The matrix decomposition of Anatal
Electronics ensures a minimum number of components in the signal path within the XBay matrix
architecture. Any analog router with more than 32 patch points is made up of 32 point
subswitching boards connected together in such a way that the whole functions as a
non-blocking routing matrix with more capacity than the 32 patch points of a single
subswitching board. XBay is the only router on the market with a so-called "minimal
non-blocking switching architecture" by means of complex but effective matrix decomposition
technique to make a mastering grade transparent audio matrix with a minimum number of
subswitching boards that can be operated with AOS (Analog Operating System) software. It
concerns, since the 1950s, proven technology with which, among other things, analog
telephone exchanges have been made, but is still used today in network technology and has
been the basis for modern packet-switching digital networks, including the internet. For
more info what this is about read on wikipedia
this
article. The development of XBay started after reading this article when it became
clear that with this technique routers can be made with much more capacity than what was
available at the time. XBay still has by far the most capacity options in a single
housing.
The essential difference between XBay’s minimal spanning matrix and a so-called x=y square
matrix. is that with an x=y architecture all possible routes are pre defined in the hardware
and are therefore static. Such a 128x128 x=y matrix would have 16,384 physical matrix
points. Because we know that any router with more than 32 patch points is made up of 32
point subswitching boards, we can calculate how many subswitching boards your signal goes
through per route. We know that a subswitching board is a 16x16 square and thus we can find
the number of boards by dividing 128 by 16 = 8. Moreover, the amount of extra electronics
contributes exponentially to the price of an x=y square matrix, which causes the big price
difference between XBay and other options. A x=y router doesn't cost more because it's
supposed to be better than XBay. It is XBay that is more affordable and more transparent
because of the chosen and aforementioned matrix architecture.
The XBay versions only have unity gain amplifiers on the dsub IO and therefore do not
require a fan and do not use redundant components due to the applied matrix decomposition
technique. XBay's amplifiers are there to work with balanced signals and for optimal and
uniform IO impedances. XBay 128x128 has 256 patch points and 6,144 physical matrix points.
And not 128x128=16,384 as with an x=y square matrix design. This saves a lot of cost to
start with. Even if all 128 routes are occupied, by far most of the matrix points are
unused. A mathematical formula, already been found in the 1950s is applied so that you can
make just as many unique routes with much fewer subswitching boards (and therefore fewer
matrix points) as with a square x=y matrix. XBay uses this complex formula to ensure that
with the minimum number of parts required, there is always a clear route for your signal.
The adage “less is more” applies to pro audio much, and that is what the designers of XBay
have always had as a starting point during development.
