Behringer ADA8200 Ultragain Digital audio converter

Behringer ADA8200 Ultragain — 8-Channel AD/DA Converter with Midas Preamps

The Behringer ADA8200 Ultragain is an 8-channel AD/DA converter module that pairs Cirrus Logic conversion with eight Midas-designed microphone preamps in a single 1U rack chassis. It expands the analogue input and output count of any compatible audio interface or digital mixer with an ADAT optical port, adding eight channels without replacing the existing interface. This unit is the right choice for project-studio owners and mobile recordists who need eight high-gain preamps and balanced line outputs at a price below typical eight-channel converters.

Midas Preamps and Cirrus Logic Conversion in One Box

What separates this module from generic ADAT expanders is the inclusion of eight preamps engineered by Midas, a live-sound console brand. The internal converters are built around Cirrus Logic silicon, and the routing matrix lets every mic/line input feed the ADAT output while the ADAT input is reassigned to the eight rear-panel XLR line outputs. A master 48 V phantom-power switch feeds all eight preamps simultaneously.

Conversion Specs — 24-bit Cirrus Logic at 44.1/48 kHz

Conversion quality defines any ADAT expander. This module delivers 24-bit resolution at the two sample rates that fit on a single ADAT lightpipe, and sample-rate sync is automatic when slaved to an ADAT input.

• Resolution: 24 bit
• Sample rates: 44.1 kHz / 48 kHz — covers CD and standard video production rates
• Converter chipset: Cirrus Logic

Midas Preamps — 60 dB of Clean Gain per Channel

Each of the eight channels pairs an electronically balanced XLR microphone input with a balanced 6.3 mm TRS line input, both routed through a Midas-designed preamp capable of up to 60 dB of gain.

• Microphone preamps: 8 × Midas-designed
• Maximum gain: 60 dB — enough headroom for ribbon and dynamic microphones on quiet sources
• Mic inputs: 8 × XLR balanced

ADAT I/O, Word Clock, and 1U Rack Format

Eight balanced XLR line outputs mirror the ADAT input for monitor mixes or external processing, while ADAT optical in/out and BNC word clock cover digital connection and clock distribution.

• Line outputs: 8 × XLR balanced
• Digital I/O: ADAT optical in/out — single TOSLINK cable carries eight channels in each direction
• Clock sync: BNC word clock + ADAT sync

For Project Studios and Mobile Recordists Needing More Channels

The ADA8200 is the right choice for home and project-studio owners whose audio interface has run out of analogue inputs but still has a free ADAT port. It suits mobile recording engineers tracking drums or full bands on location, where eight clean preamps and a single rack unit make setup fast. Beginners get eight Midas preamps and full AD/DA conversion at a price that would otherwise buy only four channels from competing brands.

Behringer and the Midas Heritage

Behringer was founded in Germany by Uli Behringer and built its reputation on affordable studio electronics, starting with the original Studio Exciter F. Midas, Klark Teknik, and TC Electronic were later acquired, bringing decades of live-sound expertise into the product line. The ADA8200 is a clear example of that crossover: a budget-priced rack unit whose preamp section is designed by the same engineers behind Midas's touring consoles. It arrived in September 2013 as the successor to the ADA8000.