New SM Pro Audio AB-8

[Iggy Poop]

New product coming from SM Pro Audio. Part of my life long quest for the greatest and cheapest gear. Think it'll be any good?

SM Pro Audio: AB-8 - 8 Channel Analog to ADAT Konverter

[Tomer1]

I wonder how it behaves in terms of musical distortion when a hot signal with accesional peaks enters its transformer balanced input stage.

It should sound alot more musical then convertors with "peak limiting".

[Corran]

Looks interesting. Wonder if the pres suck? I'd like to see their specs. Any price?

[Iggy Poop]

It doesn't really have pres, just inputs. It's an 8 channel analog to ADAT converter. SM Pro Audio is usually low price stuff. It would be great if this thing turns out to be decent and cheap. We'll see, here are the features:

• 8 x Balanced and line inputs (combo)
• 8 x Passive level attenuators
• 8 x Transformer isolated inputs
• 24-bit 96kHz Delta Sigma converter
• Internal and external sync
• Word clock I/O
• 44.1/48kHz operation
• 1 RU rack-mountable chassis
• Rugged metal construction

[Corran]

Oh, I saw XLR inputs and a gain/level knob and assumed it had pres.

Oh well. I guess it depends on the price if it's worth it.

[mixedupsteve]

Thats cool. Their old one was unbalanced inputs.
I hope they have good transformers. Transformers usually add color for better or worse.

I have their TB202 tube pre/comp and its pretty good.

BTW their old 8 ch converter was in the low $200s. Not bad.

[conleycd]

This is actually very interesting. A while back Joe at jlmaudio.com was about to offer a product or a kit that used his transformers, some resistors and the SM Pro PR8IIA card (which is used to add ADAT to their own microphone preamp units) to make a transformer balanced input to ADAT.

The transformers were wired backwards to step down 4 to 1 and the OPAMPs on the ADAT card were bypassed. Essentially, less some resistor padding and impedance matching - this would have been a transformer to AD converter directly.

Sure the transformer would colour it a little - but likely in a nice way. The argument was also had that Tape machines sounded great because of the ton of transformers in them.

Although I was relentless in asking about it - the project was on hold because of the availability of the PR8IIA cards. These cards were being sold really cheap though for about $100 US. The 8 transformers from JLM would have been about $350 and the resistors essentially free.

When I saw this box come out, I asked Joe if they had stolen his idea but I didn't hear back from him. I think Joe may have some loose association with SM Pro - although Joe's stuff is super pro as opposed to SM's just being pro in language.

CC

[wirenut]

I have had the A08 adat a/d converter for more than a year on my mobile setup and I have to say it is not bad at all. The converters are pretty clean into a tascam 1804. It was very easy to hookup too!

[bibleboy3]

The last SM pro audio 8 schematic I saw looked an awful lot like a mackie XLR10

Bill

[phybeau]

Sorry to dig this up, but I am unable to find any information about this converter apart from this thread.

Has anyone any experience with this one, is it anywhere decent?
Does anyone know the price? (shouldn't be too expensive)

Thanks in advance!
Phybeau

[Blinddot]

I'm very interested in this unit, I'm thinking about modding it by changing transformers and bypassing the input pots, I wonder what kind of power supply it has, and also if the analogue section before the AD chip is just the transformer or it has more electronics to it.

I believe it costs 320USD

[phybeau]

According to the German supplier, which I contacted yesterday, the unit will probably be available within a few months and it will cost app. around 200 Euro.
So we have to wait for any user reviews for a little while more.
Hopefully worth it.

[Blinddot]

200€?? that is cheap!! nice!

was that german supplier thomann or musikstore?

thanks man!

[rty5150]

anybody compared the audio quality of this against the digimax d8?

[Blinddot]

Originally Posted by rty5150

anybody compared the audio quality of this against the digimax d8?

AFAIK digimax d8 is a preamp + converter unit, AB-8 is converter only unit, no preamps in it

[rty5150]

Originally Posted by Blinddot

AFAIK digimax d8 is a preamp + converter unit, AB-8 is converter only unit, no preamps in it

yeah, but looking for a head to head a/b. i am using my d8's as conversion only, but would love to see an alternative. what i would really love is an 8 channel adat i/o like the digimax fs with no pres for a cheaper price point. here's to wishing for that one.

[phybeau]

I contacted the supplier since it's not available at this point.
So it was more of an estimate of price and availabillity.

Here's what he wrote (in German)

vielen Dank für Ihr Interesse an SM Pro Audio. Der AB8 wird voraussichtlich in diesem Quartal lieferbar sein und wird ca. 200 Euro kosten. Bitee kontaktieren Sie unseren Vertrieb in Holland unter M Works um Ihren nächsten Fachhändler zu finden

[Snatchman]

Hummm..interested indeed...If we are lucky......, maybe BLA Audio had something to do with the design/component choices..I remember sometimes back hearing they were in talks ( SM-Pro/BLA) about caloborating with future products..

[phybeau]

Seems the unit is already available in the US. ($ 309)
I guess/hope it won't be long until the first user reviews...

[ScoolED]

Anyone?

[helpdeskeddy]

Bump... anyone?
Also very curious...
Eddy

[Blinddot]

anyone?

[phybeau]

anyone, anything?

[rty5150]

dammit, at this rate, looks like a possibility that SMPA will end up discontinuing this product! sadness!

[ArnauTS]

hope i can buy one before they do
Already no one have this unit?

[phybeau]

dammit, at this rate, looks like a possibility that SMPA will end up discontinuing this product! sadness!

That would be too bad...!

If I didn't need every single penny on building materials right now, I'd buy one and just put it on a shelf...

[Blinddot]

Originally Posted by conleycd

The transformers were wired backwards to step down 4 to 1 and the OPAMPs on the ADAT card were bypassed. Essentially, less some resistor padding and impedance matching - this would have been a transformer to AD converter directly.
CC

I missed this comment!

thanks for you're comment about the mod, Im thinking about doing it my self, I believe I can buy some PR8IIAs. Do you have any tech info about this mod? a link on prodigy or something?

many thanks!


It looks like AB-8 is based on the PR8IIA, I'm wondering if they bypassed the opamps on the card as the suggested mod.

Looks like this other new AD conversion unit could be based on the PR8IIA card as well

SM Pro Audio: Q-ADAT - Analog to ADAT Converter

[ScoolED]

So the Q-Adat is the same as the AB-8 but unbalanced/no transformers?

I like the idea of balanced inputs but am curious about the quality/make of transformers...

Very tempted but I cant decide between these and the Aphex 142.

[erosconpollo]

Originally Posted by ScoolED

So the Q-Adat is the same as the AB-8 but unbalanced/no transformers?

It seems to be a repackaging of the AO8 to match the rest of their "Q" line of products.