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. The ASP008 also comes with digital output options
including ADAT and AES making it a perfect companion for Pro Tools LE systems. (See the ASP008-ADAT #182031 and ASP800-AES
#182032).
Audient ASP008 8 Channel Variable Input Impedance Mic Preamp First Take:
- 8 channels
of ultra-high-quality preamps in 1U chassis
- Transparent audio with variable impedance for tone shaping
- Electronically
balanced XLR I/O and two instrument DIs
Eight ultra-high-quality preamps in 1U
The
one rackspace 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.
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 TASCAM 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 8 Channel Variable Input Impedance Mic
Preamp - Scratch 'n' Dent 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
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
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 8 Channel Variable Input Impedance Mic Preamp - Scratch 'n' Dent 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
Give your studio
eight channels of high-quality transparent audio that rivals the sound of "A" room consoles at an amazingly low price.
