Focusrite has announced the first audio interface in the ISA range – the ISA C8X is ‘the next evolution of a mic preamp circuit that has been at the heart of professional recording since 1985’.
From the first commission by Sir George Martin to Rupert Neve, to the Forte console, the Focusrite Studio Console, and four decades of standalone ISA preamps employed in studios worldwide, the same Lundahl LL1538 transformer circuit has remained at the core of every ISA preamp ever made.
ISA C8X is the next step in that evolution. A 26-input/28-output USB-C audio interface in a 2U anodized aluminium rackmount unit in Focusrite’s original house colour. It combines the warm, character that ISA is known for with new all-analogue Console and 430 Air modes, comprehensive analogue and digital I/O, and full remote control via Focusrite Control 2.
‘ISA is what Focusrite was founded upon, and it’s been beloved by artists and engineers worldwide for over 40 years,’ says Jack Cole, Product Manager: Professional Solutions and Drivers. ‘The essence of the ISA sound remains the same, but we’ve taken some big leaps forward with ISA C8X in modernizing the workflow. We felt it was important to augment those ISA preamps with features that befit the ISA name and benefit professional, project, and home studios alike. We hope that users will see, feel and, most importantly, hear the attention to detail that the entire Focusrite team have put into ISA C8X.’
Two of ISA C8X’s eight preamps are built with that same Lundahl LL1538 transformer that Rupert Neve originally selected in 1985 for its warm, open, and detailed character. With up to 79dB of gain, switchable impedance, balanced inserts, and high-pass filtering, the two ISA preamps support a wide range of microphones, including low-output dynamics and ribbons.
The two ISA preamps also feature relay-switchable, all-analogue circuits. Console mode introduces warm saturation and low-end punch via a variable soft-clip circuit. 430 Air mode, lifted directly from the ISA 430 MkII, adds high-end shimmer through an inductor-based high-shelf filter.
Alongside the ISA preamps, six ultra-low-noise Focusrite mic preamps offer 69dB of gain. Two front-panel instrument inputs run through the Lundahl transformer circuitry for console-like feel. All eight preamps are fully remote-controllable via Focusrite Control 2 software.
ISA C8X uses the same 192kHz, 24-bit AD/DA converters as Focusrite’s RedNet range, delivering up to 125dB of dynamic range. Twelve balanced line outputs support monitoring in formats from mono to 7.1.4, with up to three monitor groups switchable from the front panel or via Focusrite Control 2. Further digital expansion is available via Adat and S/PDIF, with Midi I/O and Word Clock also onboard.
ISA C8X ships with Hitmaker Expansion, which includes the Brainworx bx_console Focusrite SC plug-in – a faithful emulation of the ISA 110 and 130 modules from the original Focusrite Studio Console – Oxford Reverb by Sonnox, and other plug-ins. ISA C8X is also available in bespoke bundle options, created in partnership with Sonnox. The Sonnox ISA Essentials Bundle includes four Oxford-series plugins covering tone shaping, dynamic control, de-essing, and intelligent drum gating, while the Sonnox ISA Elite Bundle delivers a comprehensive toolkit for mixing and mastering at the highest level.
More: www.focusrite.com