RME Octamic II or Audient ASP008 Adat

[Gaston69]

Hi Guys,

I know this has already been discussed but need the oppinion from the "remote recording guys".

In some cases I need more channels (more then 10) and was thinking about buying either a Audient 008 Adat or RME Octamic II in order to hook it up to my Metric Halo 2882 over Adat.

Does anybody have experiences with these pre-amps or configurations?

Regards,

Gaston

[Larry Elliott]

Get another Metric Halo Box - ULN8 is great - and use their method of linking boxes. Much less hassle and one application controls everything.

Larry

[Enginearing]

in regards to the two units in the OP My deciding factor between the two was the XLRComboJackconnector input on the RME. - I didn't want to be repatching and unpatching constantly so i went with the Audient. i much prefer the DB25 approach to analog line ins and outs with dedicated XLR for mic.

the halo option i'm sure would be tasty though... i guess 96K quality would be maintained?

[huub]

I think the RME preamps are really good.. You know, good german engineering.. Good clean preamps close to the level of studer or lawo preamps (new digital consoles I mean).

[phil.]

Hey Gaston,

here is a classical quartet (strings and flute) sample recorded using the Audient 008 + ADAT option. Its been a very useful and versatile pre-amp for me over the last couple of years.

http://sites.google.com/site/samples...Ql63pFzzSXs%3D

Best,

Phil.

[David Spearritt]

Hi Phil,

What a lovely recording, tonally accurate, beautifully balanced and a wonderful acoustic. A really fine effort. Great demo.

[0VU]

I'd say that the Octamic II isn't as good as the Micstasy but it's not a bad sounding unit in the making-things-louder-whilst-staying-reasonably-out-of-the-way school. Equally, it's nothing at all special; there's lots of preamps out there that do a competent and more or less inoffensive job. Once you're out of the top end pres, and avoiding the really poor stuff, or things designed specifically to provide some sort of 'colour' there's a whole range of harmless enough preamps, which all sound hair splittingly similar, from which to choose.

The Audient, however, is a bit more special. It's still not up there in the elite of mic pres (like your Crookwood) but to my ear, it''s a cut above the crowd and definitely one of the best 'cooking' preamps on the market. The optional A-D conversion is also, imo, better than the RME.

There again, the Audient is more expensive, bigger and heavier than the RME but it also does more tricks, and it carries out its main function imo better than the RME, and better than a lot of other preamps in the price bracket.I felt that it was enough of a sonic improvement over the RME and offered a blend of facilities which raised it far enough above its other competition, to have (so far) bought 56 channels of Audient, despite the cost premium over some other options. (I know - 56 channels isn't exactly doing classical the purist way. I just get a lot of that kind of work! I do do things slightly more conventionally sometimes - given the choice - and I sometimes use the Audients then too.) And maybe I've been lucky but unlike some other reports I've read, they've thus far been completely reliable, despite being lugged about in flightcases (albeit properly shock mounted cases).



And I agree with David - nice sound there, Phil.

[didier.brest]

Originally Posted by 0VU

I'd say that the Octamic II isn't as good as the Micstasy

RME confirmed that on their forum but I am wondering whether it is not a marketing position so that not to devaluate the Mictsasy, which is three times more expensive, because the technical specs are very close. Did you test both these preamp-ADs ?

[phil.]

Originally Posted by David Spearritt

Hi Phil,

What a lovely recording, tonally accurate, beautifully balanced and a wonderful acoustic. A really fine effort. Great demo.

Thank you David, I really appreciate your comment. Most of the credit goes to the musicians and Nagata Acoustics for building such a fine hall.

Very good summary by 0VU, I think it hits the nail on the head. The Audient has been very reliable for me too.

Best,

Phil.

[Larry Elliott]

Originally Posted by phil.

Most of the credit goes to the musicians and Nagata Acoustics for building such a fine hall. Phil.

Beautiful performance and sound

What is the hall Phil?

Larry

[edwinhurwitz]

I have an Octamic D version 1 and use it with a ULN-8 and 2882. I've had it for quite some time (I actually bought the regular Octamic and when it went up in smoke and returned it under warranty, they asked me politely if I would mind very much if they sent me a D because that's all they had in stock). It's served me very well and while it doesn't sound quite as good as the Metric Halo pres or my 7th Circle, etc, it really does the job as desired. It would be nice to eventually upgrade, but it's not pressing. Certainly fine for keyboards and other direct line ins. I like the versatility with analog balanced out, ADAT out and AES all the way up to 192khz.

Edwin

[GKennedy]

The Audient sounds good, however if you are recording quiet acoustic music the gains are going to live up between 4 and 5 o'clock. That area on the pot covers the last 20dB the mic pre has so it is very fiddly for matching stereo L/R by ear as well as trimming a dB or 2 off the signal.

GK

[Gaston69]

To all of you thanks for sharing your experiences with me on either Audient and/or RME mic-pres. I got now more or less a picture of what I will get for my money.

As it looks now I might wait a little longer and save up more money as some of you already said once you are used to a high end pre amp you don't want to go for less.

So I called Crispin from Crookwood and discussed the various options on a iPre and it looks that I might take that route which is:

8 channel pre-amp with dual analog out over D-sub and later on buy either AD-converters (AES/EBU) or when the Madi card he is working is finished choose to install a Madi card.

iPre will also be a nice addition to my Paintpot as I can (remote) control both the Painpot and iPre

But for now I will only eat bread and drink water

[phil.]

Originally Posted by Larry Elliott

Beautiful performance and sound

What is the hall Phil?

Larry

Hi Larry,

it was Minato Mirai Hall in Yokohama. Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall

Best,

Phil.

[Larry Elliott]

Thank you Phil

Larry

[Gaston69]

Lovely music Phil,

What mics/setup did you use?

Gaston

[phil.]

Hello Gaston,

this was a pair of Shoeps CMC6 with MK21 caps set up in a close to NOS system. Straight into the Audient and from the ADAT Out into PT.

Thanks,

Phil.

[My Tiny Circus]

Anybody using the Audient ASP008 on drums (jazz) ? I'd like an 8 channel mic pre with ADAT out that's a bit better than the $1000 ones.

Opinions on whether I should I get this or save up for and ISA428 with 8 channel A/D card and a 3124 ? 4 clean channels and 4 good drum channels for 5k (ish) and nice A/D.

I have a GR-MP2NV and a UA 6176 so I have those for overdubs.

[edwinhurwitz]

Originally Posted by My Tiny Circus

Anybody using the Audient ASP008 on drums (jazz) ? I'd like an 8 channel mic pre with ADAT out that's a bit better than the $1000 ones.

Opinions on whether I should I get this or save up for and ISA428 with 8 channel A/D card and a 3124 ? 4 clean channels and 4 good drum channels for 5k (ish) and nice A/D.

I have a GR-MP2NV and a UA 6176 so I have those for overdubs.

If you are going to go that far get a MH ULN-8. You can get an adapter for AES to ADAT if you need that for now and it will get you on your way to all AES!



Edwin

[My Tiny Circus]

Originally Posted by edwinhurwitz

If you are going to go that far get a MH ULN-8. You can get an adapter for AES to ADAT if you need that for now and it will get you on your way to all AES!



Edwin

Good idea.

The advantage of my proposal is that I can buy the three items (ISA, A/D card and 3124) as funds allow rather than all at once for the ULN-8.

Astonishingly, you have failed to take my poverty and domestic circumstances into consideration. Don't you care ?

[edwinhurwitz]

Originally Posted by My Tiny Circus

Good idea.

The advantage of my proposal is that I can buy the three items (ISA, A/D card and 3124) as funds allow rather than all at once for the ULN-8.

Astonishingly, you have failed to take my poverty and domestic circumstances into consideration. Don't you care ?

Care?!?! I am a callous, cold-hearted Gearslut!

Actually, I do care. I would suggest that you avoid doing what I did and set your goals to where you really want to be and borrow, rent, barter for what you need in the meantime until you can afford what will suit you in the long run. I ended up buying so much interim stuff and selling it at a loss that I spent at least twice as much as I needed to to get where I am now.

Have fun!
Edwin

[rumleymusic]

Astonishingly, you have failed to take my poverty and domestic circumstances into consideration.

Ha thumbsup

[My Tiny Circus]

Originally Posted by edwinhurwitz

Care?!?! I am a callous, cold-hearted Gearslut!

Actually, I do care. I would suggest that you avoid doing what I did and set your goals to where you really want to be and borrow, rent, barter for what you need in the meantime until you can afford what will suit you in the long run. I ended up buying so much interim stuff and selling it at a loss that I spent at least twice as much as I needed to to get where I am now.

Have fun!
Edwin

I too know this path all too well. Never again. Now where's that Behringer website.....?

[stevetgn]

Originally Posted by huub

I think the RME preamps are really good.. You know, good german engineering..

I think the Audient ASP008 preamps are really good.. You know, good British engineering..

[talbe1019]

Originally Posted by stevetgn

I think the Audient ASP008 preamps are really good.. You know, good British engineering..

I think I would take German engineering over British engineering in cars and mics but not quite sure about the preamp.

[pineapple]

I attach a fragment recorded live with RME Octamic II.

3 violins, 2 flutes, 1 bass

It's not Mozart but I think it can help to hear RME's sound quality.
I have no experience with Audient.

What do you think about this audio?

Best wishes.

[t_chance]

Originally Posted by Gaston69

But for now I will only eat bread and drink water

You must include beans and rice

[Barish]

Originally Posted by pineapple

I attach a fragment recorded live with RME Octamic II.

3 violins, 2 flutes, 1 bass

It's not Mozart but I think it can help to hear RME's sound quality.
I have no experience with Audient.

What do you think about this audio?

Best wishes.

What's that frrr noise in the background?

B.

[mljung]

Originally Posted by Barish

What's that frrr noise in the background?

B.

German engineering perhaps

No - it's a good question and it's not just the frrr it's also the the sound-quality beyond that. If it's actually made with RME Octamic II and a good example of what it can do [even without the noise] I would not go in that direction, but I'm sure somethings wrong... maybe the mic setup or what sounds like post-processing. I don't think it's a good example.

::
Mads

[jax72]

Originally Posted by phil.

Hey Gaston,

here is a classical quartet (strings and flute) sample recorded using the Audient 008 + ADAT option. Its been a very useful and versatile pre-amp for me over the last couple of years.

Best,

Phil.

it's beautiful!

I'm about to buy the Audient, so, out of curiosity, what was interface between the Audient-ADAT and the computer?

Andrea