Ask any recording engineer what the finest microphone preamps are, and the vast majority will mention the name of Rupert Neve. Rupert Neve and his first company Neve Electronics, established in 1961, is credited with creating the modern mixing console. Rupert sold his Neve company in 1973 but stayed active with the company until 1975. Much later in 1985 Sir George Martin asked Rupert to build extensions to AIR Studios’ custom Neve consoles, starting with the vintage recording console in Martin’s AIR Montserrat studio in the Caribbean. Martin asked specifically for a no-compromise microphone preamplifier and equalizer. The result, the Focusrite ISA 110, was built with a “cost-no-object” philosophy, utilizing ultra-premium parts and complex, hand-wired topologies and set a new benchmark for clarity and musicality.
Continuing the Focusrite technology tradition, Focusrite unveils the ISA C8X. The first Focusrite interface to use ISA technology, the ISA C8X is a 26-in/28-out USB-C audio interface with eight remote controlled preamps with up to 79dB of gain, two of which are the famous ISA preamps with Lundahl LL1538 transformers in the input stage. The Lundahl LL1538 is a highly coveted, Swedish-made microphone input transformer celebrated for its exceptional sonic performance, reliability, and low distortion. It is best known as the “heart” of the original Focusrite ISA microphone preamp design used by Sir George Martin for the AIR Montserrat studio consoles in 1985.
ISA C8X gives you two relay-switchable analog circuits to further modify the two ISA channels. Console Mode takes its inspiration from the original 1980s Focusrite studio console modules. This mode is focused on weight, punch, and harmonic richness and introduces warm saturation and low-end punch via a variable soft-clip circuit. The 430 Air Mode, lifted directly from the ISA 430 Mk II, is designed to add breath, clarity, and high-end shimmer to your recordings through an inductor-based high-shelf filter. Console Mode and 430 Air Mode are completely analog with full-bodied sound.
The ISA C8X is a two-unit space rack-mounted interface and has 24-bit/192kHz AD/DA conversion with up to 125dB of dynamic range. ISA C8X uses the same converters as the very popular Focusrite RedNet range. Designed to run your entire studio, ISA C8X has 2 1/4” instrument inputs on the front panel, eight mic and eight line inputs on the rear panel, two independent headphone outs, and up to 16 channels of ADAT I/O. The ISA section also features channel inserts and returns for outboard processors such as an analog compressor. The rear panel also houses 12 balanced line outputs. Three monitor output groups allow you to switch between up to three sets of speakers from the front panel or within Focusrite Control 2.
MC had the opportunity to compare the ISA C8X to two original Focusrite ISA 110 LE preamps from the early 2000s that are in immaculate condition. The ISA C8X ISA inputs had a more forward and pronounced size and depth with full frequency spectrum clearly audible, commanding bottom and silky-smooth highs. The vintage ones sounded good, but not quite as even, present, and forward as the new C8X. The non-ISA inputs sounded a bit more neutral and transparent—still excellent but with less character. But not to worry—adding Drive Mode with a software-controlled amount slider adds additional harmonic saturation, perceived size, and low-end weight. Adding Air Mode gives a high-end sizzle that also could be quite useful to have a track stand out.
The ISA C8X is a great interface that perfectly bridges the needs of both professional and casual recording and sounds great. For those who are familiar with or wanting to add the ISA sound to their studio with a comprehensive modern interface, the ISA C8X deserves a serious look.
$2,299.99
