Audient ASP 880

The preamplifier is one of the strong links constituting the audio chain in a home studio. When recording , it plays a vital role in capturing clearer , detail-rich signals from microphones and instruments. The full potential of a good microphone is only realized when it works with a good quality preamp . The ASP 880 is a preamplifier very popular with audiophiles and professionals. On the forums, many users express their great satisfaction with this Audient brand product. Is this preamplifier really good? What is it really worth? We answer it in this test.

The ASP 880 microphone preamplifier is a product from the Audient brand. Equipped with 8 channels , it incorporates many aspects of its predecessor the ASP 008 . Marketed for more than 10 years, the ASP 008 is a transistor preamp renowned for its quality and its very attractive performance-price ratio. Even though this product has become a reference for sound recording professionals, technological advances in the field of sound digitization have forced Audient to rework it.

This is how the ASP 880 has taken over all the key features of the ASP 008 . Significant improvements have been made to make the new preamplifier more ergonomic and more efficient than its predecessor. It works with most creative software like Cubase, Ableton, Sonar, etc. It can also be plugged directly into a headphone amp, a guitar amp, a home amp or a hi-fi amplifier. Sound professionals can easily take it to a concert venue and make sound recordings .

Audient ASP 880 Preamplifier Overview

The detail that doesn't jump out at you when you look at the ASP 880 for the first time is its and very well-crafted design In general, this mic preamp carried over the button layout and style of the ASP 008 . Audient has added two additional control buttons. For better readability, the appearance of the control panel on the front of the preamplifier has been improved. Even better, buttons of different colors light up for your viewing pleasure when the device is active.

cylindrical control buttons made entirely of solid aluminum are easier and more pleasant to operate compared to the flat-edged buttons on previous models. Since each potentiometer they cover is securely secured with nuts, there is no worry about them coming loose. When you turn them, you feel a pleasant mechanical sensation . A dominant dark gray color and silver control inscriptions help to better differentiate the channels.

On the ASP 880, it's nice that Audient chose red as the color indicating that the phantom is activated. The blue on previous models was not very appropriate. As for the polarity, filter and pad switches, the yellow and orange colors indicate that they are engaged. The ASP 880 does not have a line audio input feature. This has been replaced by an A/D/INSERT converter recognizable by the blue indicator light when activated.

Under the hood, the design has also been improved so that there is less light leakage between buttons arranged side by side. The intensity of the LEDs has been revised to better fit the case.

In addition, the ASP 880 uses the same classic circuitry found on other Audient preamps before it. It is composed of 8 direct class A transistors having a very wide margin in terms of bandwidth allowing excellent quality and performance. What sets the ASP 880 apart from others is that it uses a surface mount system . Components are better placed in the circuit so that the signal travels a shorter path.

All of these appearance and design improvements to the ASP 880 seem minimal. However, overall, we realize how significantly they contribute to improving the ergonomics , quality , practicality and performance of the amplifier .

Quick note : Also check out our complete review guide for the Manley Voxbox channel strip . This guide presents the sound quality produced by the channel strip, its technical characteristics, as well as our opinion on the Manley Voxbox.

Audient ASP 880 Preamplifier Features Overview

The ASP 880 has adopted almost all the features of its predecessors. Audient has made some minor modifications, but which make a difference in the quality and performance of the preamplifier. The 2nd order high pass filter ( 25 to 250 Hz ) is the same as that of the ASP 008. It is very soft and effectively gets rid of rumbles and unwanted sounds in low frequencies.

On previous models, the power buttons for the phantom P48 ( +48 V ) and those for polarity inversion . The only difference is that the PAD (attenuator) switch now allows signals to be attenuated in the order of 10 dB and not 20 dB, because the system governing the gain internally has been improved. Apart from the power supply, all of these features concern the line and microphone inputs on channels 1 and 2 as well as the Direct Input ( DI ) inputs.

professional condenser microphone input impedance on the ASP 880 is controllable via a recessed switch referencing " LO ", " MED " and " HI ". The values ​​are: 200 ohms symmetrical for the Micro – LO, 1.4 ohms symmetrical for the Micro – MED , and 3.6 Kohms for the Micro – HI . The input impedance switch controls the mic and line inputs. It adapts the sensitivity to the input according to the impedance of the signal source. Changing the input impedance changes how the mic capsule charges with electricity.

We can then notice obvious differences in tone and condenser microphones At the line input, the impedance switch usually only changes the signal level. If the source is 100 ohms , the modification results in a reduction of the input level to 5 dB if one goes from high to medium impedance.

During testing, we recorded line input impedance values ​​between 6 and 8.8 KOhms while Audient claims they go beyond 10 KOhms . The measured values ​​at the microphone input are 220 Ohms , 2.8 KOhms and 1.3 KOhms .

ASP 880 amplifier: XLR sockets for better signal reception

Unlike previous Audient amplifiers, the ASP 880 has a combination XLR jack associated with each input. They can receive microphone signals from the XLR and line inputs ( internal balanced 6.35 mm jack ). Therefore, the DB258 socket (25-pin D-sub connector having analog Tascam format) can be assigned to another function. As a result, the line entry button placed on the front of the box is no longer essential. The downside with this configuration is that it is impossible to simultaneously receive signals from the microphone input and the line input connected to the preamplifier. A button allows you to switch them.

Additionally, the gain range of the balanced line input is somewhat different from that of the microphone inputs. For the latter, the control rotation can vary from 0 dB to 60 dB and from -10 dB to +50 dB when the pad is activated. As for the line input, its gain range is -10dB to +50dB , and -20dB to +40dB when the pad is activated. The gain range of the Direct Input is the same as that of the studio microphone . You can plug in an electric or acoustic guitar, a bass or any other instruments.

Audient also made some changes to the instrument's input buffer. On the ASP 008, a high impedance buffer is obtained using an OP-AMP TL072 (operational amplifier). On the ASP 880, it is obtained by using a class A circuit amplifier with a (Junction Field Effect Transistor) type transistor This system generates a slight harmonic distortion giving an appreciable musical character.

Furthermore, preamplifiers with continuously rotating gain control like the ASP 880 tend to concentrate the gain towards the end in a clockwise direction. This is an advantage in that setting high gains on the ASP 880 is no problem. If we refer to the positions of the hands of a clock to identify the gain value: 6 o'clock: 0 dB, 9 o'clock: 2 dB, 12 o'clock: 20 dB, 3 o'clock: 35 dB, at the stop: 60 dB.

On the ASP 880, a microphone output of -52 dBu generates a sensitive peak of -10dBFS if you turn the channel gain to maximum. This is the case when we are dealing with a dynamic microphone with a sensitivity of 2 mV/Pa which receives 94 dB SPL , or a condenser microphone like the AKG C214 which has a sensitivity of 20 mV/Pa Pa receiving 74 dB SPL . All these numbers indicate that the ASP 880 has an awful lot of gain in reserve for all typical applications. Instrument and mic inputs accept +28 dB signals if the attenuator is engaged. As for the line input, it can accept 10 dB more .

Audient ASP 880 preamplifier: easy analog-digital conversion

The ASP 880 is more than just a multichannel preamp. Its use facilitates editing in a recording studio . Not relying entirely on analog technology, this preamplifier has a whole range of practical features to avoid cable clutter in the studio room. In the event of an error in assembly or during use, it is easier to find the sources.

On the rear of the case, Audient has presented the analog line outputs of each preamp on a 25-pin D-sub connector (DB25) in analog AES59/Tascam format. output level of +27 dBu can be achieved using a cross-coupled stereo audio line driver. A second DB25 connector allows you to receive line level signals from a stereo analog console.

However, these are not directed to the preamp, but to the AD converters . A AD insert switch allows direct line-level access to the converters. Therefore, external processing processors or devices can be integrated between the microphone preamps and the converters.

For users who want to receive signals from both mic and line sources simultaneously, simply select with the press of a button. As for the return of the line inputs, it is not present on the analog outputs. The signal emanating there does not benefit from any processing: no gain control, no filtering and no polarity switching.

In principle, the line outputs of the ASP 880 are constantly activated to allow the analog and digital outputs to operate simultaneously. AN input level is set at +18 dBu providing 0 dBFS , with an input impedance of 22 KOhms .

In addition, you can also discover our test and review on the API Audio The Channel Strip preamplifier . Discover in this guide the features, extended configurations, rear panel interface, sound quality, and technical characteristics of the API Audio The Channel Strip preamp.

ASP 880 preamplifier: switching power supply with many advantages

Audient has put an end to the heavy and inefficient linear transformers fitted to previous models. The ASP 880 benefits from a switching power supply designed in the firm's own factories. The advantages of this are numerous, starting with the fact that it is no longer necessary to use a fan for cooling the components. As a result, the ASP 880 is completely silent. This power supply can also operate without problem over a of mains voltage : between 90 V and 264 V. its consumption is 40 W.

The other strong point of this switching power supply is that the components only pick up weak hums associated with the mains connection. They are insignificant compared to those captured on preamplifiers using a linear transformer power supply . During testing, hum was measured below -85 dBu ( -105 dBFS ) at maximum gain and below -110 dBu ( -130 dBFS ) at minimum gain. These values ​​are astonishing.

In addition, the ASP 880 has been mechanically designed to resist unwanted interference that can blur recordings.

Focus on the sound quality of the Audient ASP 880 preamplifier

The sound quality of the ASP 880 allows for correct gain staging of voices or instruments, in this case drums, synthesizer, bass or electric and acoustic guitars. Tests have shown that this preamplifier is capable of clipping signals at high levels. These remain usable even if the gain is increased. This is a technical feat that few preamplifiers can achieve.

Thanks to the application of a high-cut filter during recording, the ASP 880 allows neutralization of unpleasant and undesirable frequencies, particularly in the treble. It thus provides a sound that can be described as clear, crisp, smooth and transparent.

In addition, the ASP 880 features the best converters from Burr Brown . The user no longer needs to use a dedicated converter and the AD conversion is excellent. Combined by ADAT iD22 USB recording interface provides 10 Audient microphone preamps and 10 very good quality Burr-Brown A/D converters as well as 6 D/A converter outputs for monitoring.

The 8 pre-amp and line input channels of the ASP 880 as well as the 2 discrete DI JFET inputs allow you to connect instruments directly. To apply an analog EQ or compressor before conversion, simply insert them before the converters.

The technical characteristics of the Audient ASP 880 preamplifier

MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIER

• Microphone gain: -10 to +60 dB ( -10 dB )
• Line Gain: -16 to +44 dB (-10 dB Attenuator)
• Phantom Power: 48v +/-4v at 10mA/Channel
• Noise on microphone input: <-127.5 dBu
• CMRR (Common mode rejection rate): >80dB from 100 to 10kHz
• Max input level: +22 dBu ( +32 dBu with attenuator)
• Input impedance (balanced): Micro LO: 200Ohms / Micro MED: 1k4Ohms / Micro HI: 3k6Ohms / Line (any impedance): >10 kOhms
• Frequency response: +/-0.5 dB 10 Hz to 100 kHz
• Crosstalk: <-85 dBu at 1 kHz & 10 kHz
• THD+N at 0 dBu (1 kHz): 0.003% ( -90.5 dBu )
• S/N ratio >90 dB
• High pass filter: Sweepable from 25 Hz to 250 Hz , 2 order (12 dB/Octave)
• XLR: Pin 2 (Hot), Pin 3 (Cold) & Pin 1 (Ground)
• 6.35 mm jack: Tip (Hot), ring (Cold) & sleeve (ground)
• JFET Direct Input (CHANNEL 1 & 2, MEASUREMENT ON LINE OUTPUTS/INSERT SEND):
• DI Gain: -10 to +60 dB (-10 dB attenuator)
• Max Input Level: +16 dBu (typical), +22 dBu
• Input Impedance: 1 MOhms Unbalanced
• Frequency response: +/-0.5 dB 10 Hz to 50 kHz
• DHT+N at 0 dBu (1 kHz): < 0.03% ( -70 dBu )
• S/N RATIO: 89 dB
• 6.35 mm JACK: tip (Hot) & sleeve (ground)

LINE OUTPUTS (insert sends):

• Max output level: +27.5 dBu
• Output Impedance: <100 Ohms Balanced

A/D CONVERTER LINE INPUTS (insert returns):

• (AES output measurement under AES-17)
• Max input level: +18 dBu
• Digital audio reference level: 0dBFS = +18 dBu
• Input impedance: > 10 KOhms balanced
• Frequency response: +/-0.5dB 10Hz at sampling rate/2
• Crosstalk: < -80dBu at 1kHz & 10kHz
• THD+N at -1 dB FS (1 kHz): < 0.002% ( -94 dB )
• THD+N at -6 dB FS (1 kHz): < 0.002% ( -94 dB )
• pk led calibration (crete): +16 dbu ( -2 db fs )
• Calibration of led sig (signal): -10 dbu ( -28 db fs )
• Signal Led Lineup: Variable brightness from -30 dBu to -10 dBu ( -28 dBFS )
• DIGITAL I/O:
• ADAT 8 channels MULTIPLEXED SMUX: 44.1 – 96 kHz
• AES/S/PDIF 8 Channels: 44.1 – 96 kHz
• Internal or External Clock
• Word clock input: 75 Ohms BNC

FOOD :

• Internal SMPS, with very little noise, very stable
• Fanless, quiet operation
• Works in any country in the world without the need to be reconfigured
• Mains current: 90 to 264 V (ac)
• Internal distribution: DC +/-18 VDC , DC +48 VDC & DC +5 VDC
• Fuse: T1A (1 Amp time delay)
• Consumption: Max 40 Watts
• Weight: 4.0kg

Our opinion on the Audient ASP 880 preamplifier

The ASP 880 has everything to impress. Its practicality and versatility allow it to offer reliable, high-fidelity performance. The predecessors of this preamplifier are efficient, but they are equipped with a fan which is sometimes a nuisance. In certain lighting conditions, the inscription displayed on the control panel of these old preamplifier models can be difficult to read and the flat buttons do not offer comfort in handling.

With the ASP 880, Audient has corrected all these shortcomings. The evolution is elegant both in terms of design and finish and in terms of quality. All the highlights of previous models have been added to this preamp. All negative aspects have been removed or drastically improved.

In terms of sound quality, Audient has maintained its reputation by designing an ASP 880 with very precise and silent operation and delivering clean and extremely clear sound with sufficiently large gain margins. The ear takes great pleasure in listening to the sound even if we push the gain.

In all areas, the technical performance of the ASP 880 is remarkable. The professional and audiophile will appreciate the quality of the analog-digital (AD) conversion and the reorganization of the signal path allowing better balance at the insert level.

Although switching line inputs is not possible with the ASP 880 and it is not available on the analog line outputs, the preamplifier's many other advantages more than compensate for this disadvantage.

Audient ASP 880 Preamplifier Demo

Special offer at Manley 🔥