Cranborne Audio 500R8

Cranborne Audio 500R8

500 series 8-slot Lunchbox, USB interface 28x30, analog summing mixer, zero latency foldback system and headphone amp

Studio In A Box

500R8 is home to 8 of your favourite 500 series modules. It's also a 28in/30out USB audio interface, monitor controller, and discrete analogue summing mixer.

Analogue Character

Configure 500R8 to suit your desired analogue flavour. Fill it full of vintage-style 500 series preamps when you're recording drums, clean and pristine preamps when you're recording strings, or EQ/Compressor/saturation 500 series modules when it's time for mixing.

...Meets Digital Precision

Connect 500R8 directly to your PC/Mac and capture every last nuance of your analogue sources with reference-class AD/DA conversion and superior internal clocking. Effortlessly pass audio between analogue and digital worlds without digital artefacts that colour and degrade your recordings.

The Studio Essentials

500R8 has everything you need to build your dream analogue/digital hybrid studio. Each element has been carefully considered and designed to give you best of everything combined into a package that is intuitive (and fun) to use.

USB Audio Interface

Connect directly to your PC/mac via USB and utilise 500R8's built-in 28-in/30-out USB audio interface for recording and playback directly to/from your chosen DAW.

Monitor Controller

Switch between two sets of speakers, toggle Mono sum, Mute, Dim, and Talkback facilities whilst monitoring the peak level of your mix with 28-segments of LED detail by using the built-in, high-headroom monitor controller.

Zero Latency Artist Mixer

Monitor live sources in the analogue domain with zero latency by using dedicated mix level and pan controls per-channel combined with our seriously high-powered headphone amps.

Discrete Summing Mixer

Elevate your mix with analogue character and sum 8 USB sources through your 500 series modules and into the discrete analogue summing mixer to be summed and recorded back into your DAW as a stereo track.

World-Class Conversion & Clocking

To make your 500 series modules shine on your digital recordings, our conversion had to be best-in-class. We squeezed every possible .1dB of performance out of 500R8's converters to ensure that the only thing colouring your recordings are your mic placements, mixing decisions, and choice of 500 series modules. Dynamic Range: 121dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz Frequency Response: -1dB, 2.2Hz to >80kHz THD+N: <0.00032% (-110dB) @ -4dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted Clock Jitter: <0.5 Picoseconds

Deep 500 Series Integration

Configurable Front End Mix and match your 500 series modules to find the best combinations during recording, and mixing to help create your own signature, analogue sound. Source Select Re-patch your 500R8 at a flick of a switch. Dedicated source select switches for each 500 series slot adjusts the signal routing to send Analogue, C.A.S.T. or USB sources through each your modules. Enough I/O For Any Hardware 500R8 to integrates with all of your analogue/digital hardware. Patch in 500R8 with your own converter or integrate your 19" rack gear with dedicated TRS insert jacks per slot. No Modules? No Problem Bypass unused 500 series slots using 500R8's dedicated slot-bypass switch and you can use all of the available analogue paths for recording whilst you continue to build your 500 series collection.

Ready For More?

When you've run out of available recording channels on 500R8, our 500ADAT comes to the rescue. Connect 500R8 and 500ADAT together via ADAT and now you have 16 channels of 500 series modules to work with. during recording and mixing. Whilst 500ADAT offers the same performance as 500R8, any 3rd party ADAT expander is also compatible. More Recording Channels Record up to 16 channels directly through independent 500 series modules and directly into your DAW for processing. More Summing Channels Play back instrument groups/stems into all 16 available 500 series slots for summing using our C.A.S.T. link connector.

C.A.S.T. Away

Fitted with our C.A.S.T. system, 500R8 casts-away excess cabling spaghetti and offers a cost-effective, low-maintenance, plug-and-play solution by transporting 4 channels of balanced, analogue audio over shielded cat 5 cable directly to the location where it is needed in your studio. Receive Audio From C.A.S.T. Connect 500R8 to our N22/N22H breakout boxes using shielded cat 5 cable and now you can send mic/line sources through 100m of Cat 5 cable and directly into 500R8's module inputs. Transmit Audio To C.A.S.T. Through that same cat 5 connection, you can transport 500R8's monitor mix (with Talkback included) through C.A.S.T. and directly to the musician at the other end zero-latency analogue monitoring.

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Specifications

All specifications are typical performance unless otherwise noted. All specifications are subject to change at any time. Tested with Audio Precision APx555 at 192 kHz internal sample rate and internal clock. HF response of digital measurements will vary depending on sample rate selected during recording.
Digital Performance
A/D Conversion
Test Signal Path	XLR Input - 500 Series A/D Converter - APx555 (ASIO)
Frequency Response	-1dB, 2.2Hz to >80kHz
	-0.05dB, 20Hz to 20kHz
THD+N	<0.00032% (-110dB) @ -4dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
	<0.00065% (-104dB) @ -1dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
THD	<0.00014% (-117.5dB) @ -8dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
	<0.00023% (-113dB) @ -4dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
	<0.0006% (-105dB) @ -1dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
Dynamic Range	121dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz
Max Input Level	+24dBu
D/A Conversion
Test Signal Path	500 Series D/A Converter - Insert Send - APx555 (ASIO)
Frequency Response	-1dB, <1Hz to >61kHz
	-0.05dB, 20Hz to 20kHz
THD+N	<0.0003% (-110.5dB) @ -4dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
	<0.0004% (-108dB) @ -1dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
THD	<0.00014% (-117.5dB) @ -8dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
	<0.00018% (-115dB) @ -4dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
	<0.00036% (-109dB) @ -1dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
Dynamic Range	121dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz
Max Output Level	+24dBu
Clocking
Jitter	<0.5ps
Analogue Performance
Line Outputs (Speaker B, Aux, Mix)
Test Signal Path	DAW 2 D/A Converter - Line Outputs - APx555 (Line In)
Connection Type	1/4" Jack, Impedance Balanced
Output Impedance	150ohm balanced, 75ohm unbalanced
Max Output Level	<+22dBu
Freq Response	-1dB, 1.4Hz to >80kHz
THD+N	<0.003% @ +18dBu, 1kHz
Dynamic Range	105dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz
Noise Floor	<-93dBu A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz, (Unity Gain)
Speaker A Output
Test Signal Path	DAW 2 D/A Converter - Speaker A Line Output - APx555 (Line In)
Connection Type	XLR, Balanced, non-floating
Output Impedance	150ohm balanced, 75ohm unbalanced (pin 3 unconnected)
Max Output Level	<+26dBu
Freq Response	-1dB, <1Hz to 70kHz
THD+N	<0.0016% @ +24dBu, 1kHz
Dynamic Range	109dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz
Noise Floor	<-92.5dBu A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz, (Unity Gain)
Talkback Input
Gain	30dB Fixed Gain Preamp, +20dB Analogue Trim
Phantom Power	Always On
Summing Mixer
Test Signal Path	XLR Input - Summing Mixer Bus (Unity) - A/D Converter 9/10 - APx555 (ASIO)
Freq Response	-1dB, 2.25Hz to >80kHz
	-3dB, 1.2Hz
	-0.5dB, 3Hz
THD+N	<0.0007% @ +23dBu (-1dBFS), 1kHz
THD	<0.0003% @ +14dBu (-10dBFS), 1kHz
	<0.0004% @ +20dBu (-4dBFS), 1kHz
	<0.00055% @ +23dBu (-1dBFS), 1kHz
Dynamic Range	108dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz
Noise Floor (A/D 9-10)	-108dBFS A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz
Max Contribution Level	+28dBu
Pan Law	-4dB
Noise Floor (Mix Output)	-90dBu, A-weighted, No channels routed
	-89.5dBu, A-weighted, 1 channel routed (Unity)
	-84dBu, A-weighted, 8 channels routed (Unity)
Headphone Amp
Test Signal Path	DAW 2 D/A Converter - Headphone Output - APx555 (Line In)
Frequency Response	-1dB, <1Hz to >70kHz
THD	<0.0006% (-104.4dB) @ 20dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 300ohm load
THD+N	<0.00085% (-101.4dB) @ 20dBu, 1kHz, A-weighted, 300ohm load
Output Impedance	0.33 Ohms
Output Wattage	250mW x 2 @ 600 ohms, 1kHz
	650mW x 2 @ 220 ohms, 1kHz
	1.21W x 2 @ 100 ohms, 1kHz
	500mW x 2 @ 32 ohms, 1kHz
Dynamic Range	114.5dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz, 300ohm load
Noise Floor	-93.5dBu A-weighted, 20Hz - 20kHz, 300ohm load
System Performance
Analogue Path Phase Performance
Test Signal Path	XLR Input - Empty 500 Series Slot - Summing Mixer Bus (unity) - Monitor Bus - Speaker A Output - APx555 (Line In)
Phase	<3.6° @ 20Hz, <22° @ 20kHz
Test Signal Path	XLR Input - Empty 500 Series Slot - Summing Mixer Bus (unity) - Mix Output - APx555 (Line In)
Phase	<1.5° @ 20Hz, <11° @ 20kHz
Test Signal Path	XLR Input - Camden 500 Preamp (Mic Mode, 6dB Gain) - Summing Mixer Bus (unity) - Speaker A Output - APx555 (Line In)
Phase	<3° @ 20Hz, <13.5° @ 20kHz (Preamp mic mode, 6dB Gain)
Digital Round-trip Performance
Test Condition	500 Series D/A Converter - 500 Series A/D Converter - APx555 (ASIO)
Dynamic Range	118dB A-weighted, AES17 method, 20Hz - 20kHz
THD+N	<0.0004% (-108dB) @ -4dBFS, 20Hz - 40kHz, 1kHz, A-weighted
Power
AC Requirements	100V – 240V AC, 50 – 60 Hz
Total Power Consumption	24v, 5A DC, 120w
500 Series Slot Current	250mA per rail
Total Available 500 Series Slot Current	2A
Environmental
Operating Temperature	+1 to 30 degrees Celsius
Storage Conditions	-20 to 50 degrees Celsius
Dims/Weights
Unit
Width	481mm(19"), Rackmount
Height	185mm(7"), 4u
Depth	219m(8.6")
Unit Weight	7kg
Shipping Carton
Width	550mm(21.7")
Height	280mm(11")
Depth	335m(13.2")
Weight	7.5kg