This ADAT-equipped preamp offers one-knob compression on every channel.

It’s increasingly common to extend the I/O capability of small computer interfaces by connecting an external eight-channel preamp via an ADAT optical port. Some of these external preamps are just that — a multi-channel preamp and A-D converter, providing additional simultaneous recording inputs to the computer, while others provide D-A conversion and line outputs too, enabling the connection of analogue outboard in send-return loops as well as more monitoring feeds and so forth. Popular ADAT preamp options for this application range from the Behringer ADA8200 Ultragain at the budget end of the scale, through to Cranesong’s Spider at the very deep-pocketed end, with alternatives from the likes of ART, Audient, Focusrite, Grace Design, Midas, PreSonus, RME and more besides.

A new addition to this competitive market comes from Tascam, in the form of the Series 8p Dyna. This is a 1U rackmounting eight-channel mic preamp with integrated A-D converter and, as the name implies, a dynamics processor for each channel.