47Ohm: 0.0026%/300Ohm: 0.002%/600Ohm: 0.002%

AD Conversion (ASIO direct)

Noisefloor (A-weighted)

•44.1/48kHz: -113dBFS

•88.2/96kHz: -110dBFS

Dynamic range

•44.1/48kHz: 113dB

•88.2/96kHz: 110dB

THD+N ratio @ 1kHz (-1dBFS):

•44.1/48kHz: 0.002%

•88.2/96kHz: 0.0025%

0dBFS = +15dBu

DA Conversion (ASIO direct)

Noisefloor (A-weighted)

•44.1/48kHz: -109dBFS

•88.2/96kHz: -107dBFS

Dynamic range

•44.1/48kHz: 109dB

•88.2/96kHz: 107dB

 Power Supply

•External Power Supply, Input 100–240V AC/50–60 Hz; Output 12V DC/1,5A

•Internal Power Supplies: Audio: +/-17V, Digital: +5V and +3,3V

•Power Consumption: 16.8 Watt

Dimensions

•H x W x D in mm: 67x330x212 cm, 2.64x12.99x8.35 inch

Weight

•2,8 kg, 6.17lbs

0dBu = 0.775V. Subject to change without notice.