The year was 1997 when David Dearden and Gareth Davies decided to set up shop. Working out of his garage, Dearden handbuilt a new kind of analog mixing console destined to raise the bar of audio-quality standards in the new landscape of the digital recording industry. Word got out, the console caught on, and the new company, Audient, achieved near overnight fame.
Of course, a company like Audient doesn't really start overnight. Well before Audient, David Dearden and Gareth Davies had founded DDA, which had also produced consoles throughout the '80s and '90s. Along the way, Dearden worked full-time with Eddie Veale building consoles and studios, including private studios for John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. By the time Audient came around, the expertise behind the technology was second to none.
Audient hit the ground running in 1997 with their flagship console, the ASP8024. Compared to other large-format desks, the ASP8024 was remarkably affordable, yet its uncompromising quality, not its price tag, made it an instant success. Another important aspect of this console was its sheer simplicity, an uncommon feature in an in-line arrangement. All this culminated in a design so popular that 20 years later, the ASP8024 is still in production in the updated Heritage Edition model.
When they realized exactly how popular Dearden's preamps had become, Audient became determined to offer them to a wider audience. As a result, they did what many of the top console manufacturers have done: they made the exact same preamps available in a series of rackmount modules. Specifically, the Audient ASP800 and ASP880 not only feature eight original Audient preamps, but they also include additional features such as JFET DIs, HMX and IRON enhancements, and digital conversion.
In fact, Audient has equipped all of their interfaces, from the small and portable iD4 to the larger-format iD44, with Dearden-designed preamps. Comprising low-noise transistors, radio-frequency interference filters, and a combination of traditional components and surface-mounted components, Audient preamps are clean and punchy, with a pleasant touch of warmth to add analog life to your digital recordings. By using the same Class A mic pre design across their entire product range, Audient provides the renowned Audient console sound to users of every level.
Audient's motto is, "You can't unhear quality," and no products have done as good of a job bringing this philosophy to a new generation of recording engineers as iD series audio interfaces. These USB interfaces include genuine, Class A Audient microphone preamps, JFET DIs, and class-leading converters. Features such as integrated DAW controls and monitor mix sections, along with their superior sound quality, make iD series interfaces extremely popular here at Sweetwater, and we absolutely love turning our customers on to these amazing devices.
