SPL’s Value- and Performance-packed 8-channel Pre/Converter
SPL’s Crescendo 8 eight-channel preamp made a big splash at Sweetwater. Now, the company has distilled the sonic essence of its high-end multichannel preamp into the P8, a streamlined 8-channel preamp that offers amazing bang for the buck. You still get SPL’s discrete transistor circuit design — no ICs here! Each of the eight channels hosts a full-featured mic pre, complete with a rotary gain control and switches for activating phantom power, a 20dB pad, polarity reverse, and a highpass filter. Equipped with SPL’s eight-channel A/D converter with ADAT outputs, the pure-analog P8 can be connected digitally to your audio interface. We’ve rarely seen so much functionality packed into a tidy, 1U 19-inch rackmount chassis. Put the SPL P8 to work in your studio or live rig and you’ll be impressed with its performance, versatility, and value. We certainly are!
Impressive versatility
The wide range of the Gain control (8dB–62dB) gives you broad latitude when using the P8. It has ample gain to handle low-output passive ribbon mics, yet you can crank down the gain enough to accommodate line-level signals. Each channel of the P8 provides the accoutrement you would expect of a full-featured professional preamp. There’s 48V phantom power for your condenser mics and a 20dB pad to facilitate healthy gain staging. An 80Hz, 6dB/octave highpass filter lets you quickly strip any unwanted/unneeded low-end content from your signals. A polarity reverse switch completes the neat, per-channel quartet of buttons.
ADAT and analog out
The eight mic inputs of the P8 are equipped with rear-panel Neutrik XLRs with gold-plated contacts. Signal transmission is electronically balanced at a nominal level of 0dBu. The P8 outputs eight line-level analog signals via a DB-25 socket on the rear panel. This version of the P8 ships with an eight-channel A/D converter card installed in the second output slot, permitting the P8 to be connected directly to the ADAT inputs of an audio interface. This gives you great flexibility in setting up your downstream routing. You can, for instance, run the analog outs in parallel as a backup or through a different effects chain to another recording device, obviating the need for a signal splitter.
High-performance A/D converter
The P8’s A/D converter module uses the acclaimed AKM AK5538 ADC chip, which converts analog audio with sampling rates of up to 192kHz to deliver highly-detailed digital output via ADAT optical (TOSlink), which offers compatibility with a broad range of audio interfaces. The converter’s ability to operate in single-, double-, or quad-speed modes gives you flexibility in terms of output channel count and sampling rates. Whichever speed mode you use, the P8 will still output eight channels of analog via the DB-25 connector. The A/D converter features word clock I/O and a switch for terminating the clock input, as well as a USB service port for firmware updates (not audio connections).
SPL Audio: supercharged audio products
Formed in Germany in 1983, SPL — Sound Performance Lab — has been at the forefront of the pro audio industry since its inception. From the renowned Transient Designer, TwinTube, and Vitalizer MK2-T to professional mastering tools such as the Passeq, SPL gear is found in top studios and mastering facilities worldwide. After developing proprietary 120V Technology in the ’90s, SPL decided to make this groundbreaking invention the heart of its high-end products. SPL meticulously crafts its equipment in its Niederkrüchten, Germany-based factory using discrete, top-drawer components and through-hole circuit designs. There, the company conducts its R&D, which includes real-world subjective listening tests as well as stringent bench testing to the strictest tolerances. Sweetwater is proud to offer audio professionals SPL’s distinguished lineup of innovative products.
SPL P8 Features:
- 8-channel mic preamplifier and A/D converter with ADAT
- Discrete transistor circuit design
- Per-channel balanced XLR inputs
- Per-channel 20dB pad, polarity reverse, 48V phantom power, and 80Hz, 6dB/octave HPF
- 8-channel analog output via DB-25 port
- Installed 8-channel A/D converter with ADAT outputs
- Meticulously crafted in Germany
