The AMS8-2A is a compact two rack-unit aural and visual monitor designed to handle multi-channel format audio signals. Eight PPM/VU LED bargraphs display signal activity, while a sophisticated multi-speaker system allows operators to listen, with great clarity, to the signal being monitored. The AMS8-2A has four digital audio inputs (110 Ohm balanced inputs are on 3-pin pluggable screw terminal connectors and 75 Ohm unbalanced inputs are on BNC connectors). An internal switcher allows the operator to toggle between the balanced and unbalanced AES inputs. A reference input for DARS is provided. This may be 110 Ohms, balanced, via a 3-pin pluggable screw terminal connector or 75 Ohms, unbalanced, via a BNC connector. The SERIAL COMM DB9 connector includes GPI and GPO inputs that may be used for tally and external control functions. AES re-clocked copies of the four input signals are provided on the rear panel. The signals are provided as both balanced, on pluggable 3-pin terminals, or unbalanced signals on BNC connectors. The unit provides an analog stereo output that is a copy of the signal being fed to the integral speaker system. This stereo output may be configured to follow the front panel speaker level control or to be a fixed line level output. The versatile AMS8 series monitors may be field configured to suit the monitoring needs of a particular operation or location, using a combination of the eight segment LED dot-matrix readout, the eight lighted pushbuttons and the two rotary shaft encoders with integral pushbutton switches. Ward-Beck has developed an intuitive scheme to ease programming of the AMS8 series monitors. Features that can be readily programmed to assist in monitoring include: Creating preset monitoring configuration, creating an infinitely variable proportional stereo mix-down of multiple audio channels, providing global control for monitoring and enabling voice-over on Dolby signals.