RedNet MP8R is an 8-channel remote-controlled microphone preamplifier and A/D for the Dante audio-over-IP network. Developed from the RedNet 4 studio remote-controlled microphone preamp, and incorporating input from leading live sound practitioners during its development, the MP8R provides a wealth of features that make it particularly applicable to the live sound/recording and broadcast environments, where reliability is paramount. Dual Ethernet ports are provided, with several operating modes including daisy-chaining and redundancy confirmed by front-panel indicators. Two separate power supplies with fault detection capability are included, with separate power input sockets on the rear panel. Power failure is indicated both remotely and on the front panel. The MP8R features a rugged, roadworthy exterior and maximum internal build quality. In addition, the MP8R offers a compact 1U rack-mount form factor. 

The MP8R preamps represent the latest iteration of Focusrite’s award-winning mic pre designs, with a pedigree that stretches back to the original Focusrite products of the mid-1980s. Fully keeping pace with the latest developments in audio technology, today’s Focusrite preamps offer lower noise and great dynamic range than ever before. The preamps in the MP8R offer an increased maximum input level of 28dBu, plus a 20dB pad, high-pass filter, polarity inversion and phantom power. Each preamp has a dual input impedance of 10kΩ or 2.4kΩ, allowing flexibility when running multiple mic pres in parallel. 

A particular feature of the MP8R targeted at the live sound field is its gain tracking ability. The unit appears as a 16-channel device on the network, the first eight channels being direct preamp feeds, while the remaining eight are automatically DSP level-compensated outputs sourced from the first eight. This architecture allows “splits” – such as monitor/FOH – to be set up in the digital domain, permitting one engineer to control the analogue mic gain while a second receives an output level that is constant irrespective of the analogue mic gain setting.