I've decided to sell my Allen & Heath System 8 board, as I've acquired a new console, making the A&H expendable (and my wife wants me to get rid of it as its taking up space).
The System 8 is a 24 channel, 8 buss board with mic preamps on all 24 channels. Each channel has a three-band EQ with a sweepable mid as well as switches on the hi and lo to select one of two frequencies for each. Three aux sends per channel, 1 each pre and post, and one that is switchable. There is a switch to choose between mic or line input, and a pad on the mic input. Each channel also has an insert point, and PFL and mute switches.
The buss section contains 8 busses and 8 tape returns, with a switch to choose between monitoring either the tape return signal or the buss out signal, and a volume pot to adjust the level of that signal. Each buss has two aux sends, 1 for Aux 1, and the other switchable between Auxes 2 and 3. Each also has a pan pot.
The master section has a stereo pair of master faders for sending to the main stereo output. It also contains two echo returns, each pannable and assignable to any buss or the main stereo mix. There are also master volume pots with AFL switches for all three aux sends.
Another important feature of the master section is the cue mix section. This allows you to send your choice of Auxes 1 and/or 2 or the stereo mix to the board's dedicated cue mix output, with a switch to mono sum the cue mix signal. The monitor section also has volume pots for the monitor outputs and the built-in headphone jack, with mono sum switch. Switches allow you to choose between monitoring the main stereo mix, the cue mix, or the 2-track tape return. There is an input for a talkback mic and switches to send the talkback to the cue mix or slate them to the buss outputs. The switches are right next to eachother so its easy to press both with one finger. Lastly, the master section has a switch for a 1kHz test tone, which goes to all busses and the stereo mix, and a global phantom power switch.
The System 8 has large VU meters for monitoring all eight busses and the L and R main outputs.
Functionally I would rate the board an 8 or 9 out of 10. All channels pass signal on the mic and line inputs. Some pots are scratchy and could stand to be cleaned. All faders move smoothly and quietly. The VU monitor on buss 8 sticks occasionally if it gets pegged, but a soft tap to the meter bridge knocks it loose. The inner part of the XLR on the buss 5 output will physically come out if you unplug a cable from it. It probably just takes a simple retaining screw to hold it in place, but I never bothered with it because it didn't cause any trouble.
Cosmetically I would rate the board a 6 out of 10. For starters, being from the mid-80s, its brown, orange, and green color scheme is a bit dated. The paint is worn off in spots, and there some slight rust on the metal palm rest. A couple of the VU meter lights are out or dim, but they're big enough that it doesn't really affect their visibility. All of the silkscreened lettering is completely readable. Two volume pots in the buss section are missing their caps, but I marked them with tape and a marker for a quick fix.
I think the master section's flexibility of routing for the cue mix and monitoring is my favorite feature of the board. Its easy to figure out and yet, because it has a dedicated cue mix out, you don't have to normal or mult aux sends to a headphone amp. Choosing a source to monitor is a simple press of a switch.
Another unique facet of the board is that Allen & Heath also made a sidecar that expanded the number of channels the board could accomodate. All of the connections for the sidecar are on 1/4" tie line connections. If one were handy enough, a custom sidecar with any number and manner of preamps or channel strips could be built and connected without much trouble.
The board is solid and well built. Its made of steel, the only plastic parts being the knobs and switches. It's quasi-modular in that any channel can be removed if repair is needed, but the entire board needs to be opened up to do so. All XLR connections are on Neutrik connectors.
Like I said before, I'm selling this console because I bought a new one, so I don't really have an use for it. It served my well for the couple of years that I used it, and I had no problems that I can recall. It would make an excellent analog front end for someone with an 8-channel interface or an 8-track analog machine (which is what it seems to have been designed for). I've not heard any budget preamps personally, but I'd wager that the preamps in this board are every bit as good as, if not better than, anything you'd find in the budget preamp range.
I'm asking $800 for the System 8. Payment can be with Paypal, money order, or cash. At this point, I don't want to ship the board. It's about five feet long and fairly heavy (I can lift it by myself, but it's not fun, and I'm a pretty decently sized individual). Pickup at my house on the east side of Cleveland is preferred, but I'll travel as far as Toledo, Columbus, or Erie, PA, to deliver the board for $20 (to cover gas) and on a weekend that is convenient to me. I don't have any documentation for the board, but info, including a block diagram, is available at the Allen & Heath website, and I know the board pretty comprehensively and will be happy to answer any questions you might have as you get used to using the board. You can search this forum and gearslutz for more discussion and opinions regarding the System 8.
Please reply in this thread and send me a PM if you're interested. Pictures are available on request.
Thanks for looking!
The System 8 is a 24 channel, 8 buss board with mic preamps on all 24 channels. Each channel has a three-band EQ with a sweepable mid as well as switches on the hi and lo to select one of two frequencies for each. Three aux sends per channel, 1 each pre and post, and one that is switchable. There is a switch to choose between mic or line input, and a pad on the mic input. Each channel also has an insert point, and PFL and mute switches.
The buss section contains 8 busses and 8 tape returns, with a switch to choose between monitoring either the tape return signal or the buss out signal, and a volume pot to adjust the level of that signal. Each buss has two aux sends, 1 for Aux 1, and the other switchable between Auxes 2 and 3. Each also has a pan pot.
The master section has a stereo pair of master faders for sending to the main stereo output. It also contains two echo returns, each pannable and assignable to any buss or the main stereo mix. There are also master volume pots with AFL switches for all three aux sends.
Another important feature of the master section is the cue mix section. This allows you to send your choice of Auxes 1 and/or 2 or the stereo mix to the board's dedicated cue mix output, with a switch to mono sum the cue mix signal. The monitor section also has volume pots for the monitor outputs and the built-in headphone jack, with mono sum switch. Switches allow you to choose between monitoring the main stereo mix, the cue mix, or the 2-track tape return. There is an input for a talkback mic and switches to send the talkback to the cue mix or slate them to the buss outputs. The switches are right next to eachother so its easy to press both with one finger. Lastly, the master section has a switch for a 1kHz test tone, which goes to all busses and the stereo mix, and a global phantom power switch.
The System 8 has large VU meters for monitoring all eight busses and the L and R main outputs.
Functionally I would rate the board an 8 or 9 out of 10. All channels pass signal on the mic and line inputs. Some pots are scratchy and could stand to be cleaned. All faders move smoothly and quietly. The VU monitor on buss 8 sticks occasionally if it gets pegged, but a soft tap to the meter bridge knocks it loose. The inner part of the XLR on the buss 5 output will physically come out if you unplug a cable from it. It probably just takes a simple retaining screw to hold it in place, but I never bothered with it because it didn't cause any trouble.
Cosmetically I would rate the board a 6 out of 10. For starters, being from the mid-80s, its brown, orange, and green color scheme is a bit dated. The paint is worn off in spots, and there some slight rust on the metal palm rest. A couple of the VU meter lights are out or dim, but they're big enough that it doesn't really affect their visibility. All of the silkscreened lettering is completely readable. Two volume pots in the buss section are missing their caps, but I marked them with tape and a marker for a quick fix.
I think the master section's flexibility of routing for the cue mix and monitoring is my favorite feature of the board. Its easy to figure out and yet, because it has a dedicated cue mix out, you don't have to normal or mult aux sends to a headphone amp. Choosing a source to monitor is a simple press of a switch.
Another unique facet of the board is that Allen & Heath also made a sidecar that expanded the number of channels the board could accomodate. All of the connections for the sidecar are on 1/4" tie line connections. If one were handy enough, a custom sidecar with any number and manner of preamps or channel strips could be built and connected without much trouble.
The board is solid and well built. Its made of steel, the only plastic parts being the knobs and switches. It's quasi-modular in that any channel can be removed if repair is needed, but the entire board needs to be opened up to do so. All XLR connections are on Neutrik connectors.
Like I said before, I'm selling this console because I bought a new one, so I don't really have an use for it. It served my well for the couple of years that I used it, and I had no problems that I can recall. It would make an excellent analog front end for someone with an 8-channel interface or an 8-track analog machine (which is what it seems to have been designed for). I've not heard any budget preamps personally, but I'd wager that the preamps in this board are every bit as good as, if not better than, anything you'd find in the budget preamp range.
I'm asking $800 for the System 8. Payment can be with Paypal, money order, or cash. At this point, I don't want to ship the board. It's about five feet long and fairly heavy (I can lift it by myself, but it's not fun, and I'm a pretty decently sized individual). Pickup at my house on the east side of Cleveland is preferred, but I'll travel as far as Toledo, Columbus, or Erie, PA, to deliver the board for $20 (to cover gas) and on a weekend that is convenient to me. I don't have any documentation for the board, but info, including a block diagram, is available at the Allen & Heath website, and I know the board pretty comprehensively and will be happy to answer any questions you might have as you get used to using the board. You can search this forum and gearslutz for more discussion and opinions regarding the System 8.
Please reply in this thread and send me a PM if you're interested. Pictures are available on request.
Thanks for looking!
