Behringer ADA8000 performance figures

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PeteHalo

New member
I just finished measuring the audio performance of the new Behringer 8 channel audio interface connected to RME Digi9652 soundcard thru ADAT interface using the RightMark audio analyzer software. Here's the results for those interested.


RightMark Audio Analyzer test

Testing chain: External loopback (line-out - line-in)


Sampling mode: 24-bit, 44 kHz

Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB: +0.13, -0.04
Noise level, dB (A): -105,5
Dynamic range, dB (A): 103.6
THD, %: 0.020
IMD, %: 0.077
Stereo crosstalk, dB: -100,8dB


Sampling mode: 32-bit, 48 kHz

Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB: +0.10 - -0.04dB
Noise level, dB (A): -106 dB
Dynamic range, dB (A): 104 dB
THD %: 0,018
IDM %: 0,074
Stereo crosstalk: -101,5 dB

Not too bad for a $200 piece of gear, I'd say.
 
yea but how do the mic pre's sound? on the DUC they're saying that the mic pre's sound no better than the 001 same goes for the converters.... since I own an 001, the thought of having 8 more crappy pre's really doesnt make it worth buying even so cheap.

now if you say the behringer sound is equal to a digimax or Octopre than thats certainly worth $200.00 since both those boxes certainly arent worth the $1200.00 they still go for!
 
It may be fantastic, or may not. The problem with a lot of cheap gear, (and this might be the exception,) is not how well it works out of the box, but how well it will work a year from now.

Expensive stuff breaks down, too, of course. But usually not as often, and the customer support is usually a whole lot better.

Then again, I don't have that much problem taking a flyer on REALLY cheap gear. Because if it's cheap enough, you can always rationalize it as disposable.

You also may not find a meaningful correlation between published (unverified) specs and how good a piece of gear actually sounds. At least, I haven't. Otherwise, we'd all just buy Mackie's for their "great spec" preamps, and save a ton of money.
 
Mines on backorder...

I figure with the money i save on this instead of the alternatives ($1500 plus) i can spend it on mics which would make a bigger difference to my sound.
 
PeterHalo, why did you measure the frequency response from 40 Hz to 15 kHz? Wouldn't 20 Hz to 20 kHz be better comparable to most of the specs we see?

However, specs just don't tell the whole story. Specs to me almost seem more like a numbers game for marketing purposes. In many cases I've experienced, the subjective impression of sound quality seems to be independent of specs.

I don't wish to pass judgement on the ADA8000, as I haven't heard it yet. But I have heard and own high quality converters (expensive) and have A/B'ed those to less expensive converters, and there has never been any comparison at all. The pricier converters *always* blow away the cheap stuff.

There are certain areas where money does indeed buy quality, and preamps and converters are two of those categories.
 
SonicAlbert said:
PeterHalo, why did you measure the frequency response from 40 Hz to 15 kHz? Wouldn't 20 Hz to 20 kHz be better comparable to most of the specs we see?
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Definately. 40hz - 15khz will tell you how it compares to casette tape.

That SNR is pretty damn good but if it's only testing below 15khz then it is cutting off most of the spectrum where hiss occurs.
 
Look at the graphs and not the frequency range label. The results are generated by the analyzer program and I just copied them without changing anything. The graphs clearly show that the noise level above 15kHz stays below -130db and the frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz is -0.04, +0.17.
 
I guess not bad for $200. Those graphs tell a lot more of the story than the averages. There are a lot of huge spikes in the dynamic range and distortion tests. Even the distortion averages are pretty high. Most specs are rated at -1dBFS not -3dBFS so I wonder how that translates. It would seem that test is using a lower level which might even be more generous with the distortion ratings.
 
FWIW just got off the phone with a friend who got that piece (using his digi001 as a base of reference)..he says the top end is way to brittle and harsh sounding and indeed the pre's sound no better than his 001 (which really arent great as I own one as well)
he's already looking to try and "mod" the thing and its only a month old (his second one BTW as the first unit was defective!) so 200 bills for the unit and another bill or two to "mod" it!.... at least get a $575.00 digimaxLT (which has been proven to be an upgrade to something like an 001's pre's and converters.

Sorry, hate too break the news to ya, but in the real world graphs and numbers wont make the Behringer sound any good!
 
If the pre's are the same as the ones they use in their mixers i know exactly what i'm in for, thats why i plan to use them for line level instruments only.
 
Are you talking about the current UB series mixers or the older MX series? What I've hear and read the current pres are much better than the older ones.

Would anyone of you care to run the tests on your gear and post the figures and graphs for reference? For some reason those who own high end gear seem to be a little shy on publising any hard facts Should be interesting to see some facts instead of the usual hearsay.


BTW To clear things up I'm not saying or trying to convince anyone that the ADA8000 would be top notch pro gear but I know there must be thousands of information hungry HOMErecording enthusiasts like me all over the world who are interested in this particular piece of gear for it's affordability. That's why I felt that I might be doing quite a few people a favor by publishing the results of these measurements. That's why I also ask for rational conversation instead of the usual B-bashing.
 
Are you talking about the current UB series mixers or the older MX series? What I've hear and read the current pres are much better than the older ones.

Either dont quite match the pre's on my soundcraft console.

When it comes to B bashing im one of the first off the line but in this case they are providing me a solution that would otherwise be unfeesable even if i dont like it i'll hock it for half i paid, what have i lost?? a couple bills.

Thumbs up to B.
 
PeteHalo said:
Would anyone of you care to run the tests on your gear and post the figures and graphs for reference? For some reason those who own high end gear seem to be a little shy on publising any hard facts Should be interesting to see some facts instead of the usual hearsay.
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I consider Bobalou's post as factual as the published specs. Bobalou knows someone who has actually owned and used the unit, and is reporting what that person's experiences are with it. For me that is more fact than some pumped up specs from the manufacturer which mean very little beyond marketing.

When it comes to audio gear, it's not always about what you call "hard facts". It's about how the gear sounds. As I've posted earlier in this thread, Behringer and other manufacturers sometimes play the numbers game, trying to make the gear look good on paper. The only problem with that is that the gear can look good on paper and sound bad in real life, or not be useful in real life. I'm sure that some of those ADA8000 noise and distortion specs are "better" than my Manley VariMu, but guess which *sounds* better.

You can post specs all day and it won't tell you a thing.

It's also about how the gear holds up over years of use. I've owned Behringer in the past and it is about as flimsy and weak as you could possibly imagine. Not surprised at all to read the many posts on the net about people sending unit after unit back in order to get one that works right.

Originally posted by PeteHalo That's why I also ask for rational conversation instead of the usual B-bashing.
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But by that statement you are determining what's rational and what isn't rational. I think the discussion you are attempting to have is fundamentally NOT rational. We are talking about how things sound here, and while specs play a certain role in that determining that, there are many other factors. You can't rationally determine the quality of gear just by the specs. You have to hear it.

For that reason, I consider posts by actual users of the gear to have greater credence over posts of specs. The more objective the better, of course.

*However*, when you get into the world of of the manufacturers that cater to the low end of the market, you find that many of the people using the gear do not have experience with the really fine equipment. So you often read raves about gear from people that are comparing it to a soundblaster card or some other horrible low end whatever. So I find that a lot of the raves come from people that haven't experienced the good stuff.

What I want to see is not specs, but opinions from people that have used great gear.

Again, I can't comment on this actual ADA8000 myself as I have not heard it. I'm simply discussing what I consider the misguided concept of "spec wars".
 
Will the pre's on the behringer still affect the sound if you are using a line level source thru it? (and the pre is all the way down)

I want to get one but am worried if I don't like the sound of the pres they will still affect my other pres going into them..
 
SonicAlbert said:
What I want to see is not specs, but opinions from people that have used great gear.
Click to expand...

Well, then good luck finding anyone with access to great gear even giving something by Behringer the time of day . . . even if it's just testing it out.

That should tell you all you need to know right there.
 
Exactly, but I'm not one who needs convincing.

I'm listening, please list what you would consider "great gear" as a solution.

I need 8 pre's in a single rack space with adat lightpipe out for no more than $600 AUS dollars (even though the ADA-8000 will cost me $400 i'm willing to part with a little more for "great gear")

I need the rest for mics.
 
You are simply not going to find eight great preamps and eight great converters in that price range. Period. You can look for the "best for the money", but flat out no compromise "great", forget it.

For what I would consider "great" converters I'd suggest Benchmark (which I use myself) or Mytek ( which I've heard many good things about. For eight great preamps I'd suggest Grace Designs, which I also use. There is of course a lot more available in the "great" category. However, you are looking at spending thousands on just the preamps and converters in that scenario, and it doesn't fit into one rack space.

I believe there are some Presonus preamp/converters that match your criteria, even though they are more expensive than the Behringer. I think it's called the DigiMax or something like that. They also make a piece called the "Firestation" which they just dropped the price on. I personally would spend the extra bucks on those items rather than the ADA8000, but that's just me I guess.

Another option would be to get something like the Yamaha MLA-7 and couple it with eight channels of conversion. That would give you flexibility to match converters and preamps of your choice.
 
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