Cranborne Audio 500R8 500-Series Rack

The Cranborne Audio 500R8 500-Series Rack is a complete studio-in-a-box. 28-in/30-out USB audio interface with high-performance A/D-D/A conversion featuring low-jitter internal clock, comprehensive monitor controller, analogue summing mixer, zero-latency artist mixer, and 8-slot high-current 500 series rack.

The 500R8 is the centrepiece to the modern studio. It's a 28-in/30-out USB audio interface that combines a 500 series rack and high-performance A/D-D/A conversion with all of the connectivity required in the modern professional or home studio. The 500R8 features the studio essentials that you need to build your dream studio such as an 8-into-2 high-headroom analogue summing mixer, comprehensive monitor controller with talkback facilities, 16-in/16-out ADAT interface, as well as a zero-latency analogue artist mixer with reference-quality, high-powered headphone outputs.

The Best Of Analogue
By capitalising on the vast and ever growing 500 series market, you can configure your 500R8 to suit your tastes of analogue flavour. By installing your favourite 500 series modules into the 8 available 500 series slots, you can create your ultimate analogue front-end/preamp stage that can be multi-track recorded directly into your DAW. Fill 500R8 full of vintage preamps for recording drums. Fill 500R8 full of clean and pristine preamps for recording strings. Fill 500R8 full of Preamp, EQ, and Compressor modules to create your own custom, analogue channel strips. The possibilities are endless and every 500R8 is unique to your sound. Integrating 500 series modules into your workflow doesn't stop after the recording. Dedicated module source switches for each 500 series slot allow you to send USB channels from your DAW, into 500R8, through the 8 installed 500 series modules, and back into your DAW for recording (with that analogue ‘mojo’ applied). Think of 500R8 as a bank of 8 external Analogue Plug-ins. For a more hands-on, all-analogue approach to mixing, 500R8 also features an 8-into-2 high-headroom analogue summing mixer with dedicated level and pan controls that you can use to create your own high-headroom analogue mix before recording it back into your DAW using dedicated USB inputs 9/10.

The Best Of Digital
In order to capture every subtle nuance of your analogue signal, 500R8 features reference-class A/D-D/A conversion with 121dB (A-wtd) dynamic range and THD+N of <0.00032% (@ -4dBFS, 1kHz, A-wtd), all governed by 500R8’s master-reference grade internal clock with

USB Audio Interface
Cranborne Audio's USB 2.0 audio interface provides high channel-count and low-latency performance whilst being accepted by all PC/macOS devices with unparalleled stability and longevity. 500R8 is core audio compliant for macOS or features a lightweight control panel for Windows machines that absorbs as little CPU resources as possible to leave you with more power for plug-ins within your DAW session. Plug 500R8 into your PC/macOS device and your DAW will see a full 28-in/30-out USB audio interface. 500R8 also includes a full complement of 5-pin MIDI I/O, ADAT I/O, Word Clock I/O via BNC, and S/PDIF I/O to ensure that all of your digital studio connectivity is covered.

Monitor Controller
The 500R8 features a comprehensive monitor controller with connectivity for two sets of studio monitors. As well as seamless speaker switching between both sets of studio monitors, there’s a Mono button that sums L-R channels to check for mono compatibility, a DIM switch that drops the speaker volume by 12dB for relaxed discussions during recordings, and a speaker mute switch for when you are tracking with headphones. The 500R8 also features a comprehensive Talkback section with XLR input, 48v phantom power, push-to-talk operation, and automatic signal routing to all C.A.S.T. and headphones outputs connected to the system.

Summing Mixer
Analogue summing can give your mix the final bit of analogue character required to achieve professional and polished sonic results. What makes 500R8's 8-into-2 channel summing mixer so special is that it is positioned after the 8 500 series slots - allowing you to insert saturation or subtle 'bus-compression' modules and create a stereo mix using 500R8’s dedicated analogue level and pan controls beneath each module. 500R8's summing mixer also has a dedicated converter which can be used to record your stereo mix into your DAW on USB inputs 9/10 with a massive +24dBu of headroom.

Zero-Latency Artist Mixer
The 500R8 moves away from clunky "virtual" software mixers and gets your hands back onto the mix. By using 500R8’s high-headroom analogue summing mixer, you can create zero-latency, all-analogue mixes of live sources that can be blended with discrete USB playback paths and sent directly to the recording musicians via C.A.S.T. or the local headphone outputs.

C.A.S.T. Equipped
C.A.S.T. stands for Cat 5 Analogue Snake Transport and enables cost effective and organised cable management around your studio. C.A.S.T. repurposes off-the-shelf, shielded Cat 5e, Cat 6, and Cat 7 networking cables to transport 4 channels of balanced analogue audio over a single cable. C.A.S.T. is 100% analogue and requires no setup in order to operate. It can easily work at distances up to 100m when Cat 6 or Cat 7 cable is used and the complete studio cabling infrastructure costs a fraction of what an analogue multi core would cost. No setup. No latency. No fuss. And it sounds great.

Designed and Engineered in the UK
To ensure that every product bearing the Cranborne Audio name is worthy of studio environments big or small, every 500R8 is carefully assembled by a skilled workforce with immense attention to detail and every product is tested thoroughly by a skilled engineer before shipping to destinations around the world.

Tracking Bundles!
Cranborne Audio has introduced two very cool bundles that are available here at Front End Audio. These bundles are called the Cranborne Audio 500R8 Tracking Bundle, and the Cranborne Audio 500ADAT Tracking Bundle. These bundles include Cranbornes well respected Camden Preamps (x8), and either the 500R8 Rack, or 500ADAT rack (respectively). So if you want to have the ultimate Cranborne bundle and save, these are the bundles to get! Expand your studio or live rig with easy, and tonal flexibility!

Cranborne Audio 500R8 500-Series Rack Features

• 28-in/30-out USB 2.0 audio interface
• High-performance A/D-D/A conversion
• Master reference-quality internal clock
• Monitor controller with talkback
• Analogue summing mixer
• Zero-latency artist mixer
• Reference-Quality Headphone Outputs
• High-current 8-slot 500 series rack
• C.A.S.T. Compatible
• 24v, 5a external locking power supply
• Designed and Engineered in the UK

Cranborne Audio 500R8 500-Series Rack Includes

• 500R8 500-Series Rack
• External power adapter
• IEC cable
• 16 module fixing screws (crosshead, 4-40 thread size)
• Allen key (2.5mm)
• Quickstart Guide