Behringer ADA8200 Any Good?

[braincell]

Been looking at the Behringer ADAT

Price is great but does this thing suck?

[dante]

You got an X32 then ?

[valis]

You got an X32 then ?

What he means is that this is an expansion card for the X32 mixer. Circuit board + faceplate meant for internal use in said mixer, not standalone use. Are you asking about the ADA-8000? Or the 'MIDAS preamp' ADA-8200?

[braincell]

Yes I meant the Behringer ADA8200. I was told it is not the best but is it good enough?

[jksuperstar]

I think the 8200 is an improvement over the 8000. I have the 8000.

I think it's fine for tracking a lot of things (especially instruments, rather than delicate voices)...you can certainly find better A/D/As for mastering; but for tracking I think the price is right, the noise floor is low enough, and the harmonic distortion is pretty decent! There are modifications for the 8000 (improving the opamps and caps) to "open the sound" more, but I find my XITE word clock improves the sound anyway.

[dawman]

We use one live, bought it last year when they first announced them
Sounds great with the Midas MicPre's.

[braincell]

It's just for hardware effects for me. I wish I could get one of these without microphone preamps as I am sure that adds to the price. The 8200 looks a little closet to what I need except that all the analog outs are XLR. Might have to patch it in and out of a little mixer I have just to turn them into standard quarter inch. Of course XLR cables shorter than 6 feet cost a lot more.

[jksuperstar]

These are a charm (of course, get female XLR cable for outputs):

http://www.amazon.com/GLS-Audio-Patch-C ... ble+6+pack

[braincell]

Thanks. 6' is way longer than I want or need but the price is right. It is recommended to use y cables with those I think when going to an unbalanced input. I read that in my preamp manual. wonder if it really makes a difference.

[garyb]

it's just because the y cable shorts out the ring and sleeve of the trs connector...

if you want, you can buy XLR balanced to 1/4' TS unbalanced cables, too. theyt're made in 6 inch to 20 foot lengths, generally. i might cut the pin1 connection to the cable's shield on the XLR end, jut to help avoid ground loops.

[braincell]

Maybe little adapters are a cheaper way to go since 1/4" patch cables are so readily available.

[garyb]

sure, there are XLR to 1/4" adapters as well as ones that go XLR to a female rca....

[faxinadu]

just grabbed one, witht he midas preamps.

[dawman]

Now overdrive that bitch.....
It is not a great converter for microphones, but sounds it's best when hot signals go into it's 1/4" inputs.
We use the X32 with an ADAT Card, and the Midas ADAT 1U too.
Live it's OK for vocals but not as clean and precise as the MKII.

But it does get a big Fat Ass with hot signals using adapters or an extra +10db and over driving the inputs.

[stonberg]

Check my 'ADAT' post over on t'General Scope Discussion subforum.

The Behringer ADA82000 is perfect for me, but please bear in mind that I am 100% microphone-and-associated pre's ignorant, so have nothing to say about the quality of the MIDAS preamps built into the unit ('cos I'll probably never use them).

Actually, the line inputs as padded down and then fed into the MIDAS pre's, so in effect I am using them

[edit]

Just noticed the discussion on cables above. Recently, I've been using these guys:

http://professionalaudiocables.co.uk/

They make cables up (to order) to whatever length you want, use Neutrik plugs and good quality cable throughout. Price is very reasonable imho.

[braincell]

The cables/adaptors add a lot to the cost of it. I didn't get an ADAT i/o box yet. Might not get one until they add quarter inch outs.

[dawman]

FWIW the ADAT Converters are where Behringer cut corners.
Using the Mic Pre's for mic'd cabinets sounded alright, but lacked presence.
FOH EQ'd everything to compensate, then we used the A16 Ultra, old one not even the MKII
and right away we noticed a difference.
Mic Pre's to analog outs seem fine, but Mic'd Cabinets to Midas Mic Pre ins, then to ADAT outs is where the biggest quality difference is heard.

I heard the Ferrofish A32 is what they're using on the big jobs now.

[hubird]

I heard the Ferrofish A32 is what they're using on the big jobs now.

[dawman]

http://goo.gl/LCpKRV

[hubird]

no, yes, I believed you.

I know when you're playing...

Wish I had one

Just had a funny twist of mind:
Something like that but then different.