Ferrofish Pulse16 AE - 16-Channel AD/DA Converter

Ferrofish Pulse16 AE - 16-Channel AD/DA Converter

The Ferrofish PULSE16 AE is a versatile and compact AD/DA converter designed for seamless integration into studio or live setups.

With 16 high-quality balanced analogue inputs and outputs, it ensures precise and clean signal conversion.

The PULSE16 AE offers full visual control via its vibrant front-panel displays, simplifying real-time monitoring and configuration.

Built to accommodate professional workflows, its robust clocking options and compatibility with standard studio connections make it an essential tool for engineers seeking reliable performance in a 19″ 1HU rack form factor.

Who's it for?

The Ferrofish Pulse 16 AE connects via ADAT, making it the ideal expansion for any audio interface or sound card with ADAT I/O.

Keep everything permanently connected in your studio so you’re ready to record as soon as inspiration strikes! 

Connect to your audio interface and record your keyboards, synthesisers, drum machines and mixing consoles; or connect additional pairs of studio monitors, and route out (and back in) to hardware FX boxes like EQs, Reverbs and Compressors.

All captured via Ferrofish’s transparent AD and DA conversion, relied on by professional studios and live engineers the world over.

Analogue I/O

The Ferrofish Pulse 16 AE offers 16 x balanced line-level inputs and 16 x balanced line-level outputs.

The analogue inputs are individually adjustable in 1 dB steps from +20dBu to -8dBu (which corresponds approximately to the level of -10dBV for use with consumer devices). Multiple input gains can be adjusted at the same time (mono, stereo, 4ch etc).

Analogue outputs are also individually adjustable in 1 dB steps from +20dBu to -8dBu. Note that the level metering will not change, as output levels are shown pre-attenuation.

Front Panel

Level Metering

The front panel TFT display shows the levels of all 16 analogue inputs and outputs as well as the status of the device. Pressing the MENU button takes you to the main menu from where the device can be set up.

Controls

Control of the device is offered via the front panel, which consists of a MENU button (three horizontal bars), an ESC button (X symbol), the rotary knob for headphone control and menu navigation, and the POWER button.

To prevent switching off the device accidentally, the POWER button must be pressed for approximately 3 seconds.

Headphone output

The Pulse 16 AE’s headphone output is powered by a high-quality DAC and amplifier chip, controllable via the large encoder on the front panel. Any of the devices incoming and outgoing signals can be monitored, including both mono and stereo pairs.

Rear Panel

POWER Input

Power is provided via the included ‘line-lump’ power supply. To secure the connection, be sure to lock it in place to prevent against accidentally disconnecting the device when in use.

USB-C PORT

The USB port serves as USB MIDI connection. After you connect the device to your PC/MAC, you can control it remotely using the RemoteFish software or update the firmware with the Update loo software. You can find both in the download area of the Ferrofish website. Please note that audio transmission via USB is not provided.

DSP STICK

This DSP STICK slot is intended for future updates. A protection cap is included to protect the slot when it’s not in use.

ADAT IN/OUT 

The PULSE16 AE has four ADAT input and output pairs (TOSLINK optical). This allows transmission of 32+32 audio channels at up to 48kHz. At higher frequencies, the number of channels is reduced: 4+4 @ 96kHz, or 2+2 @ 192 kHz (per ADAT port).

MIDI IN/OUT (type A)

Modern and space-saving 3.5mm jacks can also be used for MIDI control, as an alternative to the MIDI-USB connection. Conventional 5 pin DIN cables can be connected via an adapter cable, which you can purchase from your favourite supplier, or also from our online shop.

WORDCLOCK IN/OUT

The Ferrofish Pulse 16 AE’s WordClock can be set to Internal, ADAT or BNC.

The Wordclock I/O is used to receive and synchronise the clock from other digital devices via BNC. Set the clock source to BNC in the CLOCK view via the menu. The current clock is output to the WORDCLOCK OUT jack.

Ferrofish Pulse16 AE Specifications:

• Analogue I/O:
  
  • 16 x balanced TRS inputs (¼-inch / 6.3 mm)
    
  • 16 x balanced TRS outputs (¼-inch / 6.3 mm)
    
  • 1 x Headphone Output (¼-inch / 6.3 mm)
    
• ADAT Connectivity:   
  
  • 4 x ADAT input ports
    
  • 4 x ADAT output ports
    
  • Supports SMUX for higher sample rates (up to 96 kHz with 8 channels via
  • SMUX/2 or 48 kHz with 16 channels)
    
• Clocking    
  
  • Word Clock input and output (BNC connectors)
    
  • Internal clock with high stability or external sync via ADAT or Word Clock
    
• Routing    
  
  • Single-channel routing (send any input to any output)
    
• Signal Monitoring    
  
  • High-resolution front display for signal level monitoring (both input and output)
    
  • Clear visual feedback with multi-coloured LED meters
    
  • Controls & User Interface    
    
  • Front-panel control knob and buttons for quick navigation and configuration
    
• Connectivity    
  
  • USB-C for remote configuration using Ferrofish RemoteFish software
    
  • MIDI input/output for firmware updates or potential future features
    
• Headphone Output    
  
  • 6.3mm jack output
    
  • Amplification power adjustable in four stages
    
  • Digital volume control with 1 dB resolution
    
  • Dedicated monitoring path via a separate ESS DAC (ES9023)
    
  • Supported impedance range: 15 – 600 Ω
    
• DSP Processing    
  
  • Expandable via optional DSP stick
    
• AD Converter    
  
  • ADC: ESS ES9840Q
    
  • 32-bit / 192 kHz
    
  • Dynamic Range: 116 dB
    
  • THD+N: –108 dB
    
  • Output impedance: 6 kΩ
    
• DA Converter    
  
  • DAC: ESS ES9017
    
  • 32-bit / 192 kHz
    
  • Dynamic Range: 120 dB
    
  • THD+N: –110 dB
    
  • Output impedance: 110 Ω
    
• PLL (Phase-Locked Loop)    
  
  • Digitally controlled PLL with active jitter reduction
    
• Power    
  
  • External 12V/3A power supply
    
  • Power consumption: 12 VA (nominal), <1 VA (standby)
    
  • Connector: 2.54 mm barrel jack with locking screw
    
  • Center-positive connector
    
• Fuse    
  
  • Internal polyfuse, self-resetting
    
• Operating Conditions    
  
  • Temperature range: +5 °C to +45 °C
    
  • Humidity: <75 %, non-condensing
    
• Form Factor    
  
  • Rack-mountable: 19“/1HU
    
  • Dimensions: 50 × 4.4 x 19 cm
    
  • Weight: 2 kg