How to i88x pres sound compared to....

Herman Munster · 1st June 2006

Just curious if anyone has used i88x pres for vox/guitars? I was considering purchasing low end preamp like one of the ARTs for vocal/guitar recording, but wondered about running this instead through a Digi002R via ADAT. I'd get the pres + 8 more channels. I also play a Motif ES and like the option of being able to use the mLan capability if I ever need it. How do the pres sound? How do they compare to others? Thanks...

**DrDeltaM** · 1st June 2006

You might wanna try a search, there have been big i88x threads in the past. The pre-amps are said to be same as DM2000 pre-amps, and got great comments in those threads if I remember well.

aussie_techie · 2nd June 2006

save up for a real pre

junior · 2nd June 2006

imo, the pres are nice - big bang for the $...

you should be able to use the i88x as a preamp & 8 channel ad-da expansion for your 002 -if- you have the i88x connected to your motif via mlan. then, simply send the adat / spdif to your 002 like you mentioned earlier.

Herman Munster · 3rd June 2006

Went to Guitar Center today to check all this out. FYI, the salesman was very, very negative on mLan. Basically told me not to even think about the i88x. I also don't like that I would have to run it as an interface and not just ADAT in to 002R. If I could just run ADAT out to 002R without having to load mLan drivers, etc., it'd be cool, but I've just read too many negatives about the mLan drivers. Being a newbie, I'd like as few bumps as possible. I'm probably just going to buy one or two decent mic pre-amps. Heard good things about the Presonus Blue Tooth Tube pre(?), not sure about the name as well as one of the Summit pres. I'll also probably just save the money and get the Digimax LT eventually. I like Yamaha gear and play a Motif ES, but seems pretty boneheaded to me to configure the i88x like this....tutt

moon_unit · 3rd June 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herman Munster

Went to Guitar Center today to check all this out. FYI, the salesman was very, very negative on mLan. Basically told me not to even think about the i88x.

Wow. You got some very good advice. And from Guitar Center of all places? I'm shocked.

Quote:

Heard good things about the Presonus Blue Tooth Tube pre

Yuck. From who?

.

junior · 3rd June 2006

sorry, i misunderstood you - i thought your requirement was for a good preamp, not necessarily an audio interface...

as a preamp, i don't think there's a better deal for the $... especially when compared to the art and presonus stuff (which i've owned). if GC has several models on the floor, try them out and see what you think. good luck...

Herman Munster · 4th June 2006

I need decent pre-amps, but thought this would kill 2 birds with one stone, so to speak. In other words, I thought it would give me 2 good pres and an additional 8 inputs via ADAT. However, I then learned I would have to install software, mLAN drivers, etc. and realized this is not exactly what I'm looking for. It would just be nice if I could go i88x ADAT out to 002 ADAI in without installing software just to use the inputs and pres. Evidently, Yamaha did not see fit to make it as such. I suppose Presonus or someone else will get my money. Thanks for the input.

DAFFYDRUNK · 16th June 2006

I'm getting into recording and I had no probs getting the I88x to work, except I'm still trying to figure out how to do a stereo monitor mix or at least rig a mono headphone monitor mix. Before I bought the i88x, I reformatted a P4 2.8/i865 based computer I was going to use with it and installed XP SP1 with the latest drivers from mlancentral.

I did not install XP SP2 mostly to make sure I had no probs with the $13 VIA firewire card I was using. SP2 is mainly internet security updates anyway and allegedly screws up firewire support. Skipped that headache. The $13 VIA firewire card and the i88x get along fine. Also skipped antivirus, and did away with all services ect that were not needed for a DAW computer...(tweaks you'd want to do when using any firewire DAW interface) Anyway, once I got the i88x it took me maybe 20 minutes to get it to do something after I got it unpacked...

I was previously recording with my SM57 into an old Tascam 488 as a preamp to the onboard sound card. Not exactly the best setup..

You can imagine my surprise the first time I heard guitars and vocals tracked through the i88x at 44.1 24 bit. I don't have anything else relevant to compare it to, but the accoustic sounds great even with an sm57. Didn't even have to try. Can't wait till I get a couple condensors and figure out what the hell I'm doing. No expert, but I really dig the sound...

Amazing $400 gadget the i88x is...

1st June 2006	#1
Herman Munster Lives for gear Joined: May 2006 Location: Mockingbird Lane Posts: 608 Thread Starter	How to i88x pres sound compared to.... Just curious if anyone has used i88x pres for vox/guitars? I was considering purchasing low end preamp like one of the ARTs for vocal/guitar recording, but wondered about running this instead through a Digi002R via ADAT. I'd get the pres + 8 more channels. I also play a Motif ES and like the option of being able to use the mLan capability if I ever need it. How do the pres sound? How do they compare to others? Thanks...

1st June 2006	#2
DrDeltaM Moderator Joined: Sep 2003 Location: Belgium Posts: 4,347	You might wanna try a search, there have been big i88x threads in the past. The pre-amps are said to be same as DM2000 pre-amps, and got great comments in those threads if I remember well. __________________ Mathijs Indesteege aka Mathew Lane mixing - mastering - audio restoration - plugins http://www.mathewlane.com DrMS. Focus on your stereo field. - NEW v3.2 OUT NOW! DrMS spatial processor - native RTAS/AU/VST plugin » Digital Audio Product Support Joystick Audio - Benelux High End Distributor http://www.joystick.be

2nd June 2006	#4
junior Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,078	imo, the pres are nice - big bang for the $... you should be able to use the i88x as a preamp & 8 channel ad-da expansion for your 002 -if- you have the i88x connected to your motif via mlan. then, simply send the adat / spdif to your 002 like you mentioned earlier. __________________ "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep"... --Scott Adams

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2nd June 2006	#3
aussie_techie Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2004 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 2,709	save up for a real pre

3rd June 2006	#5
Herman Munster Lives for gear Joined: May 2006 Location: Mockingbird Lane Posts: 608 Thread Starter	Went to Guitar Center today to check all this out. FYI, the salesman was very, very negative on mLan. Basically told me not to even think about the i88x. I also don't like that I would have to run it as an interface and not just ADAT in to 002R. If I could just run ADAT out to 002R without having to load mLan drivers, etc., it'd be cool, but I've just read too many negatives about the mLan drivers. Being a newbie, I'd like as few bumps as possible. I'm probably just going to buy one or two decent mic pre-amps. Heard good things about the Presonus Blue Tooth Tube pre(?), not sure about the name as well as one of the Summit pres. I'll also probably just save the money and get the Digimax LT eventually. I like Yamaha gear and play a Motif ES, but seems pretty boneheaded to me to configure the i88x like this....tutt

4th June 2006	#8
Herman Munster Lives for gear Joined: May 2006 Location: Mockingbird Lane Posts: 608 Thread Starter	I need decent pre-amps, but thought this would kill 2 birds with one stone, so to speak. In other words, I thought it would give me 2 good pres and an additional 8 inputs via ADAT. However, I then learned I would have to install software, mLAN drivers, etc. and realized this is not exactly what I'm looking for. It would just be nice if I could go i88x ADAT out to 002 ADAI in without installing software just to use the inputs and pres. Evidently, Yamaha did not see fit to make it as such. I suppose Presonus or someone else will get my money. Thanks for the input.

16th June 2006	#9
DAFFYDRUNK Gear interested Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5	I'm getting into recording and I had no probs getting the I88x to work, except I'm still trying to figure out how to do a stereo monitor mix or at least rig a mono headphone monitor mix. Before I bought the i88x, I reformatted a P4 2.8/i865 based computer I was going to use with it and installed XP SP1 with the latest drivers from mlancentral. I did not install XP SP2 mostly to make sure I had no probs with the $13 VIA firewire card I was using. SP2 is mainly internet security updates anyway and allegedly screws up firewire support. Skipped that headache. The $13 VIA firewire card and the i88x get along fine. Also skipped antivirus, and did away with all services ect that were not needed for a DAW computer...(tweaks you'd want to do when using any firewire DAW interface) Anyway, once I got the i88x it took me maybe 20 minutes to get it to do something after I got it unpacked... I was previously recording with my SM57 into an old Tascam 488 as a preamp to the onboard sound card. Not exactly the best setup.. You can imagine my surprise the first time I heard guitars and vocals tracked through the i88x at 44.1 24 bit. I don't have anything else relevant to compare it to, but the accoustic sounds great even with an sm57. Didn't even have to try. Can't wait till I get a couple condensors and figure out what the hell I'm doing. No expert, but I really dig the sound... Amazing $400 gadget the i88x is...