Need an 8 channel preamp WITHOUT adat

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

It's not exactly cheap, but to get 8 pres, dynamics for 8 channels, a mixer and a monitor all in one rack space, the ATI 8MX2 is a bargain.

[frans]

The ATI isn't bad. Besides, a lot of 8ch preamps with ADAT have analog outputs also. You could get 2 x Si preamps from ShinyBox for 8 clean preamps, or a Crane Song spider for sheer awsomeness ($$$) or get a TMP8 from JLM JLM Audio Shop - TMP8
or, or, or... there are a lot of choices. For okay preamps for small dollars you could get a Mackie onyx 800R, the best preamps Mackie built, not bad... still not a match for any of those I listed above.

[jonesd90]

How about the DAV Electronics 8 channel Preamp. GREAT preamps for the price. All analogue and stepped gain pots.

DAVE

[MaartenT]

The Audient ASP008 is available with and without adat/other digital connections. I've got two of them hooked up to my SSL Alpha link and it's rocking hard

[Chrisc_o]

For the price, you can just pretend that there's no ADAT on things like the Octopre or Behringer ADA8000.

[manysounds]

Either that ATI or build some CAPI VP26red/VP312di?

[James Lehmann]

Originally Posted by MaartenT

The Audient ASP008 is available with and without adat/other digital connections.

ASP-008 (without ADAT option) would be a great choice - whether it's 'cheap' by the OP's standards, only he can say!

Originally Posted by Chrisc_o

For the price, you can just pretend that there's no ADAT on things like the... Behringer ADA8000.

That would work apart from the fact that the B*ringer does not actually pass analogue audio from the pre-amps to the Line-Outs - you have to go via an ADAT loopback, meaning two unnecessary stages of conversion.

[bwrecordings]

Ati is awesome

[Chrisc_o]

Originally Posted by James Lehmann

That would work apart from the fact that the B*ringer does not actually pass analogue audio from the pre-amps to the Line-Outs - you have to go via an ADAT loopback, meaning two unnecessary stages of conversion.

True, but, as the OP said, it is only needed for things like TB and scratch guitar DI tracks.

That being said, have you actually tried using it with said stages of conversion for more critical tracks? It doesn't sound bad at all

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

Originally Posted by jonesd90

... All analogue and stepped gain pots.

DAVE

Yeah, the ATI has that too. I didn't mention it because it is really kinda BS. I like the feel, but they aren't really calibrated to anything, so it is like you think you got something special but you didn't. And even if you should somehow manage to run the same things through the same channels all the time, are you going to count those little steps? And get it right? Cool feature, though, even if pretty much meaningless.

[jonesd90]

Bill, I'd definitely argue that the stepped gain pots were useful!

For example when recording using stereo techniques it's useful to be able to quickly set gain to the exact same on both channels to get your stereo image accurate.

I have found this invaluable in my own personal recording experiance.

Dave

[bwrecordings]

The ati is stepped gain. It's 41 steps so you have to be careful with your count but totally stepped!

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

Originally Posted by jonesd90

For example when recording using stereo techniques it's useful to be able to quickly set gain to the exact same on both channels to get your stereo image accurate.
Dave

If yours are that accurate, good on ya. But as I said they are not really calibrated. The channels don't have to match, or match on every step.

[maggotspawn]

I have an SM Pro Audio PR8E. It's 8 channels. Running it with a Firewire 1814. Sounds good. Only issue is the pots only go to 0 dB, so loud sources would clip. I solved this with some inline pads. Overall very happy with it.

[Rhian Willis]

Thanks for all replies guys! I'll be looking to get a rack of 8 decent pre's in the future, and those will probably be some Seventh Circle stuff (2 x J99, 3 x A12, 3 x N72) but for now i just need the extra ins for practicality. The SM Pro Audio PR8E is pretty much exactly what I've been looking for. Shame about the pads, though it may not be a problem for what I'll use it for, and its really cheap! Any other problems with it maggotspawn?

Originally Posted by maggotspawn

I have an SM Pro Audio PR8E. It's 8 channels. Running it with a Firewire 1814. Sounds good. Only issue is the pots only go to 0 dB, so loud sources would clip. I solved this with some inline pads. Overall very happy with it.

[Joekkel]

Let me suggest the line audio 8mp. Extremely low noise and clean 60db gain. 8ch in 1ru height. Costs about 800$, but you won't regret the purchase, if you want clean pres. Love my 2ch pre from them. It's a swedish company, check out lineaudio.se

[maggotspawn]

Originally Posted by Rhian Willis

The SM Pro Audio PR8E is pretty much exactly what I've been looking for. Shame about the pads, though it may not be a problem for what I'll use it for, and its really cheap! Any other problems with it maggotspawn?

No problems with it, other then needing pads for hot signals.

[Rhian Willis]

Originally Posted by Joekkel

Let me suggest the line audio 8mp. Extremely low noise and clean 60db gain. 8ch in 1ru height. Costs about 800$, but you won't regret the purchase, if you want clean pres. Love my 2ch pre from them. It's a swedish company, check out lineaudio.se

Thanks for the tip! I've been looking into getting the 8mp since you posted this, emailed Roger and have been listening to the very few comparison files to get an idea of what it's like. It's been hard to find anyone saying much negative stuff about it, but it's also been hard to find anyone saying anything about it. Just wondering if you have any insight to how it sounds? Or maybe can compare it to another pre? I'm pretty keen to order one and try it out, just want to know if there might be a reason I shouldn't, considering the shipping costs (I'm in Australia)