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Old 07-23-2019, 02:58 PM
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albee1952 albee1952 is offline
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Norwich, CT
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Default Re: Thinking of Adding 8 Pre’s to 003 - Different Reason

First thing; SPDIF is only good for 2 channels. Lightpipe can do 8 as long as sessions are 44.1 or 48K(no higher sample rates work, which is rarely an issue for most of us). SPDIF is easy; ART Digital MPA(budget) or API A2D(expensive, but great).

Now to lightpipe options(from someone that has used tons and still runs 003R today). The best option will be down to your budget and I will start at the low end(these are my opinion):
Behringer ADA8200(the red one). Preamps are on par or maybe better than the 003. Inputs on the front can be a buzzkill)
Presonus D8. more money, but not better IMHO.
Focusrite OctoPre(not the early silver one). Works fine, maybe a little better sounding(and maybe not). If you get the "DYNAMIC" version, you get 8 more outputs(Behringer also has this) which can be handy for headphone mixes.
Focusrite ISA428/828 w/digital card. 4(or 8) very clean preamps. The 428 has 4 line inputs where you can patch any analog preamp, which as great for patching NEVE and/or API clones(I ran pairs of Vintech and API 312 preamps when I had the 428). If buying used, avoid the Mk I version(with VU meters) as the power supply generates a ton of heat and will have failures(Mk II version does not suffer this). 828 is great, BUT not so great that I want 8 channels of it This is my second choice(with 4 more outboard preamps).
Midas XL48 This is my first choice if you record drums, because it sounds incredible on drums. Variable Hi-pass AND Lo-pass, pad and phantom on every channel. Sounds solid on most anything, but on drums, it beat my Vintech and API preamps. This unit is smack in the middle of pricing for all the above options. There are others, but these are what I have actually used
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Last edited by albee1952; 07-24-2019 at 04:35 PM.
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