When Ferrofish's new Pulse8 AE arrived earlier this year, it seemed logical that the company’s 16-channel Pulse unit may soon be treated to a similar upgrade. Sure enough, the company have recently announced the launch of the Pulse16 AE, a new and improved version of their 16-channel A-D/D-A converter that sports the same look as the flagship A32 Pro and boasts some improved technical specifications.
As with its predecessor, the new unit is equipped with 16 analogue line-level inputs and outputs, along with four pairs of optical I/O connections that support up to 32 channels of ADAT (16 channels at 96kHz and eight channels at 192kHz). a pair of BNC sockets provide Word Clock I/O, and there’s a DSP stick slot reserved on the front panel that Ferrofish may use to introduce additional features in the future. Along with the front-panel control, the unit can be operated from a Mac or PC via USB-C using the company’s RemoteFish software, as well as being remote controlled via MIDI.
The Pulse16 AE features upgraded converters (the ESS ES9017 DAC and ESS ES9840Q ADC), which result in higher dynamic range measurements and reduced THD+N figures, and also benefits from single-channel routing, meaning any input can be assigned to any output — the previous version could only be assigned in blocks of eight.
Like the original Pulse16, the new version is an ADAT-only device. For the time being, those in search of a MADI or Dante option can still opt for the original Pulse16 MX and Pulse16 DX, both of which will remain a part of Ferrofish’s current range.
Like the recently released Pulse8 AE, the Pulse16 AE sports the same all-black finish as the flagship A32 Pro.
Key Features
- 16 Analogue Inputs & Outputs: Seamlessly integrate mixing consoles, synths and more.
- Upgraded ESS Converter Technology: Higher dynamic range and lower THD+N for pristine sound.
- Single-Channel Routing: Fine-grained routing flexibility via an intuitive matrix.
- USB-C Remote Control: Full control via RemoteFish software on Mac and PC.
- MIDI Control Support: Responds to MIDI controller messages for external operation.
- Optional DSP Expansion: Paves the way for future onboard audio-processing features.
- Modern User Interface: Streamlined control that matches the A32pro and Pulse 8 AE.
Pricing & Availability
The Pulse16 AE is available now, priced at $1099£959 including VAT.
www.synthax.co.uk/ferrofish/ferrofish-ad-da-converters/ferrofish-pulse-16-ae
