Behringer ADA8000

The Behringer ADA8000 is a very economical option for an 8-channel A/D and D/A converter expansion, complete with preamps & ADAT i/o. It is based on Wavefront Semiconductor's AL1101 and AL1201 and/or Cirrus Logic 4270's converters, all which have quite decent harmonic & musical sound quality. The biggest drawback within the ADA8000's analog path would be from the use of the Texas Instruments' TL074 opamp, which is primarily responsible for the unit's hazy and muddy characteristic. But the good news is that we've come up with an amazing solution to bring this very inexpensive converter into a COMPLETELY different league!

 

 

 

There are two different modifications available for the Behringer ADA8000:

 

The ADA8000 Basic Modification is strictly an analog stage modification in which we replace the stock op-amps with much faster, high grade op-amps. This results in a sound that is strikingly more open and textured, with far greater detail and micro-dynamics. The common response we receive regarding this mod is that it has the sonic effect of taking a blanket off of the speakers, which is a pretty dramatic effect for just $255! 

Now, we have been modifying the ADA8000 for a few years now (only upon customers' requests), but it wasn't until we recently had the opportunity to actually shoot it out against a stock Apogee Ensemble that we decided on making this mod public and officially adding it to our website. After we compared the two units together, we were astonished that our basic op-amp upgrade so easily brought the ADA8000 to comparable sound quality as the two-thousand dollar Ensemble!

 

The ADA8000 Premium Modification,* priced at only $450, will take you completely out of the Ensemble ballpark altogether. For this modification we not only perform the op-amp upgrade, but we replace vital analog signal caps with capacitors of dramatically higher quality, and we use premium audio electrolytics on both inputs and outputs. We also perform converter decoupling using the same techniques found in our Alesis AI-3 Premium upgrade, our acclaimed Signature Series modifications, and in our widely-praised FM192. After this upgrade, the ADA8000 will have a much wider stereo field, a smoother & more defined bass, and sweeter-sounding highs. We are certain that this upgrade will easily bring you into the range of the Apogee Rosetta series, if not surpass it altogether.

 

Pricing
Basic Modification   =   $255 (+ return shipping)
Premium Modification*   =   $450 (+ return shipping)

Contact us to schedule an appointment for your modification.

*(This modification is only applicable to the newer revision of ADA8000's that Behringer manufactured within the last couple of years. The older units have different circuitry that prohibits the Premium mod.  In order to determine if your ADA8000 is the new or old revision, simply take note of the DATE CODE label on the top of the unit; the four numbers will indicate the year/month of the unit’s manufacture date.  Any date that is older than December of 2009 [i.e., #0912] will indicate the older revision, and will be inhibited from the Premium modification.

Another way to determine the possibility for a Premium upgrade is to take the lid off the unit and look for Cirrus Logic converters with “CS4270” printed on them, as this will determine the new revision. If the converters have printed on them “Wavefront AL1101” (for the inputs) and “AL1201” (for the outputs), that unfortunately means they are the old revision and the premium mod cannot be performed.

If you are unsure or are unable to determine what the converters look like, just take a high-res photo and email it to us, we’ll be able to tell right away).

 

Micro Clock and Mod Special

Keep in mind, we also offer our BLA Micro Clock mkII for only $315.00 (regularly $599!) if purchased together with a modification. By adding the option of clocking the Behringer from our Micro Clock mk2, you’ll dramatically increase the sampling precision, providing you with much more detail & nuance, and a broader sonic spectrum with clearer highs and a tighter low-end. The Micro Clock is commonly attributed with providing a "3-dimensional" sound characterized by a wider soundstage and more depth & clarity to each individual track.



Return Policy & Warranty
We extend a two-year warranty on all of our work beginning on the date your unit is delivered. ** 
Should your unit experience any mod-related failure during the warranty period, immediately contact us and we will gladly correct the issue at no charge (excluding shipping).


(Please note:  Due to such high demand and because of our tight production schedule, we will charge a cancellation fee (30% of your down payment amount) if you cancel your appointment for modification once it has been scheduled. In the event you do cancel your appointment, please allow 3-4 weeks for your partial-refund to be processed. We do not offer any refunds for cancellations made within two weeks of the original scheduled appointment date. 

If you wish to simply reschedule your mod's appointment date, we do require a two-week notice, and there is only a nominal $25 rescheduling fee.)

 



 

** For more info, please review our policies contained in our Full Disclaimer (link at very bottom of page).