Cranborne Audio 500R8 Demo & Review 

Thank you guys! :) Honestly, I can really believe that. 😂😂

You guys really did something here! This is the all in one box I think most producers dream of. Do you guys have any plans of making a version with USB C connection anytime soon? My only concern with purchasing this is that I won't be able to run Pro Tools with more than 1024 buffer size for a heavy mix session.

Hey @@mattbang1072! Thanks for your kind words! 🙌 We have no plans to produce a version with a USB C connector. Many devices out there with C connectors still employ USB 2.0 but over a C connector - this method gives you no performance improvement over USB 2.0 on a Type B connector (like ours). A full Type C/USB 3 implementation is expensive to produce but for us, it wouldn't give any more performance improvements. USB 3.0 can transmit larger amounts of data (which is why it is much better for USB hard drives etc) but it's still at the same speed (Bit like a motorway with 2 lanes and cards travelling at 70mph (USB 2.0), vs one with 10 lanes travelling at 70mph (USB 3.0)). Regardless, it's the implementation and other factors that really impact your CPU performance more so than the connector. We have many customers who moved from thunderbolt systems to ours and were getting better, more efficient DAW sessions as our USB 2.0 solution is lightweight and designed for low latency and low CPU impact. Your milage will vary of course, but we would have no hesitation to say you would be able to run heavy Pro Tools with ease! Hope this helps! CA

@@cranborneaudio Ah ok. I guess I was concerned because I figured, with the amount of simultaneous ins and outs, that it seemed that it would need those "10 lanes." But good to know that other customers have had no issues moving from thunderbolt to the USB 2. Really excited about this product though!

@@mattbang1072 No worries Matt! As we only transport 28/30 channels, USB 2 has more than enough bandwidth to do that comfortably! Our friends at RME can send 128 channels of audio through USB 2.0 - they are wizards of course, but there's plenty of room for 30 channels! Hope that helps! CA

Ahh yeee!! :)

Thank you so much! :)

Thank you so much Isaac, that means a lot! I hope you enjoy your 500R8! The lads @cranborneaudio knocked it out. 👌🏽

Thanks Kevin! :) really enjoying the video editing process, looking forward to trying new things there.

Thank you so much Tim!! :)

Thanks so much Stephen! :)

Absolutely. :) my next room will start with one of these.

Thank you my man!! :D

Congratulations!! Thank you so much. :)

Thank you so much! :)

Thanks so much! :)

No worries Ralphy! :) glad it was helpful. The guys at Cranborne know what they are doing!

It’s a great unit for sure. Specially with the new firmware update. :)

Thanks so much! :)

It’s a beast! :) absolute joy using this device. And the fact that the ADAT version can be included into a current workflow is just a big old fashioned win. 👌🏽

Thanks!! :) enjoy it when you get it.

Thank you!! :D

Thank you Khari! :)

Thank you so much for the kind words Reginald! :) will be more content coming real soon.

Thank you so much! :) it’s such a great box. 👌🏽

Thanks Joel! :)

Thank you Nathaniel! :) I would love to do a review on them, but I’m not sure how to show how they sound. It may just have to be a talking and featured kind of video.

Thanks so much billy! :) let me know what you end up going for.

Thanks so much! :)

Thanks so much for the response. :) I cannot wait to get further into the different use cases for the R8!!

​@@alecbrits Cool! I Thanks for sharing your insights :)

@@alecbrits The workflow is so open ended and flexible, it would be great to see how you choose to use it. I'm a bit torn with it. On the one hand I love the summing. But, sometimes I think it's easier to get a mix in the DAW without using the knobs/mixer. I'm trying to figure out a way to print all the levels I set within the DAW, THEN route those stems for summing in the Cranborne. I haven't found a way yet.

I think just having the unit set to unity is the easiest way. That way you are using automation within the DAW to push the unit as needed. :) that’s how I use my console, and how I have found recall to be dealt with easiest.

@@alecbrits ah okay, that's a nice tip :) Well you have one vote for a DAW to console work flow video :) Anyway, cheers Alec!

Thanks Lauren! :D

Congratulations on your purchase!! :D

@@alecbrits I appreciate it man. Let’s see what this thing can do! 😉🙏🔥

It’s a great unit for sure! Yeah! 🇿🇦 🇿🇦🇿🇦

Sure thing! Working on a few videos already!

@@alecbrits oh wow amazing! Cant wait to watch!!

Thank you so much Bob! :) congratulations on your purchase. Sure thing, Carnaby review can be arranged indeed!

Thank you so much for the kind words! :) I try to really use the gear and highlight the tone as much as possible.

Thank you so much! :D

That should work indeed! :) loosing the two channels of summing is a bit of a loss for me as my mix session is grouped into 8 stereo stems, but it is indeed a work around.

Lovely words Sachin! :)

Thank you so much! :) the Aphex was a good box! Glad that we now have a unit that is so solid and flexible and can be bought.

@@alecbrits Definitely :-) I however wish that they would also do (or have done) a smaller "lunchbox-format" version. I strumbled accross the Cranborne too in my research for a 500 series lunchbox with included converters, but the Cranborne was a bit too large and expensive for my needs. As far as I'm concerned I like it small and portable (since I don't run a commercial studio, just home/project studio use) and I'm fine with four really good different preamps featuring different tone each. My four slots will be populated with the Neve 1073LB, Neve 88RLB, API 512c and SSL Six Channel, which should cover all my project studio preamp needs in a small portable package. Btw, I finally got the U-67 because of your great Neve 1073LB review :-)

Thank you so much Tyler! :)

Thank you! :) it’s an Audient ASP4816, I have done a review for it on my channel too.

Sounds like the issues you have highlighted are solved with a console style workflow. :)

Hey Lieuwe! Sadly I’m not too sure how best to control the Apollo/500r8. I would assume you have to still use the software on the Apollos, but again, I’m not too sure.

@@alecbrits Thanks for responding Alec. I'll send a message to the team at Cranborne audio to see if they can help me out. Cheers!

The Cranborne conversion is really solid, I personally prefer the tone of them to my Apollos. Especially the DA conversion. :)

@@alecbrits that what I wanted to know! You are extremely talented. Thanks for taking the time to share your gifts!

Hey Julian! :) That would work if you don’t want to use the summing mixer that is built into the unit itself. The only reason why a hypothetical 9-10 channel would be great is to be able to take the summing mixer output and have it go into your analog chain, then back into the unit. If you are looking to have the ability to pop analog inserts into your projects, then using the unit without the summing mixer is totally possible. If you are looking to use the summing mixer with the appropriate stereo processing per stereo stem, then that’s possible. If you want to add ANALOG stereo buss compression/EQ to the summing mixer outputs, then you will either need to come out of the summing mixer outputs, into another set of converters. Or take the outputs of the summing mixer into a pair of channels on the unit, without 500 units in with the line input switch enabled. Hope this helps. :)

Thanks AV! :) I think if you have everything you want, then you don’t need this piece of equipment. But if you are someone who is looking to upgrade from just an interface, or someone who wants to scale down from a console/outboard workflow, then this is a pretty wicked choice.

@@alecbrits hey man hope your good yeah im kinda looking to upgrade so i mainly do just use the pc but i got some synths and i also got some real good old school delays reverbs ect so i would like to have it all flowing the best way possible and i do need an upgrade ive got an saffire 6 and dont mind using somthing else now i was also looking at the big six ssl and the apogee symphany desktop so to be honest the more i been looking the more i just need to do more research and take my time

Absolutely! Research is key with these things really. :)

Thanks Roan! As stated in the video, if you were to have a second converter, that could work, or if you had an ADAT converter, you could take the mix outputs, then fire them through your buss processing and pop them into the conversion connected via ADAT. :)

Alec, thank You 🙏

Hey Rick! :) I’ve not tried the Lynx N yet. So I can’t honestly say. What I can say is that I really enjoy both the AD and DA on the Cranborne stuff. :)

Thank you Felipe!! :) I’ll be working on my album later this year.

Hi Chris! Cranborne make a 500ADAT only version of the rack just for the use that you are looking for. :)

It’s so handy! Specially if you are a one person team. :)

As far as I’m aware, once there is a unit inside the rack will default to it being used. The little switches that allow you to select which inputs are to be used are on the inside of the rack.

I have the EC2 & N22H for the master bus so probably we can use CAST i/o for this?

Hey Larry, I think it’s best to get in touch with Cranborne to discuss this. :)

@@alecbrits Thanks.

There is no mixer app. :) just gotta change one or two setting in you DAW and you computer and you are ready to go. All the functionality you need is on the mixer underneath the 500 series slots.

Perhaps a normal 500 series rack is the better way for you?

How does…

It’s really solid conversation. Hard to know how they compare to the burl or the lynx as I have not tried them. But compared to the the Apollo’s I’d say they are even.

Really good! :)

It felt pretty good to me, specially with the fact that I can monitor from the device itself with the onboard mixer. I generally work at 96khz, so latency is less of an issue in general. That was just my experience, if you have had any interesting experiences with one of the Cranborne units, then please feel free to share. :)

@@alecbrits Interesting. I would think you would have more latency concern running at 96k as opposed to 48k. Latency is less concern as you said, there's onboard mixer. More concerned with being able to set a large buffer size for a heavy mix session, but also faster connection for overdubs would be good.

@@mattbang1072 I think buffer size limits are determined by the DAW that you use. :)

@@alecbrits I think yes and no. I use Pro Tools and Ableton. They do offer different buffer size limits, but also when I have a faster connection interface, the buffer size limit changes. For instance if I have my usb interface connected, I can go up to 1024 in PT. If I have a thunderbolt connection, I can go higher.

@@mattbang280 that’s very interesting! I guess I’ve been on thunderbolt interfaces for quite some time, so it’s not really something I’ve noticed. Thanks for the feedback!

All you have to do is hit the mute button on the unit. That mutes the speakers, not the headphones.

Thanks a lot

Thanks for that INSANELY kind compliment. Always loved listening to sting when I was growing up. :) I’ll keep working on more tunes!

Hey Jasper, I don’t have any of my songs up on Spotify just yet. They are all being finished off over the course of this year. :)

It’s not finished yet! :)

@@alecbrits can't wait for the full song!!!

Thanks for the insight! :)

Agree. I really could use those SPDIF ports. About to order either both the 500R8 and 500ADAT or perhaps a combination of the 500R8 and a different expander unit. I already have a 500 chassis and 3 of them is just a bit much and will tempt me to spend even more money trying to fill up the holes!

😂😂

Hahaha, there was no financial contribution on this! :)

It’s a series of small steps to get these pieces I think. :)

@@alecbrits still u r lucky to have these👍

@@alecbrits anyone can't Comment against these gears and its output.... These are ultimate standards👍👍👍

Thanks for the feedback. :)

@@alecbrits don't mind, from great gears i expect Great sounding tracks🙏... U can also

@@GokulChandCreation Might you save yourself a few thousand quid on high end equipment by investing in having your ears professionally cleaned out? Maybe you live next door to an airport runway? 🤣