The team at UK hardware manufacturers Focusrite are very pleased to announce an update to their legendary ISA828 MkII 8 channel mic preamp. Along with a raft of technical improvements, the ISA828 MkII can now have a card installed to give it Dante audio over IP connectivity, bringing this studio staple bang up to date to meet the demands of many modern recording facilities.

Focusrite ISA828 MkII

The eight-channel ISA 828 MkII can be found in studios the world over. The newly updated ISA828 MkII features the same transformer-based input stage with its hand-wound Lundahl LL1538 transformer. However, new to the party is its compatibility with a Dante Audio-over-IP network. This is achieved with the optional ISA ADN8 A-D card. There is also a new, far more efficient power supply which helps reduce heat and adds to the reliability of the unit. The front panel of the unit stays the same with a six-step LED path for metering on each channel along with gain and trim pots. The front-panel also features instrument inputs for channels 1 to 4.

Optional DIgital I/O Cards

The new Focusrite ISA ADN8 is an optional A-D card for the ISA 828 MkII and ISA 428 MkII multi-channel microphone preamps. It provides ADAT Optical, AES3 and Dante connectivity at sample rates up to 24-bit/192kHz. The card offers primary and secondary RJ45 Dante output ports, an AES59-configured DB25 connector for AES3 output, and a pair of TOSLINK connectors for ADAT output. Word Clock I/O on BNC connectors allows synchronisation with the rest of your studio.

The final new product is the ISA ADN2, which is an optional two-channel 24-bit/192kHz A-D card that provides analogue-to-digital conversion for the ISA One mic preamp and DI. The card offers primary and secondary RJ45 Dante output ports, an XLR connector for AES3 output, a TOSLINK connector for ADAT output and RCA connector for S/PDIF output. Word Clock I/O on BNC connectors allows synchronisation to other Word Clock enabled devices.

These 2 new cards are going to bring a whole new user-base to the classic sound of the ISA828. Dante, as well as the other AES67 compliant audio over IP standards, are no longer just in used in broadcast and educational establishments but can now be found in more conventional music studios and smaller home or project studios due to the very convenient and cost-effective routing and cabling options.

The new Focusrite ISA828 MkII is available in the USA from RSPE Audio. Pricing, depending on where you are in the world is as follows and exclude local taxes:

• ISA 828 MkII: US (MAP): $2,699.99 / UK (MSRP): £2,041.66

• ISA ADN2: US (MAP): $499.99 / UK (MSRP): £349.99

• ISA ADN8: US (MAP): $659.99 / UK (MSRP): £470.83