REVIEW: Cranborne Audio 500R8

It's a 500 series rack! It's a USB interface! It's BOTH! Is the Cranborne Audio 500R8 right for you? Watch this review to find out!
-- THE GEAR --
Cranborne Audio 500R8 - tidd.ly/3wj9Whu
Warm Audio TB12 - tidd.ly/4acQrot
Phoenix Audio DRS-1R - tidd.ly/4bfpcLw
-- VIDEO --
Camera: Sony Alpha A7R3 - bit.ly/3Gqxzqa
Sony 24mm-105mm G Lens - bit.ly/3zKkofH
Neewer Light - bit.ly/3MsG8UY
Sony Lavalier Mic - tidd.ly/3UEtQLM
- -Work with me --
Web - www.MattIngram...
Instagram - / mattingramsound
00:43 Front Panel
03:40 Back Panel
07:35 Pros
09:00 Cons
11:30 Verdict
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that we provide we may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you!

[@balisaani]

Thanks a lot for this - it's succinctly and aptly presented - appreciate the two cons you mentioned as well (not a deal breaker, but good to know).

[@mattingramsound]

Glad it was helpful! It is a great product, those cons are pretty small, but still worth mentioning. Thank you for the comment!

[@AH23794]

I love mines!!! Changed my life and workflow!!!!

[@mattingramsound]

Absolutely! Especially love using outputs 29/30 as a dedicated Cue mix. Also the pre's have radically improved my sound.

[@thrillerboyrecords]

Great review the 500 R8 is an amazing audio interface making an investment was the wise choice for me. I’ve taking advantage of the spdif to the SSL Alpha Channel and TOS LInk to Mk5 Motu and AD/DA converter sync well. It took a year for me to fill the interface the inserts are a plus for compressors, noise gates or FX.

[@mattingramsound]

Thank you! I have really loved mine since I got it. What pre's did you put into yours?

[@thrillerboyrecords]

@@mattingramsound I have DBX-520 DE ESSER , (2) SSL 6 Cahannel , (1) API 565 filter , SSL UVEQ & WesAudio NG500.

[@mattingramsound]

@@thrillerboyrecords Sounds like a pretty sweet setup!

[@thrillerboyrecords]

@@mattingramsound indeed I’m loving it what are your thoughts of the new Cranborne Audio modules. What’s your instagram ?

[@mattingramsound]

@@thrillerboyrecords Everything I've heard from them has been good. I'm excited to get my hands on the new harmonic E q's. @mattingramsound

[@AH23794]

I absolutely love mines!!!

[@mattingramsound]

Me too!

[@raminpartovi734]

Nice video. Its an amazing unit. Biggest flaw is that in order to use it as an analog summing mixer from your DAW, you got to remove the 500 series modules to access the bypass switch. That makes it pretty much unusable for that unfortunately. Even if the inserted module has a bypass switch, it still runs through its circuit. They got to fix that. Also the output routing on mac is a little fishy but they offer workarounds. And make it thunderbolt please. Chain switch to any slot (not just the next) would be great and a 25 point snake connector for the patchbay. Very curious what they put out next.

[@bushyeyebrow]

I will keep your input in mind whenever I get into a fix with the outputs! Very good suggestions which I hope the company reads. I am learning more about the unit from the experiences of users. I will be initiating mine tomorrow! Excited.

[@ivleaguestudios]

Do you have a email I can reach you at? I have a few questions concerning this very issue.

[@HiddenDriveways]

According to the 500R8 manual, hitting the 500 series modules during summing is the intended way to use it: "You can use the eight 500 series slots as well as their insert points to apply analogue colouration and processing onto your audio tracks/stems before they are summed using the Summing Mixer." Your complaint is that if you don't want color from a module, you need to physically remove it and to hit that switch. If the switch were on the outside of the unit, you wouldn't have this problem. Am I understanding you correctly?

[@raminpartovi734]

@@HiddenDrivewaysYes that’s correct. If I wanted to use the R8 solely for the summing mixing (i.e. send my tracks from DAW through the R8) they would run through the circuits of the 500 modules that are inserted. Removing the unit and engaging the bypass switch would solve this, but having that bypass switch on the outside would make it way easier.

[@SaySomethingWorthHearing]

The million dollar question for me is how well do the converters stack up against something like RME etc.? The ADAT connectivity concept is awesome, but it's only awesome if the converters are excellent. There's nothing gained to put all that sweet analog gear in a chassis only to have it go through mediocre conversion in the name of convenience. I'm not saying the converters aren't great. I just don't know and wouldn't spend that kind of dough on a chassis without knowing there was considerable attention given to the converter side of the build.

[@mattingramsound]

I love the converters on the 500R8. I feel no need to purchase any other set of converters down the line.

[@SaySomethingWorthHearing]

@@mattingramsound Cool. Good to hear. What are your main converters you're using?

[@mattingramsound]

Sorry, just read back through my comment and realized I put the wrong model. I was obviously thinking about one of my other videos at the time. I am using the built in Cranborne converters in the 500R8. @@SaySomethingWorthHearing

[@SaySomethingWorthHearing]

@@mattingramsound So you're using the Cranborne as your interface? Those are your only converters? Interesting setup. If it works for you, then it can't be bad.

[@bushyeyebrow]

Thanks for going over things and pointing out some very minute shortcomings. I just got it today for additional mic inputs, for Adat primarily and am a little baffled by it. Hopefully in a year I will know how to use this machine well. I thought instead of dropping money in a thousand upgradeable pieces of equipment, I looked at it as a one stop shop ( other than the 500s I will have to fill it with to make the most if it) Currently I am looking to use it for the adat functionality, the mic-pres that come with it and potentially as a standalone interface as well. But for for now I will connect it to my BabyFace pro FS

[@mattingramsound]

Did you order the Cranborne pre's with it? They sound pretty nice!

[@bushyeyebrow]

@@mattingramsound I will pick up my first 2 pre's tomorrow. After thinking long and hard I am starting off with a couple of Grace Design 501s

[@bushyeyebrow]

@@mattingramsound Thanks for your reply. I thought long and hard and am starting off with a pair of Grace Design 501 pre's. I have ordered them and am picking them up shortly. I did hear good things about the Cranborne pre's but I have had my eye on Grace Design for a couple of years now. Got to feed that need first.

[@gregczech7344]

Hey thanks for your video and insight on this Cranborne interface. I’m on the fence. I have 2 great channel strips I use all the time that can be used as an insert to track, then the 6 other slots used as a mastering chain. Those are my thoughts. Any other suggestions or comments to buy this thing? Thanks👍

[@mattingramsound]

Sounds like a good way to use it! The 500R8 really is quite flexibile.

[@anidea5646]

Maybe this is a stupid question but I have an Apollo x4 and am thinking of getting analog gear. I was looking at the 500adat because I want to continue to use my Apollo as an interface to use some of the plugins but I like that the 500r8 can be expanded to potentially have 16 slots with the 500adat. My question is can I use the 500r8 without the interface?

[@mattingramsound]

All questions are welcome around here. Yes, the 500r8 is a fully functioning analog 500 chassis, summing mixer, and cue system. You can use all of those functions without it being your interface. However, functionality will be limited. It would be a pretty expensive buy to not use all of its features.

[@anidea5646]

@@mattingramsound I see. Awesome. Thanks for answering. Ok so one more question lol I make sample based 90’s hip hop so I would only ever use one mic and analog gear would be for tracking vocals and for mixing the beat. Is this a good chassis for that application or am I better off getting like a 10 slot Neve?

[@reverendcarter]

i found some tie line panels on reverb that just pass the card io to a pair of xlr combo jacks on the front. makes balanced hardware inserts possible.

[@mattingramsound]

Sounds like it could be handy. Would you prefer that to a standard patch bay?

[@reverendcarter]

@@mattingramsound it made interfacing my balanced hardware a little easier to use. its nice to have something to plug something in real quick and usefully fill extra slots for cheap.

[@williambyrne6855]

Regarding the USB 2.0 limitations, it's possible to get 8 channels @ 96KHz. And as you pointed out, to get 16 channels, the resolution must be cut in half to no more than 48 KHz.

[@mattingramsound]

Right, it is just unfortunate that you lose the DAW2 functionality when you turn it up passed 48k. I like to use it as a Cue mix for the musicians.

[@jamesssemakula165]

I like these new stuffs.

[@mattingramsound]

Not sure what you mean by "stuffs", but thank you.

[@voodoochili12]

I'd love to know more about creating headphone mixes for zero latency monitoring - does Cranborne offer software similar to Focusite Control or RME Puremix? If not, how are the headphone mixes created?

[@mattingramsound]

They do not have a software that goes along with it. You can monitor sources via the analog mixer on the front in real time, before they ever hit the converters. You can then blend in the feed from your DAW with the analog mixer. If you use the DAW 2 outputs, you can create a dedicated cue mix without affecting your main mix.

[@cuttingedge1987]

Without speaking of having a professional studio, this unit is perfect for creativity if you have the money for it =). Thank again for the video. How would you rate the converters ?

[@mattingramsound]

Glad you liked the video. The converters are fantastic. I don't plan on replacing mine. Ever.

[@cuttingedge1987]

@@mattingramsound Thank you =)

[@garethturner4811]

can I use the 8 outputs to send 8 separate tracks I have recorded from my daw to an 8 channel analogue mixer ? I have Neve centre piece I like to use , I was using an rme 800 and want to upgrade .

[@mattingramsound]

It can be used in that way, though there is already an analog summing mixer built into it.

[@lastcall9998]

Hi Matt, I hope you can answer this: They say on some forums that the HP output of this item is way better than the UAD Apollos'? DA conversion of this item is way better?

[@mattingramsound]

Hey there! I don't have an apollo, but I can say that the converters on here sound great. I don't see a need to upgrade them down the line.

[@prodbyevananthony]

Hey Matt, great video. I saw u mentioned taking advantage of the insert points. This is something I would like to do but havent quite been able to do. I am using the Townsend labs L22 mic which needs 2 inputs. it is going into channels 1 and 2 which are my Shadow hills and neve preamps. What I would like to do is use insert point to go into my distressor compressor. Can u give me any tips/pointers on how to achieve this?

[@mattingramsound]

Thanks! I assume you are compressing both channels? You would just need an insert cable for CH1 and 2, go out of the insert jack on the back of the 500r8, into 2 stereo linked compressors, or a single stereo compressor. Or if you don't want them stereo linked you could just go into to single channel compressors. A proper patch bay makes this all a lot easier. It can be a pain to crawl behind equipment to make connections. Hope this helps.

[@prodbyevananthony]

@@mattingramsound gotcha. Do I need to set up the in out plugin in my daw for return track?

[@TheFollowthrough]

@@prodbyevananthony If you do it in the way I suggested, the signal would hit your pre, then continue analog into your compressor via the insert, then hit your converters. In other words, your DAW will still just see it as input on slots 1 and 2. No further digital routing is needed.

[@tjjansen6642]

Thank you for the terrific information....you get a like and subscribe from me! I just purchased the 500R8 and I'm hoping it simplifies my setup without compromising quality. I currently use a Babyface Pro FS for my interface but I'd like to be rid of having to use the TotalMix software (I find it cumbersome and confusing). In your opinion, is the built in interface in the 500R8 just as good as the Babyface Pro FS? Thank you.

[@mattingramsound]

Thanks for the sub! I appreciate it! I have heard decent things about RME, though I have never used it. I can say that I love the Cranborne converters, and don't see a need to update in my studio anytime soon.

[@MelodikAudioVideo]

Why would you need a headphone mic at 88.2...why not just keep it at 44.1? You said that was a flaw. Thanks

[@mattingramsound]

I think you mis understood. I did not say anything about a headphone mic. I did say that when you increase resolution you lose your dedicated headphone MIX. And yes, that can be a problem.

[@014Marines]

Will switching the unit to “Daw 2” change the input and output from 1 and 2, to 29 and 30? Thanks. I’m still trying to correctly use the aggregate device to be able to use input 1 and 2. Im using logic and since the master stereo is hard fixed to inputs 1 and 2 I’m unable to use the first 2 slots without changing the input and output in the daw to a aggregate device. A reply would be appreciated, thanks.

[@mattingramsound]

Switching to DAW2 doesn't do anything to your inputs, those stay the same. It changes the source of the monitor section from the main stereo bus, which is ouput 9/10, to outputs 29/30. I cannot speak to logic as I use pro tools. I do find it hard to believe that logic would not have some kind of routing matrix though.

[@lastcall9998]

What interface did you use to record the voice of this video? Thanks.

[@mattingramsound]

I was recording my mic on a TASCAM digital pocket recorder.

[@lastcall9998]

@@mattingramsound Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Have some great holidays X)

[@runemidsun]

Hi, do you loose I/O when you work at 48khz?

[@mattingramsound]

Nope. Full IO at at 24bit 48K.