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Audient sets the price/performance standard for multichannel preamps.
Amongst audio professionals
Audient equipment is renowned for its ability to provide high performance transparent sound and intelligent ergonomic design
in a cost-effective package. The ASP008 is a compact 1U rack mount unit featuring eight ultra-high-quality mic preamplifiers
developed from the outstanding mic pre design used in the acclaimed ASP8024 recording console. (The ASP8024 rivals the sound
of many "A" room consoles at a fraction of the cost.) If you're looking to add eight great preamps to your studio or portable
rig for a remarkably reasonable price we recommend a close look at the ASP008-AES with Audient's AES S/PDIF and 48kHz ADAT
light-pipe interface card for digital output directly into almost any recording system.
Audient ASP008 8 Channel Variable
Input Impedance Mic Preamp First Take:
- 8 channels of ultra-high-quality preamps
- AES S/PDIF and 48kHz
ADAT light-pipe output
- Transparent audio with variable impedance for tone shaping
- Electronically balanced
XLR I/O and two instrument DIs
Ultra-high-quality preamps
The design uses an 8 transistor
discrete Class A front end with extended bandwidth and a noise floor close to the theoretical Johnson limit. (Johnson noise
is random white noise generated by thermal agitation of electrons and is the limiting minimum noise any circuit can attain
at a given temperature.) Carefully chosen close tolerance components are used to achieve high Common Mode Rejection at all
gain settings (eliminates unwanted RF and electromagnet field-generated noise allowing long cable runs) and distortion is
minimized to less than 0.001% at 20dB gain and +10dBu output. This outstanding technical performance delivers a mic amp with
incredible transparency and detail without coloration or other unwanted artifacts.
ADAT/AES digital output
The ADAT digital interface card provides ADAT digital outputs at either 44.1 or 48kHz sample rates (selectable on
the front panel) for all 8 channels on a single lightpipe output connector. The outputs can be set to 16- 20- or 24- bit
depth using the front panel controls. The AES card uses a 9-Pin female D-sub type connector to provide the required 8 digital
outputs (in 4 pairs - pair 1 carries channels 1/2 etc.) at 44.1/48/88.2/96kHz sample rates (selectable on the front panel).
Separate fan-out cables are available with XLR terminations for AES and RCA-phono connections for SPDIF. AES format is selected
when the associated switch is in its normal (released) state. Depressing this switch will set the outputs to SPDIF format.
The outputs can be set to 16/20 or 24 bit depth using the front panel controls. A BNC along with an INT/EXT function select
switch is also provided on the digital output card. With the switch released the ASP008 will run off its internal clock generator.
Depressing the switch allows a master word clock to be connected via the BNC connector enabling the ASP008 converters to be
sync'd to an external source. The front-panel-mounted Lock LED will illuminate when the unit is locked.
Transparent
audio with variable impedance
Audient's design philosophy as far as sound quality is concerned is to make
the most transparent sounding preamps possible. According to founder and designer Dave Dearden colored preamps tend to become
one-trick-ponies since that color may not be appropriate for every recording application. However with transparent preamps
you have the option of adding color later on. To achieve this the ASP008's preamps boast an ultra-wide frequency response
of -0.3dB @10Hz to -3dB @300kHz at unity gain and a Total Harmonic Distortion rating of better than 0.007% at 1kHz any gain
setting. If you know your specs you know that this is pretty incredible especially when you realize that you only find specs
such as this on single-channel preamps costing twice as much as the Audient 8channel ASP008. Each microphone amp on the Audient
ASP008 also features switchable input impedance which allows you to explore subtle variations in microphone character and
achieve the best performance for your mics.
Electronically balanced XLR I/O
The ASP008
has been designed and developed to provide highly robust system integration interfaces allowing worry-free system hook-up
under the most demanding situations. Inputs and outputs are implemented using advanced electronically balanced topologies
and are fitted with extensive RFI rejection networks. Additionally Channels 1 and 2 have front panel mounted unbalanced high
impedance jack inputs to allow instruments to be directly connected to the ASP008. Electronically balanced microphone inputs
are provided on 3pin XLR female connectors with Pin 2 Hot and Pin 3 Cold. Pin 1 is permanently connected to the ASP008 chassis
and thereby to the safety earth. Line level inputs and outputs are provided on 25 pin D Sub female type connectors with 4-40
screw thread jack posts. Wiring is in accordance with the TASCAMTM DA88 convention.
All channels feature 'soft start'
48V phantom power switchable input impedance 25-250Hz hi-pass filter line input selection and phase reverse. Channels 1 and
2 also feature a -20dB attenuator and a high-impedance Instrument/DI input on a front panel mounted jack. LEDs provide indication
of signal present and overload.
Who is Audient and what makes them so cool
While British-based
Audient is fairly new on the scene (1998) the company's founders have quite a long and respectable pedigree. Co-founder David
Dearden has worked with David Manley (original owner of Manley Laboratories) Eddie Offord (Emerson Lake and Palmer Yes) and
was involved in building a custom console and private studio for John Lennon for his Imagine sessions followed by
studios for George Harrison Ringo Starr Gus Dudgeon (producer Elton John David Bowie) and Chris Squire of Yes. After three
years with MCI and two years with Soundcraft David Dearden and Gareth Davies (also from Soundcraft) formed DDA (Dearden Davies
Associates) a maker of high-quality analog consoles. When DDA became part of the Klark Teknik Group he also designed the Midas
XL200 live sound console and did the initial concept and design of the Midas H1000 console. Midas consoles are generally acknowledged
by FOH professions to be one of the if not the best live sound consoles in existence. In 1997 Dearden rejoined with Gareth
Davies to form Audient whose products are typified by high performance intelligent ergonomics and transparent sound quality.
Notable users of Audient gear include Abbey Road Studios Pete Townshend's Eel Pie Recording and England's Royal Academy of
Music.
Audient ASP008-AES 8 Channel Mic Preamp with AES/EBU,
S/PIF, and ADAT Interface Specifications:
- Controls
- 48V: Phantom Power On/Off with 'soft start' feature to avoid thumps
- INST/DI: Ch 1&2 only.
Selects instrument jack with input impedance > 1M ohm
- -20dB: 20dB Pad (CH1 &2 ONLY)
- LINE:
Selects Line level input with input impedance of 10k ohm
- Polarity: Polarity invert
- Filter:
Selects 12dB/octave Hi-Pass filter - range 25Hz to 250Hz
- PK: Indicates signal levels within 4dB of clipping
- SIG: Indicates signal levels above -25dBu
- I/P Z: Input impedance select; 200/1200/5000 ohms
- GAIN: MIC/DI 0 to 60dB. LINE -20 to 40dB
- Sample Rate: Selectable 44.1/48/88.2/96 kHz
- Dither: Selectable 16/20/24-bit
Interfaces
- MIC Input: Electronically
balanced XLR with variable input impedance
- LINE Input: Electronically balanced 25 pin D wired to DA88 standard
- INST/DI Input: Unbalanced front panel mounted jack
- LINE Output: Electronically balanced 25
pin D wired to DA88 standard
- Digital output: 48/96kHz AES S/PDIF and 48kHz ADAT light-pipe.
- Ext
Word Clock: BNC
Specs
- Maximum input/output level: +21.5dBu
- THD:
Typically better than 0.007% at 1kHz any gain setting
- EIN: Better than -127.5dB @ 60dB gain/ref 150 ohms
- Frequency Response: -0.3dB @10Hz to -3dB @300kHz at unity gain
- CMRR: Better than 75dB at
1kHz and 60dB gain
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 18.9" x 1.73" x 10.94" (480mm x 44mm x 278mm)
- Weight:
4.5Kg
- Power consumption: 40 watts
Audient
ASP008-AES 8 Channel Mic Preamp with AES/EBU, S/PIF, and ADAT Interface Features:
- Discrete
Class A front end
- Switchable input impedance
- Two Instrument inputs
- Variable
Hi-Pass filter on all inputs
- Line level input on all channels
- Phase invert on all channels
- Signal status indication
- ADAT AES/EBU and S/PDIF outputs with selectable Sample rate
and Dither
Give your studio eight channels of high-quality
transparent audio that rivals the sound of "A" room consoles at an amazingly low price.
Customers who shopped for the Audient ASP008-AES 8 Channel Mic Preamp with AES/EBU, S/PIF, and
ADAT Interface ultimately bought:
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