Focusrite's Platinum OctoPre is Now Shipping

July 2002 sees the arrival of the latest Focusrite processor, the Platinum OctoPre. An eight channel Focusrite Mic pre-amp featuring eight Focusrite channels, OctoPre routes directly to any digital audio workstation via analogue outputs or a new 24bit, 96kHz A/D converter. The new OctoPre offers the unique qualities associated with the Focusrite name at an affordable price.

Each channel also features a new compressor / limiter circuit. Starting with a brick wall limiter (to avoid those critical overs), the control then allows you to add increasing amounts of compression.

The mic pres featured in OctoPre are similar to those featured elsewhere in the Focusrite Platinum range. They are a Class A design utilising the same full-bandwidth philosophy as the Red and ISA mic pre's, ensuring detail and organic clarity without colouration.The first two 'super channels' also feature phase reverse, as well as TRS Jack inputs on the front panel for quick and easy, DI-free plug-in. Output can be either analogue or digital; In addition to 8 TRS balanced analogue outputs, two optional A/D's are available:

• Option 1: 8 channels of ADAT lightpipe (up to 96kHz)
• Option 2: 8 AES/EBU or S/PDIF outputs + 8 channels of ADAT lightpipe, all on one board.

An external Wordclock input is also provided (BNC connector.) The AES/EBU or S/PDIF format outputs can run simultaneously with the lightpipe outputs, giving up to 16 channels of digital output for all sample rates (24 at 48kHz).

For more information, visit their web site at www.focusrite.com.