The Rane AM1 is part gain-sharing automatic mic mixer, part manual line mixer, part USB audio I/O device, and simultaneously a Rane RAD. Use it as a standalone mic/line mixer, or add more gain-shared mics using up to seven Rane AM2 Automixers (sold separately). Use the RAD Port to transport the Main Output mix digitally via CAT 5 to either a Rane HAL System RAD Port, or to a Rane Mongoose to a CobraNet network. The Cascade IN accepts audio and data from a Rane AM2 Automixer’s Cascade OUT. This adds the AM2’s eight mic channels to the AM 1, creating a 12 channel gain-sharing automix. Up to seven AM2s can be cascaded to a single AM1, offering up to 60 gain-shared mics. Both the RAD and the Cascade IN port have status indicators to aid setup and troubleshooting. Rear panel Fault, Locate, USB and Power indicators inform head-scratchers of device errors, the AM1’s physical location, positive USB audio device OS registration and AC power status. Duplicate Locate and Power indicators are on the front and rear.
Each of the four XLR Mic Inputs offers front panel input Level controls feeding a gain-sharing automatic mixer. Rear panel, 3-position switches for each Mic Input support dynamic mics (without phantom power), condenser mics (48 V phantom), or wireless receiver outputs (+10 dBu max). A front panel Mic Mix Level control adjusts the volume of all automixed mics.
The AM1 is optimized for automixing speech. The mic inputs have a fixed 100 Hz to 7 kHz bandpass filter to provide the best voice-only automatic mixing using a gain-sharing algorithm.
Three manually-mixed audio inputs provide a simple user interface and installation. The Aux 1 Input dual RCA and Aux 2 mini jacks are independently monoed, each with a front panel Level control. A dedicated USB charge port provides power to USB devices such as smartphones. The separate orange USB Audio Input also offers a front panel Level control for the 16-bit, 48 kHz digital audio that is monoed immediately upon entry.
Signal and Overload indicators monitor the Mic and Aux Inputs, the Mic Mix and the Main Mix. Indicators flank the corresponding Level controls.
The AM1 appears in Windows and Apple OS X computers as a standard USB Audio Device, immediately compatible with dozens of audio recording and playback audio applications. The AM1 registers with the OS as a 16-bit 48 kHz device for both incoming and outgoing audio.
The XLR Main Output can be set to Mic- or Line-level to feed a mic snake or a +20 dBu max balanced input. The front panel Output Level control affects the XLR Output and the RAD Port output. The analog RECORD RCA Outputs and the digital USB Audio output are both mono, pre-Output Level, containing the same mix as the Main Output.
A front panel pre-Output Selector permits headphone cueing so users can verify input and output operation before bringing new sources into the live Output mix. Both 1/4" & 3.5 mm headphone jacks with a Level control are provided.
