Tantrum Audio NEXUS: a compact hardware DSP processor built for room correction

Tantrum Audio has announced NEXUS, which offers room correction in a neat little hardware DSP unit.

The company, which is based in the UK, explains that the unit routes a DAW, an artist’s laptop and an external playback device into a single time-aligned monitoring system. Room correction, EQ, crossover and alignment all run on the device itself, not on the connected computer. Nexus is configured through Tantrum’s Omnissiah software for macOS, Windows and Linux. The software is included with no licence fee or subscription and the unit runs standalone once set up.

Processing latency is 0.85ms from analogue in to analogue out. Tantrum quotes a 120 dB noise floor and a 0.0013% THD.

Each DSP output gets 15 filters, covering parametric EQ and all-pass. Crossovers are 24dB/octave Linkwitz-Riley or Butterworth and time alignment goes up to 10ms per output, with phase rotators. Presets are unlimited.

Inputs are two balanced TRS analogue connections (+20dBu maximum), a stereo 3.5mm aux input for phones and external players, coaxial S/PDIF and 2-channel USB audio playback. S/PDIF and USB both for up to 96kHz. Outputs are two balanced TRS analogue outs (+18dBu maximum) plus a subwoofer/mono/utility output.

Control is over MIDI and OSC. Tantrum says macros can reach virtually and function, including output mute, gain, delay, polarity, crossover bypass, master volume, input selection and routing, correction bypass, test noise and preset store and recall.

The unit is 169.6 x 43 x 100mm, 1U high and weighs 600g. It has twin rear-panel USB-C ports, one for control and audio and one for power (0.5A). It comes with a two-year warranty.

NEXUS is available now for preorder, priced at £429, with shipping expected from 17 November. Learn more at Tantrum Audio.