Tascam IF-MA64/EX Professional 64-in / 64-out Madi Interface Expansion Card

Tascam IF-MA64/EX MADI Interface Card

The Tascam IF-MA64/EX is a MADI interface expansion card that adds 64 channels of digital audio input and output to compatible Tascam equipment. It fits one expansion slot of the Sonicview 16 and Sonicview 24 digital mixing consoles, and is also the MADI option card for the DA-6400 and DA-6400dp multitrack recorders. The EX version carries both coaxial (BNC) and optical (SC) MADI connections on a single card, where the simpler IF-MA64/BN offers coaxial only.

Key features

• 64-in / 64-out MADI at 48 kHz sample rates
• 32-in / 32-out operation at 96 kHz (2 x Fs)
• Coaxial BNC and optical SC MADI connectors on one card
• Selectable coaxial or optical input
• Redundant coaxial MADI pass-through, active even during power loss
• Fits Sonicview 16 / 24 consoles and DA-6400 / DA-6400dp recorders
• 48K Frame and 96K Frame MADI output support

What MADI adds to a Sonicview system

MADI (Multichannel Audio Digital Interface) is the standard point-to-point digital link for high channel counts in broadcast trucks, theatres and large live systems. Installing the IF-MA64/EX in a Sonicview console connects the desk directly to MADI-equipped stage racks, broadcast routers, other consoles and multitrack recorders over a single coaxial cable or optical fibre run, with the full 64-channel count available at 48 kHz and 32 channels when the system runs at 96 kHz.

Coaxial and optical on one card

The EX card’s dual-format interface is its defining advantage. Optical fibre suits long runs between a stage and a front-of-house position and is immune to electromagnetic interference, while coaxial BNC suits short equipment-room links and the wider installed base of coaxial MADI gear. The input connector is selectable from the host unit’s menu, and the output channel mode can be set to 64/32 or 56/28 channels to match the receiving equipment.

Sample rates, frames and synchronisation

The card follows the host unit’s clocking. The console or recorder’s master clock settings govern the MADI stream, and the card reports the incoming signal’s channel mode and frame frequency on the host’s status screen, so a mismatched feed is visible before it causes a problem. At 96 kHz the output frame type can be set to 48K Frame or 96K Frame to suit the receiving device, and the channel mode selection (64/32 or 56/28) covers both modern 64-channel equipment and older 56-channel MADI hardware that remains common in broadcast plants.

Redundant pass-through for backup recording

In DA-6400 recorder installations, the card’s coaxial MADI path is wired as a redundant pass-through: the incoming MADI stream flows on to the next device even if the recorder loses power completely. That makes the DA-6400 a transparent backup recorder in live and broadcast chains — it captures its 64-channel safety copy without becoming a single point of failure for the main feed. Full specifications are listed in the Additional Information tab.