Anybody using Behringer ADA8200 via ADAT for extra inputs?

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

Hey gang

Anybody using this thing for extra inputs? I’m thinking of it specifically for my Apollo Twin Quad until I can afford the X8p upgrade.

I’ve done some research and people are quite polarized about this. But I have a feeling the people in this forum will offer feedback that may be more relevant to me and my music/home studio vibes. Pros teeter around “wow bang for the buck factor, and honestly it sounds good, not a load of character, a bit thin, but fine”. Cons usually involve very flat sound and bleed between channels… which is kinda not the coolest thing ever eh? :slight_smile:

I’d like to multi-track all my outboard gear in a simple, easy and most of all cheap way (without switching to the Soundcraft MTK mixers… not a fan).

Thanks in advance!
:slight_smile:

FWIW I’d prefer to get one of the Audients (ASP800/880) but that’s just a bit too high in price at the moment.

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#2

I use the ADA8000 from Behringer.
Very cheap and IMO its fine . I use it with my Focusrite Clarett 4 pre. The preamp of the 8000 (8200 s’got better preamps) are not the best thing in the world but its ok . For the price i think its a really good value and i dont think its worth paying a lot just for DAC.

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#3

ADA8K here too. Its perfectly fine. I think the 82k is supposed to be even better no? I use mine mainly for outputs.

For a bit more you could get a used Focusrite adat.

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#4

FWIW I’d prefer to get one of the Audients (ASP800/880) but that’s just a bit too high in price at the moment.

I have nothing very useful to say about the Behringer ADA8200. I’ve read the same things as you and it deterred me a bit. I finally opted for the Focusrite Scarlett Octopre and it’s really nice and transparent. I use it with a Fireface UFX. Just saying that because it’s a good “middle” option between Audient / RME ADAT interfaces and the Behringer. (note that the Focusrite only has ADAT output, the 8200 has input and output).

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#5

AD8000 here and it just works as expected, not really any particularly obvious difference in quality compared to my Creamware A16 Ultra.

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#6

I’ve got a motu 828x and plan on adding a ada8200 so I can record all my MD outputs at once. They’re actually great for the price.

Also FWIW reverb.com has them 15% off this weekend ($190 or so brand new.)

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#7

Thanks y’all! I think I’ll pick one up.

#8

I use an old MOTU Traveler MK1 as an ADAT expander and it is solid.
Can find them for about $100.

One bummer about the Apoloo Twin is any expander you use will then become the master clock, which will have an effect on conversion quality due to jitter.

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#9

Wow Iv been through all this recently, short answer is yes they are awesome (I’m running 4 at the moment)

I started like you, Apollo twin, got my first synth and the downward spiral began, bought another synth needed inputs, naively thinking 8 extra inputs would be enough I bought the ada8200 and connected it to my twin.

A day or so later (dramatisation) all 8 adat inputs are being used. So what next?

Bought the uad Apollo X8, cascaded the Apollo twin via TB and added the ada8200 to the Apollo X8 optical sockets (by the way I must stress although it appears to have 2 ins and out optically, it doesn’t so only one adat box per unit)

Was I happy? Yes!!! Till all my inputs are being utilised, another ada8200 comes to the rescue connecting it to the Apollo twins optical input, so as of now I have 26 inputs.

Was I happy? Yes!!! Well you get the picture, till the inputs are all Synthesizered up.

This is where it became hard, I then went the route of purchasing an RME digiface, at first I ran it in aggregate to my uad giving me a new total of 58 useable inputs, well not as useable as I thought, having it in aggregate introduced latency beyond an acceptable measure. So now I’m left thinking only option is to run the digiface as a splitter box from the back end of the Apollo twin and layer 4x 8channel ada8200’s and mix the 4 in the total mix software before going into UAD’s console. This works but the OCD in me doesn’t let me settle. I want my inputs separately available within my DAW. But how do it do this?

Apparently by buying an RME UFX I can run the digiface adjacently AND add another 2 ada8200’s to the rme ufx (unlike uad)

So before you heavily invest in uad (like me) consider a RME UFX

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#10

Another consideration is MOTU 2408s which can be picked very cheap and used standalone. I have a MK II and a MK I as well which uses phono inputs though. I also use a focusrite 18i20 which makes a great breakout box for my ageing RME HDSP. I used to use a couple of Octopres but they ran very hot and I had no need for the pre-amps.

The Motus sound fine to me, the only downside with them is you can only route either the inputs or the outputs at a time, but I only need the inputs, the 18i20 provides enough outputs for my needs.

#11

I run an Apollo 8 (blackface) with a Behringer ADA8200 as an expansion for additional line ins.

I think for linein use its fine as long as you use the preamps at unity gain. If you were to want to use the preamps also (mics etc), I would say the difference in quality/sound would have to be to your liking (probably not) - because there will be a definite difference to the unsion preamps on the Apollo. Note that if you intend to use the ADA as line in expander, that the preamps can’t be circumvented, i.e. you’ll have to run your gear through them which is why it is important to set them to unity gain.

Re Clocking, I also thought that the Apollo had to be slaved to the Behringer (or any other ADAT expander) and had it set like that for a good while, but just last week I accidentally switched it back to Apollo = Master clock and for some odd reason it works. I wonder if there was maybe something in one of the recent software updates.

My verdict - for synth duties via line in it’s good enough as long as you are not going for super high fidelity applications. If you wanna engage the preamps (eg for additional mics), I’d say save your money a little longer and go for eg the Audient ASP offerings.

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#12

I´ve had two 8200 and they work OK but with using two i had some weird clocking issues - which i solved eventually. But they are worth the money i think since they are very cheap. However, Is you have the extra cash step up and get a ferrofish instead, there you can get 16 in/outs for about 500 euros and in only 1 unit height.

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#13

All good here with the 8200 through my motu hybrid avb.

Extra ins or outs are very handy as a desktop expander.

Having a row of front facing inputs centre of the desk saves a lot of hassle.

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#14

For line level the ADA8200 is totally fine. If you’re using mega expensive mics then you might want better mic pres. otherwise, it’s as good as anything.

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#15

I use an ADA8000 to get more inputs for my old Behringer DDX desk when I need them. Sounds fine for general duties so I imagine the 8200 might sound a little better.

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#16

thanks for the thorough responses @hausland @Sureno. i made the Arrow and Ox logos for UAD a while back so i might still get a discount. i hope… it’s been a little while hehe.

i’m still a bit concerned about the bleed between channels, though. i mean i’m not scoring movies here, but the point of multi-tracking is a bit defeated by that, eh? i’ll probably run the 8200 until i can afford either the ASP880 or x8/x8p. I’m happy using UAD software preamps for now. i’ve got a mackie 1642 vlz4 and i honestly don’t really like the onyx preamps, so i don’t see myself blazing the 8200 pre’s either.

aaaanyway thanks for the great feedback guys!

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#17

that’s great to hear, about the creamware. this reply is a huge part of my being up for this 8200. thanks!

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#19

haha saw your post yesterday. i guess you got it sorted?

#20

Yeah, I have no idea what was going on, it’s working at the moment. However some of the ADAT channels seem to jump around I.e. input 3&4 will come through on ADAT 1&2 or 5&6. It’s very weird.

I don’t know what’s going on.

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#21

wow, a lot of you are running a ton of channels at once. I just don’t need to record that many inputs simultaneously. my Fireface has ten ins and I have a mixer and a patch bay. that’s enough for me, and I’ve got a lot more instrument outputs than that (thirty or so).

I considered going down the adat expansion route just so I could always hit record and not have to re-patch stuff. but I didn’t want to go Behringer and always wonder “would it sound better if I’d used the Fireface inputs…?” so until I can get a Ferrofish Pulse or something, I’m keeping things as is.

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