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[smilesdavis]

Professional PCI Audio, DSP and Interface Cards for the Classic Macintosh

Classic Mac OS PCI audio hardware and driver timeline

Chronological index

'96	Digidesign Audiomedia III	11 May		Digidesign Pro Tools III PCI	Jun
	Symbolic Sound Kyma / Capybara PCI	1 Sep		Digidesign SampleCell II PCI	22 Nov
'97	Sonorus STUDI/O	26 Feb		Emagic Audiowerk8	25 Apr
	Lucid PCI24	12 Jun		Korg 1212 I/O	Jul
	Digidesign Pro Tools|24	Oct
'98	Ensoniq PARIS II / EDS-1000	Jan		MOTU PCI-324 Audio System	Early summer
	Digidesign Pro Tools|24 MIX	21 Sep
'99	Lexicon Studio / Core2	4 Jan		Yamaha DS2416 / DSP Factory	Jan
	RME DIGI96	Jan		RME DIGI32	12 Jan
	Alesis ADAT Edit	Feb		Yamaha SW1000XG	Mid-year
	Echo Gina 20	Jun		Echo Darla 20	Jun
	Echo Layla 20	Jun		Midiman DMan 2044	7 Jul
	Digidesign Digi 001	24 Sep		Gadget Labs WavePRO	24 Sep
	Emagic Audiowerk2	By Nov		Korg OASYS PCI	Dec
	Frontier WaveCenter/PCI	20 Dec

Continued in Post 2: '00–'04.
Detailed chronology

'96
Digidesign Audiomedia III  11 May '96  ↑

• Mac: Audiomedia III was announced at AES Copenhagen on 11 May '96 and was available immediately.
• Timeline:
  
  • 11 May '96 — announced; available immediately.
  • 3 Feb '97 — Waves MultiRack 1.0.4 support added.
  • 5 Jun '97 — Digidesign product page.
  • Dec '97 — Audiomedia III brochure.
  • Digidesign compatibility documents cover AMIII throughout the classic-Mac PCI era.

Sources: 11 May '96 — Digidesign launch announcement → Audiomedia III product page → Dec '97 — Audiomedia III brochure → Audiomedia III discontinued-product profile
Digidesign Pro Tools III PCI  Jun '96  ↑

• Mac: Digidesign announced PCI Pro Tools systems on 11 May '96; shipping began in Jun '96.
• Connections:
  
  • Disk I/O PCI: VHDCI50 (“Miniature SCSI”) → CN50 drive connection.
  • Disk I/O PCI / DSP Farm PCI peripheral connection: proprietary LFH60 / 60-pin I/O cable → HPDB50 (“50-pin, SCSI-2 type”) on supported Digidesign interfaces.
  • 60-pin Digidesign peripheral bus ≠ SCSI storage.
• Timeline:
  
  • 11 May '96 — PCI systems announced.
  • Jun '96 — stated start of shipping.
  • Compatibility documents list PCI-card, expansion-chassis and interface combinations.

Sources: 11 May '96 — PCI Pro Tools systems announcement → 1 Sep '00 — Digidesign compatibility documents → Disk I/O PCI product profile → DSP Farm PCI product profile → Pro Tools III compatibility
Symbolic Sound Kyma / Capybara PCI host interface  1 Sep '96  ↑

• Mac: Symbolic Sound announced the PCI-bus interface on 1 Sep '96 for connecting the Capybara-66 to Macintosh or Wintel hosts; it made the system compatible with the then-current PCI Power Macintosh generation. PCI systems began shipping in Sep '96.

Architecture:

Code: [Select]

Power Macintosh PCI
        ↓
Symbolic Sound PCI host-interface card
        ↓ interface cable
Capybara-66 / Capybara-LS / Capybara-320
        ↓
dedicated DSP synthesis + processing + audio I/O

• The host Macintosh handles Kyma's graphical interface, structural operations and disk I/O; synthesis and real-time processing execute on the external multi-DSP Capybara. The PCI board is therefore a host-interface card, not a self-contained analog sound card.
• Capybara-66 / PCI generation:
  
  • 16 May '96 — Capybara-66 announced: external rack processor; motherboard + 8 expansion slots.
  • Each expansion card: 1 × Motorola 56002 @ 66 MHz + 3 MB sample RAM; up to 8 cards / DSPs.
  • 16-bit oversampled stereo A/D + D/A standard; optional AES/EBU + S/PDIF digital I/O; internal arithmetic 24-bit/sample.
  • 1 Sep '96 — PCI host card announced; $225 for existing owners; new systems offered ISA, NuBus or PCI host interfaces.
  • Nov '96 — Symbolic Sound states PCI systems had been shipping since Sep and describes the Capybara-66 as connecting by ISA, NuBus or PCI.
• Kyma 4.5 / PCI:
  
  • Aug '97 — Kyma 4.5 began shipping; Sep '97 AES unveiling.
  • Host-interface set documented as PCI / NuBus / ISA / PC Card (PCMCIA for laptops).
  • Kyma 4.5 manual explicitly separates host-computer work from Capybara DSP execution.
• Capybara-LS / 320A transition:
  
  • '98 short-lived transitional system: refurbished Capybara-66 motherboard/case upgraded for Capybara-320 expansion cards; sold with PCI, PC(MCIA), ISA or NuBus host interface.
  • 4 processors + 96 MB RAM in the basic LS; stereo 16-bit/48 kHz I/O; up to 6 further expansion cards; some units had optional digital I/O.
• Capybara-320 / PCI generation:  26 Sep '98
  
  • Base: 4 × Motorola 56309 @ 80 MHz + 96 MB sample RAM + 12 external expansion slots.
  • Expansion card: 2 × 56309 + 48 MB RAM; up to 12 cards → 28 DSPs / 672 MB RAM maximum.
  • Launch I/O specification: 4–8 channels · 24-bit · 32–96 kHz · balanced analog + AES/EBU.
  • External sync: Word Clock input · House Sync input · VITC/LTC timecode input/output.
  • Host interfaces: PCI · PC(MCIA) · ISA · NuBus; only one host-computer slot required because all DSP expansion slots reside in the external Capybara.
  • Upgrade path: Capybara-66 owners could exchange 66 expansion cards for 320 cards usable in existing motherboards, or trade the complete system for the new Capybara-320 motherboard.
  • Base system included 4 channels analog + digital I/O, external sync and choice of host interface; a four-channel I/O expansion was available.
• Identity: One Macintosh PCI host-card architecture spans the Capybara-66 → transitional Capybara-LS → Capybara-320 generations; post-'99 Mac OS 9 PCI continuation is in Part 2.

Sources: 16 May '96 Capybara-66 + 1 Sep '96 PCI card + Nov '96 shipping / Power Macintosh chronology → Kyma 4.5 manual — host/Capybara architecture → Aug–Sep '97 Kyma 4.5 / PCI-NuBus-ISA-PC Card host interfaces → 26 Sep '98 — Capybara-320 launch specifications / PCI host option → Capybara-LS / 320A transitional hardware
Digidesign SampleCell II PCI / SampleCell II TDM PCI  22 Nov '96  ↑

• Mac: SampleCell II PCI was released 22 Nov '96 with SampleCell Editor 2.1.
• Timeline:
  
  • 22 Nov '96 — SampleCell II PCI release; 32 dynamically allocated voices; up to 32 MB 30-pin Mac-II-type RAM.
  • 16 May '97 — Digidesign SampleCell II PCI product page.
  • 20 May '97 manufacture cut-point for the older AMCC revision; Blue & White G3 / G4 PCI-2.1 compatibility requires the later “QC” or newer AMCC chip.
  • 15 Jan '98 — SampleCell II Plus; 32 MB soldered RAM and newer interface silicon.

Sources: 16 May '97 — SampleCell II PCI product page → Digidesign legacy SampleCell Mac downloads → SampleCell Mac 2.1.1 Read Me → Digidesign compatibility documents — PCI revision / AMCC notes

'97
Sonorus STUDI/O  26 Feb '97  ↑

• Mac: Macintosh support for Steinberg software was announced 26 Feb '97; the initial Mac path used Steinberg ASIO.

Mac chronology:

• 16 Jan '97 — STUDI/O announced.
• 26 Feb '97 — Macintosh / Steinberg compatibility announced.
• 21 Dec '97 — Mac requirements: PowerPC 604e 120 MHz, 64 MB RAM, Cubase VST 3.5, free PCI slot.
• ≤ 25 May '98 — Mac driver v1.0.
• v1.0-era Macintosh driver architecture: Steinberg ASIO; install contents of ASIO.MAC into Cubase VST 3.5+ ASIO Drivers folder; no System-folder installer required.

Two separate Mac ASIO drivers:

Code: [Select]

StudIO-16Ch = ADAT A 8ch + ADAT B 8ch = 16 digital I/O
StudIO-10Ch = ADAT A 8ch + S/PDIF B 2ch = 10 digital I/O
↑ S/PDIF input sample-rate conversion

• STUDI/O manual — Macintosh ASIO installation/setup; separate 16Ch/10Ch drivers.
• Sep–Oct '98 — contemporary Mac tests document supplied Mac ASIO software with Cubase VST 3.5x on Power Macintosh/G3 systems.
• Late '98 — 96 kHz operation via S/MUX.
• 7 May '99 Sonorus Cubase/Mac compatibility page.
• '99 — Mac application support expands beyond the original Cubase path: Logic Audio 4 direct STUDI/O support; Digital Performer 2.5 and other Mac applications also document STUDI/O support.
• ≤ 3 Oct '00 — Mac driver v1.4 — BinHex-wrapped self-extracting archive.
• Later Sonorus Mac-driver notes document: Blue & White G3 / G4 compatibility; G3 optimization; ASIO 2 features; 96 kHz support; general ASIO application compatibility; StuffIt 5.1 requirement.
• Mac driver v1.8 — StuffIt archive.

Mac driver progression:

Code: [Select]

'97 Mac/Steinberg support announced
↓
≤May '98 v1.0 • ASIO • Cubase VST 3.5+
├─ StudIO-16Ch = 2× ADAT
└─ StudIO-10Ch = ADAT + S/PDIF/SRC
↓
late '98 96 kHz / S-MUX era
↓
'99 broader Mac host support • Logic direct support • ASIO 2 era
↓
≤Oct '00 v1.4 • .sea.hqx
↓
v1.8 • .sitMac application / installation:

• Cubase Mac
• Logic 4 Mac
• Cubase VST 4.0 Mac
• Mac installation
• Mac two-board sync cable PDF
• DAW 96/24
• Two-board / dual-ADAT configuration

Driver binaries:

Code: [Select]

v1.0 STUDIO10.sea ≤ 25 May '98 Wayback
v1.4 studio14.sea.hqx ≤ 3 Oct '00 Wayback
v1.8 STUDIO18.sitSources: 16 Jan '97 — Announcing STUDI/O → 26 Feb '97 — Macintosh / Steinberg announcement → 26 Sep '97 — STUDI/O-Sync Backplate announcement → 21 Dec '97 — product page / Macintosh requirements → 25 May '98 — Mac driver v1.0 → 7 May '99 — Cubase Mac → 3 Oct '00 — Mac driver v1.4 → 29 Apr '01 — MacUser review → 29 Apr '01 — Macworld review → 2 Jan '04 — STUDI/O manual → 3 Jan '05 — Mac two-board sync cable PDF → 21 Nov '08 — Mac installation page → 21 Nov '08 — DAW 96/24 page → 5 Jan '09 — Logic 4 Mac page → 5 Jan '09 — VST 4.0 Mac page → 5 Jan '09 — two-board ADAT page → 6 Apr '17 — historical Mac driver v1.8
Emagic Audiowerk8  25 Apr '97  ↑

• Mac: Audiowerk8 shipped 25 Apr '97; contemporary '97 reviews document Macintosh operation.
• Timeline:
  
  • Winter NAMM / Musikmesse '97 — introduced.
  • Apr '97 — about 1,000 cards sent mainly to dealers worldwide.
  • Friday, 25 Apr '97 — first consumer cards shipped; list price $795.
  • Jul '97 — contemporary Sound On Sound review documents the Audiowerk8 production environment of the period.

Sources: 29 Apr '97 — Audiowerk8 FAQ → 29 Apr '97 — Emagic product news / 25 Apr shipment → Jul '97 — contemporary Audiowerk8 review
Lucid PCI24  12 Jun '97  ↑

• Mac: PCI24 V1 Macintosh installers in .sea, .sit and .sea.hqx formats are dated 12 Jun '97.
• Timeline:
  
  • 15 Jan '97 — Winter NAMM announcement; Mar shipment planned.
  • Spring '97 — contemporary coverage describes the PCI24 in beta and the first driver as Macintosh, with PC support to follow.
  • 12 Jun '97 — PCI24_V1 Mac installers: .sea / .sit / .sea.hqx.
  • 30 Aug '97 — PCI24 product-page update.
  • 8 Oct '99 — dedicated PCI Mac page.

Sources: 15 Jan '97 — Winter NAMM press release → 12 Apr '97 — Lucid homepage → May '97 — PCI24 nearly beta; initially Macintosh-driver-only → 12 Jun '97 — PCI24 V1 Mac .sea → 12 Jun '97 — PCI24 V1 Mac .sit → 12 Jun '97 — PCI24 V1 Mac .sea.hqx → 30 Aug '97 update — PCI24 product page → 8 Oct '99 — PCI Mac page
Korg 1212 I/O  Jul '97  ↑

• Mac: Jul '97 coverage documents Power Macintosh operation; the 1212 I/O was introduced at Winter NAMM '96 with DECK II.
• I/O: 2 analog I/O + stereo S/PDIF I/O + 8-channel ADAT optical I/O = 12 inputs / 12 outputs.
• Timeline:
  
  • Winter NAMM '96 — 1212 I/O announced as a PCI multichannel interface with DECK II; availability planned later in '96.
  • Jul '97 — contemporary Mac review documents working Power Macintosh use and supplied PCI support software.
  • Aug '97 — Korg/Steinberg ASIO work documented in contemporary coverage.
  • 10 Dec '97 — Korg SoundLink page.

Sources: '96 Winter NAMM report → Jul '97 — contemporary 1212 I/O Mac review → Aug '97 — contemporary ASIO/Korg coverage → Nov '97 — Sound On Sound, p.61 → 10 Dec '97 — Korg SoundLink page
Digidesign Pro Tools|24  Oct '97  ↑

• Mac: Pro Tools|24 was introduced in Oct '97.
• Hardware:
  
  • d24 PCI card + DSP Farm PCI.
  • 888|24 introduced as the 24-bit interface.
  • d24 uses Motorola 56301 DSPs; the initial system offered 24 tracks of 24-bit audio, later raised to 32 by DAE software.
• Cards: Pro Tools|24/d24 and MIX Core are separate card families with separate compatibility tables.

Sources: 20 Aug '99 — Pro Tools|24 product page → Digidesign compatibility documents → Pro Tools|24 card compatibility

'98
Ensoniq PARIS II / EDS-1000  Jan '98  ↑

• Mac: PARIS II is a Macintosh/PC DAW; Jan '98 coverage documents both platforms.

Architecture:

Code: [Select]

Mac PCI → EDS-1000 DSP card → PARIS interface (e.g. MEC / 442) + Control 16

• The PCI card carries dedicated DSP; external PARIS interfaces provide the analog/digital I/O.
• Timeline:
  
  • 17 Jul '97 — PARIS interface page.
  • Late '97 — system formally unveiled at AES New York.
  • Jan '98 — detailed contemporary PARIS II review; cross-platform Macintosh/PC system.

Sources: 17 Jul '97 — PARIS interface archive → '97 — AudioTechnology PARIS preview → Jan '98 — Sound On Sound PARIS II review
MOTU PCI-324 Audio System  Early summer '98  ↑

• Mac: MOTU's PCI-324 audio system supported Macintosh from the '98 1224/PCI-324 generation.

Architecture:

Code: [Select]

Mac PCI → PCI-324 → AudioWire cable → 1224 / 2408 / later PCI-324-family rack I/O

• The host card itself is not an analog interface; channel capability depends on the attached MOTU rack interface(s).
• Timeline:
  
  • '98 — 1224 / PCI-324 launch material.
  • PCI-324 Mac software includes AudioDesk / MAS / ASIO support.
  • PCI-324 and PCI-424 are separate host-card generations.

Sources: '98 — MOTU 1224 / PCI-324 press release → MOTU PCI-324 indexed captures
Digidesign Pro Tools|24 MIX  21 Sep '98  ↑

• Mac: Pro Tools|24 MIX was introduced 21 Sep '98.

Hardware distinction:

Code: [Select]

MIX Core ≠ d24 ≠ DSP Farm PCI
MIX Farm = MIX-era DSP expansion
DSP Farm PCI = earlier DSP-family expansion; compatibility is system/version dependent

• Compatibility: Digidesign tables list Mac CPU / card / interface combinations.
• Rare production variant: Some rare green-PCB MIX Core production cards are marked “PowerCard” on the PCB.

Sources: Digidesign compatibility documents → 22 Dec '02 — Pro Tools|24 MIX Mac compatibility page

'99
Lexicon Studio / Core2  4 Jan '99  ↑

• Mac: Studio V4.10 added Macintosh support on 4 Jan '99; spring '99 coverage documents Core2/Studio on Macintosh.
• Chronology:
  
  • Jul '98 — early Studio release reviewed as PC/Cubase-only at 16-bit/44.1 kHz.
  • Sep '98 — Lexicon stated Macintosh ASIO drivers were about 30 days away for Cubase VST/24 and Opcode VisionDSP.
  • 4 Jan '99 — V4.10 Macintosh/PC driver milestone.
  • Apr '99 — detailed contemporary Lexicon Studio/Core hardware coverage.
  • Macintosh requirements documented for the era: Mac OS 7.6.1+, 200 MHz PowerPC; G3 strongly recommended.

Sources: Apr '99 — Mix, Lexicon Studio desktop-audio hardware → May '00 — Sound On Sound Lexicon Studio review → Lexicon Studio indexed captures
Yamaha DS2416 / DSP Factory  Jan '99  ↑

• Mac: Yamaha's Jan '99 DS2416 brochure lists Macintosh support.
• Timeline:
  
  • 3 Mar '98 — Yamaha DSP Factory announcement.
  • Oct '98 — detailed contemporary review.
  • Jan '99 — brochure explicitly includes Macintosh.
  • Later classic-Mac software used ASIO and host-specific control/mixer software; the card's on-board DSP/mixer architecture remains distinct from a simple multichannel I/O card.

Sources: 3 Mar '98 — Yamaha DSP Factory announcement → Oct '98 — Sound On Sound review → Jan '99 — Yamaha DS2416 brochure
RME DIGI96 family  Jan '99  ↑

• Mac: DIGI96 received a Macintosh ASIO driver with 24-bit/96 kHz support in Jan '99.
• Timeline:
  
  • Oct '98 — RME describes DIGI96 as its fully 24-bit/96 kHz-capable digital-card family.
  • Jan '99 — Mac ASIO 24/96.
  • 6 Mar '99 — new DIGI32/DIGI96 Mac drivers fix Blue & White G3 compatibility.
  • 2 Jun '99 — further Mac-driver update.
  • Jun '99 — ASIO 2.0 / ZLM era for DIGI96.

Sources: RME DIGI96 family history → RME historical news archive → RME DIGI96 Macintosh information archive
RME DIGI32 family  12 Jan '99  ↑

• Mac: RME released a new Macintosh driver for the DIGI32 series on 12 Jan '99.
• Hardware / driver chronology:
  
  • Mar '97 — DIGI24 shown at Musikmesse Frankfurt.
  • May '97 — renamed DIGI32.
  • Jun '97 — AutoSync added.
  • Nov '97 — DIGI32/8 introduced for 8-channel ADAT digital I/O.
  • Feb '98 — DIGI32 PRO chip update adds 24/96 capability.
  • 12 Jan '99 — new Macintosh driver.
  • 6 Mar '99 — DIGI32/DIGI96 Mac driver update fixes Blue & White G3 compatibility.

Sources: RME historical news archive — '99 Mac driver dates → DIGI24 / DIGI32 history → DIGI32/8 history → DIGI32 PRO history
Alesis ADAT Edit  Feb '99  ↑

• Mac: ADAT Edit Owner's Manual v1.0 is dated Feb '99 and includes Macintosh setup and operation.
• Timeline:
  
  • Feb '99 — Owner's Manual Version 1.0.
  • Manual contents explicitly include “2.2 Macintosh”.
  • Sep '99 contemporary review confirms Mac/Windows song interchange and Macintosh QuickTime handling.

Sources: Feb '99 — ADAT Edit Owner's Manual v1.0 → Sep '99 — Studio Sound ADAT Edit review → Aug '99 — Sound On Sound review
Yamaha SW1000XG Macintosh ASIO / OMS  Mid-'99  ↑

• Mac: Mid-'99 Macintosh software includes ASIO + OMS drivers and XGEditor.
• Chronology:
  
  • Q2 '98 FAQ — explicitly “not as yet” Macintosh-compatible; Mac support planned.
  • Mid-'99 — Macintosh ASIO + OMS drivers + XGEditor.
  • Units shipped after May '99 were documented as including the Mac support software on CD.

Mac driver architecture:

Code: [Select]

SWXGDriver system extension + OMS driver + ASIO driver(s) + XGEditor

• SW1000XG and DS2416 use separate Macintosh driver paths.

Sources: SW1000XG Advanced Guidebook — Macintosh chapter / mid-'99 driver history → Text mirror — same Macintosh chronology → historical XGFactory SW1000XG material
Echo Gina 20 Macintosh driver v2.11  Jun '99  ↑

• Mac: Event/Echo Macintosh driver v2.11 for Gina, Darla and Layla was available by Jun '99.
• Hardware: Gina shipped 19 Aug '97.
• Mac driver v2.11:
  
  • Sound Manager + ASIO support for Gina / Darla / Layla.
  • Layla also receives OMS support for its MIDI ports.

Sources: original Event product-page archive → Jun '98 — contemporary : Mac driver still unavailable → Jun '99 — Event Macintosh driver v2.11 → 6 Nov '99 — Event downloads page
Echo Darla 20 Macintosh driver v2.11  Jun '99  ↑

• Mac: Event/Echo Macintosh driver v2.11 for Gina, Darla and Layla was available by Jun '99.
• Hardware: Darla shipped 13 Oct '97.
• Mac driver v2.11:
  
  • Sound Manager + ASIO support for Gina / Darla / Layla.
  • Layla also receives OMS support for its MIDI ports.

Sources: original Event product-page archive → Jun '98 — contemporary : Mac driver still unavailable → Jun '99 — Event Macintosh driver v2.11 → 6 Nov '99 — Event downloads page
Echo Layla 20 Macintosh driver v2.11  Jun '99  ↑

• Mac: Event/Echo Macintosh driver v2.11 for Gina, Darla and Layla was available by Jun '99.
• Hardware: Layla shipped 3 Jun '98.
• Mac driver v2.11:
  
  • Sound Manager + ASIO support for Gina / Darla / Layla.
  • Layla also receives OMS support for its MIDI ports.

Sources: original Event product-page archive → Jun '98 — contemporary : Mac driver still unavailable → Jun '99 — Event Macintosh driver v2.11 → 6 Nov '99 — Event downloads page
Midiman / M-Audio DMan '44  7 Jul '99  ↑

• Mac: Manual v2044-070799 documents Sound Manager + ASIO installation on Macintosh.
• Mac driver architecture:
  
  • System 7.5.5+, PCI, 120 MHz+.
  • Sound Manager extension required.
  • Separate ASIO '44 v3 and ASIO '44 v4 drivers for Cubase 3.x / 4.x.
  • Four outputs available under Cubase ASIO; only one stereo input pair active at a time on Macintosh.
• Chronology:
  
  • Dec '98 — Mac drivers still advertised as “available soon”.
  • 7 Jul '99 — manual version date; complete Macintosh driver installation documented.
  • Later packaging: “MAC DRIVERS NOW INCLUDED”.

Sources: Dec '98 — Midiman ad: Mac Drivers Available Soon → 7 Jul '99 — DMan '44 manual v2044-070799 → Mac installation / requirements → Sound Manager + ASIO driver installation
Digidesign Digi 001 / Pro Tools LE announced for Mac  24 Sep '99  ↑

• Mac: Digi 001 and Pro Tools LE were introduced in Sep '99 for Power Macintosh; Windows support followed in '00.

Architecture:

Code: [Select]

Mac PCI → Digi 001 PCI card → proprietary cable → Digi 001 I/O box

• Host-based Pro Tools LE system; no MIX/TDM DSP processing.
• Chronology:
  
  • 24 Sep '99 — Digi 001 / Pro Tools LE announcement for Mac OS.
  • Late '99 — Mac package documented; Windows software planned for the following quarter.
  • Dec '99 — contemporary Sound On Sound review.

Sources: Sep '99 — Pro Tools 5 / Digi 001 introduction context → Dec '99 — Sound On Sound Digi 001 review → Digidesign classic-Mac compatibility documents
Gadget Labs WavePRO family  24 Sep '99  ↑

• Mac: WavePRO was introduced 24 Sep '99 for Windows and Macintosh desktop audio recording. Macintosh drivers were separate for each card and included ASIO audio + OMS/MIDI.
• Cards:
  
  • Wave/824 — 8×8 analog I/O, 24-bit/48 kHz, external rack box, MIDI; Mac driver v2.10 dated 29 Dec '99.
  • Wave/424 — 4×4 analog I/O, 24-bit/96 kHz, TRS I/O on PCI card, MIDI; Mac driver v2.10 dated 16 Dec '99.
  • Wave/496 — 4×4 analog I/O, 24-bit/96 kHz, active half-rack breakout box, MIDI; worldwide shipment 1 Jun '00.
• Mac driver chronology:
  
  • 16 Dec '99 — Wave/424 v2.10 · w424mac210.hqx.
  • 29 Dec '99 — Wave/824 v2.10 · w824mac210.hqx.
  • 6 Apr '00 — Wave/824 / Wave/424 / Wave/496 v2.2.5 · w824mac225.hqx / w424mac225.hqx / w496mac225.hqx.

Driver branches:

Code: [Select]

Wave/824: v1.0 → v1.01b → v1.02 → v1.05b → v2.0b → v2.10 → v2.2.5
Wave/424: v1.0 → v2.10 → v2.20 → v2.2.5
Wave/496: v2.2.5

• Classic Mac compatibility:
  
  • Current WavePRO Mac packages: ASIO audio + OMS/MIDI; OMS client application required for MIDI.
  • Wave/824: Mac ASIO + OMS/MIDI; G3/G4.
  • Wave/424: beige G3; blue & white G3 / G4 cabinets block the card-edge inputs.
  • Wave/496: Mac OS 8/9; G3/G4; ASIO + OMS/MIDI.
  • ADAT and S/PDIF WavePRO option cards are not supported on Macintosh.
• 23 Oct '99 — Mac OS 9 released

Sources: 24 Sep '99 — WavePRO announcement / 30 Mar '99 Wave/824 shipment / 1 Jun '00 Wave/496 shipment → Dec '99 — Wave/424 v2.10 + Wave/824 v2.10 Mac drivers → 6 Apr '00 — WavePRO Mac v2.2.5 drivers / ASIO + OMS → older Mac driver branches → Wave/424 / Wave/496 Mac hardware compatibility → OS 9 / G3 / G4 / digital-I/O compatibility → Mac OS 9 Lives — Gadget Labs timeline
Emagic Audiowerk2 Macintosh support  By Nov '99  ↑

• Mac: By Nov '99 Logic Audio 4 lists Audiowerk2; Jul '00 Production Kit software includes MicroLogic AW2, Waveburner AW2, Sound Manager and ASIO.
• Chronology:
  
  • Mar '99 — planned hardware shipment.
  • By Nov '99 — Logic Audio 4 supports Audiowerk2.
  • Jul '00 — cross-platform Production Kit documented; drivers include ASIO + Sound Manager on Mac.

Sources: Mar '99 — planned shipment → Nov '99 — Logic Audio 4 supported-I/O list → Jul '00 — cross-platform Audiowerk2 Production Kit / Mac software → Emagic Audiowerk2 indexed captures
Korg OASYS PCI  Dec '99  ↑

• Mac: OASYS PCI was released in Dec '99 for Mac OS 8–9; Windows 95/98/Me followed in Aug '00.
• Mac software chronology:
  
  • Dec '99 — initial Mac OS 8–9 release.
  • Version 1.04 — Mac updater.
  • May '01 — free OASYS PCI Version 2 update for Mac + Windows.
  • Versions 2.01 / 2.02 — Mac .sit updaters.
  • No Mac OS X driver was released; Korg continued support for Mac OS 8/9.

Sources: Korg OASYS PCI Mac updaters 1.04 / 2.00 / 2.01 / 2.02 → Mac software images / OS 8.5–9.2 compatibility → Apr '00 — Sound On Sound review
Frontier Design Group WaveCenter/PCI  20 Dec '99  ↑

• Mac: WaveCenter/PCI was delivered 20 Dec '99 as a Windows/Macintosh card tested on Macintosh systems.
• Mac driver model:
  
  • ASIO driver for digital audio.
  • OMS driver for MIDI.
  • 8-channel ADAT optical + stereo S/PDIF + 2×2 MIDI; digital-only card.

Sources: 20 Dec '99 — first batch delivered; Macintosh tested → Mac OS support = ASIO audio + OMS MIDI → Frontier WaveCenter/PCI indexed captures

[smilesdavis]

Professional PCI Audio, DSP and Interface Cards for the Classic Macintosh — Part 2

Classic Mac OS PCI audio hardware and driver timeline — '00–'04

Chronological index

'00	CreamWare Pulsar	3 Feb		RME Hammerfall	May–Jun
	Symbolic Sound Kyma / Capybara PCI continuation	17 Jul		Tascam PCI-822	23 Jul
	LynxONE	14 Sep		M-Audio Delta 1010	Sep
	M-Audio Audiophile 2496	Oct
'01	Roland RPC-1	15 Feb		Creative Sound Blaster Live! CT4875	21 Mar
	Edirol DA-2496	Oct
'02	MOTU PCI-424	23 Oct		LynxTWO A/B/C	By late '02
'03	Lynx L22 / L22-G	Jan		Frontier Dakota / Montana	By '03
'04	Lynx AES16 / AES16-SRC	5 Aug

Detailed chronology

'00
CreamWare Pulsar for Mac  3 Feb '00  ↑

• Mac: CreamWare released Pulsar for Macintosh on 3 Feb '00.
• Requirements: G3 300 MHz, 128 MB RAM, Mac OS 8.6+.

Sources: 3 Feb '00 — CreamWare releases Pulsar for Mac → Aug '00 — Sound On Sound review
RME Hammerfall DIGI9636 / DIGI9652 Macintosh support  May–Jun '00  ↑

• Mac: Mac OS 9 ASIO 2.0 driver v1.0 was released in May '00. Hammerfall rev 1.5/1.6 shipped from Jun '00 with Mac compatibility; rev 1.1 is not Mac-compatible.
• Hardware / Mac chronology:
  
  • Mar '99 — Project Hammerfall shown at Musikmesse; 0% CPU Load + SyncCheck concept.
  • '99 — rev 1.1 cards.
  • May '00 — Mac OS 9 ASIO 2.0 driver v1.0 initial release.
  • Jun '00 — Mac-compatible rev 1.5/1.6 production begins; driver v1.1.
  • Jul '00 — v1.3.
  • Aug '00 — v1.4 adds ASIO Direct Monitoring.
  • Nov '00 — v1.5 / 1.51.
  • Dec '00 — v1.52.
  • Jul '01 — v1.6.
  • Jan '03 — v1.61.

Hardware revisions:

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Hammerfall rev 1.1 ('99–Apr '01) ≠ Mac compatible
rev 1.5 / 1.6 (shipping from Jun '00) = Mac-capable hardware generationSources: RME Hammerfall Mac driver release notes → RME hardware-revision / Mac compatibility note → RME Hammerfall Macintosh page → RME Mac information / driver notes → Sep '99 — hardware-era review
Symbolic Sound Kyma / Capybara PCI continuation under Mac OS 9  17 Jul '00 → 15 Jan '04  ↑

• Mac OS 9 PCI continuity: The original Kyma PCI host-interface architecture continued with the Capybara-320 through Kyma.5 and into Kyma X. PCI remained a native-boot classic-Mac path after Symbolic Sound added FireWire.

Architecture:

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Mac OS 9 Power Mac
      ↓
Kyma PCI host-interface card
      ↓
Capybara-320 DSP/audio mainframe

≠ PCI audio converters on host card
≠ Mac OS X PCI driver path

• Chronology:
  
  • 17 Jul '00 — Kyma.5 shipping; Symbolic Sound still documents Capybara connection by PCI / NuBus / ISA / PC Card.
  • 25 Nov '01 — Flame IEEE-1394a/400 interface added; the launch material still lists PCI as an alternative Capybara host connection rather than replacing it.
  • '02 — Symbolic Sound's Europe material describes Capybara-320 connection to Mac/PC via “Firewire, or PCI card”.
  • Sep–Oct '03 — registered Kyma.5 owners begin receiving Kyma X upgrade offers.
  • 15 Jan '04 — Kyma X formally ships: Mac OS X / Windows XP / 2000 added while Mac OS 8/9 compatibility is retained.
  • Kyma X under Mac OS 9: FireWire, PCI or PCMCIA interface supported.
  • Kyma X under Mac OS X: Flame FireWire only; PCI and PCMCIA remain OS 9 paths.
  • Mac OS X Classic mode cannot access the external PCI hardware; Symbolic Sound requires booting OS 9 to use the PCI card.
  • Symbolic Sound's FAQ states the PCI card is physically/electrically compatible with the then-new G5 PCI slots, but this does not create an OS X PCI path: Kyma X/OS X uses Flame only.

Documented platform split:

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FireWire → Macintosh OS X + OS 9
PCI      → Macintosh OS 9 desktop
PCMCIA   → retained under OS 9
OS X Classic → no PCI hardware accessSymbolic Sound system-requirement table:

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Kyma.5 + PCI/PCMCIA → Mac OS >8 and <10 · 64 MB RAM · 200 MB disk
Kyma X + PCI/PCMCIA  → Mac OS >9 and <10 · 192 MB RAM · 600 MB disk

• Later Capybara-320 specification: 4 processors / 96 MB base · 12 expansion slots · up to 28 processors / 672 MB · 4–8 channels · 24-bit · later specification 32–100 kHz · balanced analog + AES/EBU · Word Clock / House Sync / VITC/LTC.

Sources: 17 Jul '00 — Kyma.5 shipping / PCI host connection → 25 Nov '01 — Flame FireWire added; PCI remains an interface option → '02 — Capybara host connection = FireWire or PCI → 15 Jan '04 — Kyma X ships / Mac OS 8–9 compatibility retained → Kyma X interface FAQ — OS 9 PCI/PCMCIA; OS X Flame-only; no PCI through Classic → Capybara-320 later hardware specification / OS mapping
Tascam PCI-822  23 Jul '00  ↑

• Mac: PCI-822 is a Mac/Windows card; the '00 User's Guide includes Macintosh installation and Tascam provides Mac Installer v1.06.
• Timeline:
  
  • 23 Jul '00 — PCI-822 announced.
  • '00 manual — Macintosh Installation begins at p.10.
  • Mac Installer v1.06.

Sources: 23 Jul '00 — PCI-822 announcement → '00 — PCI-822 User's Guide / Macintosh installation → Tascam product page → PCI-822 Mac Installer v1.06
Lynx Studio Technology LynxONE Macintosh ASIO  14 Sep '00  ↑

• Mac: LynxONE ASIO 0.90a beta was released 14 Sep '00 as the initial Macintosh driver.
• Mac driver facts:
  
  • Mac OS 9: ASIO 2.0.
  • No Sound Manager support planned.
  • No Macintosh MIDI-driver support planned, despite the card having two physical MIDI ports.
  • No Mac OS X support for LynxONE.
• Hardware:
  
  • First Lynx Studio Technology product.
  • 24-bit analog I/O up to 50 kHz; AES/EBU or S/PDIF digital I/O up to 96 kHz.
  • 5 V PCI only; later G5 PCI-X machines are not supported.
• Driver chronology:
  
  • 14 Sep '00 — ASIO 0.90a beta initial Mac driver.
  • 30 May '02 — LynxONE Macintosh v1.00b.

Sources: Lynx Macintosh Read Me → 30 May '02 — LynxONE Mac v1.00b → Lynx FAQ — OS9 ASIO; no Sound Manager/MIDI/OSX → LynxONE product page
Midiman / M-Audio Delta 1010  Sep '00  ↑

• Mac: Sep '00 Delta 1010 documentation includes Macintosh installation and ASIO driver setup.
• Mac software:
  
  • “Delta 1010 Driver” system extension.
  • DeltaControl PPC.
  • ASIO2 Delta1010 for Cubase 4.x.
  • ASIO Delta1010v3 for Metro / earlier Cubase.
  • ASIO Delta 1010 for non-ASIO2 hosts.
• Hardware: 8 analog I/O + S/PDIF I/O + MIDI I/O + BNC word clock; 24-bit/96 kHz; external converter rack.

Sources: Jan '00 — hardware review → Sep '00 data — German Delta 1010 manual / Macintosh installation → Delta 1010 PC/Mac manual — Macintosh ASIO install → M-Audio/Midiman manual — Mac OS 8.6+, Mac drivers
M-Audio Audiophile 2496  Oct '00  ↑

• Mac: Audiophile 2496 manual v1.0 is dated Oct '00 and includes Macintosh driver installation.
• Mac:
  
  • Power Macintosh G3/G4; Mac OS 8.6+ in period documentation.
  • Delta-family system extension / control panel + ASIO; later manuals also document OMS and Sound Manager operation.

Sources: Oct '00 v1.0 — German Audiophile 2496 manual → Apr '01 — Sound On Sound review → Midiman Audiophile indexed captures

'01
Roland RPC-1  15 Feb '01  ↑

• Mac:R-BUS PCI card. Mac OS 8.6+.
• Mac driver set:
  
  • Sound Manager = only 16 bit 2-channel data
  • ASIO2 = ASIO2.0 driver, ASIO = ASIO2.0 driver without software monitoring, ASIOv3 = ASIO1 driver for Digital Performer.
  • OMS 2.3.8 MIDI driver.
• I/O: 8-channel bidirectional R-BUS over 25-pin D-sub; up to 24-bit/96 kHz with compatible Roland R-BUS equipment.

Sources: RPC-1 Owner's Manual — Mac OS 8.6+, Sound Manager / ASIO / OMS → Roland discontinued-product page — cross-platform Mac/PC → Roland RPC-1 / Studio Package PDF
Creative Sound Blaster Live! for Macintosh (CT4875)  21 Mar '01  ↑

• Model: Sound Blaster Live! for Macintosh = CT4875; Mac driver v1.1 also documents CT4870.
• Timeline:
  
  • Jan '99 — Creative announced plans to port Sound Blaster Live! to Macintosh.
  • 24 Jan '01 — announced as nearly ready.
  • 21 Mar '01 — available; $149.99.
  • 15 Jul '02 — Macintosh driver v1.1; Mac OS 8.6–9.x; CT4870 / CT4875.

Sources: 21 Mar '01 — Creative ships Sound Blaster Live! for Macintosh → 20 Mar '01 — Macworld shipping report → 24 Jan '01 — still not shipped → Creative model-number list — CT4875 = Sound Blaster Live! For Mac → Sound Blaster Live! Mac patch
Edirol DA-2496 / DA-PCI  Oct '01  ↑

• Mac: Oct '01 documentation lists DA-2496 for Mac/Windows with ASIO 2.0 + Sound Manager; the owner manual includes classic-Mac installation.
• Mac driver set:
  
  • ASIO2 DA-PCI.
  • ASIO Edirol DA-PCIv4 = ASIO 2.0 without Direct Monitor.
  • ASIO Edirol DA-PCIv3 = ASIO 1 for Digital Performer / Cubase 3 / other older hosts.
  • Sound Manager.
  • OMS driver.
• Driver: Macintosh v1.02b.

Sources: Oct '01 — Mix AES New Products: ASIO2 Win/Mac + Sound Manager Mac → DA-2496 Owner's Manual — Macintosh driver installation → DA-2496 Mac driver v1.02b → Roland/Edirol support

'02
MOTU PCI-424  23 Oct '02  ↑

• Mac: The PCI-424 Macintosh guide covers Mac OS 9 and the ASIO MOTU PCI driver; 23 Oct '02 24I/O documentation lists the PCI-424 system for Macintosh + Windows.

Architecture:

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Mac PCI → original PCI-424 (5 V PCI) → AudioWire → 2408mk3 / 24I/O / HD192 etc.
max core-system expansion: 4 AudioWire ports / up to 96 I/O

• Card generations:
  
  • Original PCI-424 = 5 V PCI.
  • PCIX-424 replaced the original card late in '03 and adds 3.3 V PCI-X compatibility.
  • PCIe-424 = later PCI Express generation.

Sources: MOTU PCI-424 User's Guide for Macintosh — Mac OS 9 / ASIO → 23 Oct '02 — PCI-424 / 24I/O launch-era Mac + Windows → MOTU PCI-424 / PCIX-424 / PCIe-424 generation distinctions → MOTU PCI-424 indexed captures
Lynx Studio Technology LynxTWO A/B/C  By late '02  ↑

• Timeline: Mar '02 review material says LynxTWO Mac drivers were not yet available but were expected in the first half of '02. Later '02 professional-review material documents Mac OS 9 ASIO operation; 7 Jan '03 firmware notes add explicit Macintosh-specific updater versions.

Timeline:

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Mar '02: no LynxTWO Mac driver yet
→ by late '02: Mac OS 9 ASIO documented
→ 7 Jan '03: Macintosh-specific L2Update versions added

• Mac notes:
  
  • OS 9 ASIO / ASIO 2.0 beta era.
  • Macintosh compatibility requires Mac firmware in addition to the ASIO driver; cards shipped with Windows firmware may require firmware update before use.
  • LS-ADAT and LS-AES LStream options are documented in the same classic-Mac product family.

Sources: Mar '02 — SOS review: Mac drivers not yet available → '02 review — Mac OS 9 ASIO / ASIO2 beta documented → firmware history — 7 Jan '03 Macintosh-specific versions → Lynx Mac OS9 ASIO install / Macintosh firmware requirement → 4 Apr '04 — LynxTWO product page → LS-ADAT archive → LS-AES archive

'03
Lynx L22 / L22-G classic-Mac family  Jan '03  ↑

• Timeline: A Jan '03 Mix review explicitly states that Mac ASIO 2.0 is supported under OS 9.x. Lynx firmware notes dated 7 Jan '03 add Macintosh-specific L2Update versions for the LynxTWO/L22 family.
• Mac driver: Uses the LynxTWO OS9 ASIO driver family. Sound Manager support is not provided. Macintosh firmware must be loaded before Mac use when a card contains Windows firmware.
• L22-G: Uses the LynxTWO/L22 OS9 ASIO driver family.

Sources: Jan '03 — Mix L22 review: Mac ASIO2 under OS 9.x → 7 Jan '03 firmware — Macintosh-specific versions → L22 Macintosh OS9 installation / ASIO
Frontier Design Group Dakota + Montana Macintosh support  By '03  ↑

• Mac: By '03 Dakota/Montana is documented on classic Mac OS; Frontier Macintosh installer v1.06.
• Mac support scope:
  
  • Mac OS 8.6–9.2.
  • Dakota/Montana/Sierra digital audio + MIDI supported.
  • Mac driver does not support Dakota timecode features: SMPTE, 9-pin, SoDA, etc.
• Files:
  
  • Dakota1.06_Installer.hqx — Macintosh installer.
  • Dakota_Guide.pdf — hardware guide.

Sources: Dakota Macintosh installer v1.06 → Dakota guide → Montana product page

'04
Lynx AES16 / AES16-SRC  5 Aug '04  ↑

• Timeline: The earliest Mac support was not OS X-only. The AES16 user manual, released 5 Aug '04, explicitly contains “Installing the OS9 ASIO Driver and Mixer” and uses the shared LynxTWO_OS9.sit driver package.

Mac OS 9 path:

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AES16 hardware → Macintosh firmware update → LynxTWO_OS9.sit → “LynxTWO” ASIO driver in host ASIO Drivers folder

• Notes:
  
  • Mac OS9 support is ASIO, not Sound Manager.
  • AES16 uses the LynxTWO/L22/AES16 shared driver architecture of this period.
  • Mac OS X uses CoreAudio separately.

Sources: AES16 User Manual — OS9 ASIO installation → Lynx AES16 manual — release date 5 Aug '04 → AES16 manual scan