“Sample Multiplexing” or S/MUX is used to transmit high bandwidth digital audio using lower bandwidth technology, i.e. ADAT lightpipe. style="mso-spacerun:yes"> By using S/MUX, a 96 kHz digital audio stream can be transmitted through a protocol based on lower sample rates. S/MUX works by using demultiplexing to join two or more digital audio channels to represent a single higher bandwidth channel. As discussed earlier, the ADAT lightpipe protocol allows for eight channels of digital audio streaming at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. By using S/MUX technology, two channels are joined together to represent one channel at 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz. In this way, you can stream four channels of digital audio at 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz over the same lightpipe connection originally designed to stream eight channels of audio at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. The FireStudio Lightpipe is equipped with dual S/MUX technology so that, should you choose, you can record 16 channels of audio at 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz.
Today this is easily avoided as sampling-rate capabilities have greatly improved. As a general rule, the higher the sampling rate, the more of an analog signal will be captured. However, higher sampling rates are extremely taxing on a computer’s processing resources, so simultaneous inputs at very high sampling rates will be limited.
