Focusrite ISA ADN8 8-Channel A-D Dante Expansion Card for ISA 428/828

Eight-Channel A-D Expansion for the ISA Rack Preamps

The Focusrite ISA ADN8 is an optional eight-channel analog-to-digital card that installs inside the ISA 428 MkII and ISA 828 MkII to give those preamps digital and Dante network outputs. It is an expansion card rather than a standalone converter, turning a rack of classic ISA mic preamps into a networked digital source. Analog-to-digital conversion, or A/D, samples the preamp's analog voltage and encodes it as digital audio, and doing it directly at the preamp keeps the pristine ISA signal in the digital domain from the very first stage. For a studio already running the ISA 428 or 828, the card modernises the rig without changing its trusted analog front end.

Dante Audio-over-IP for the Whole Rack

Primary and secondary RJ45 ports carry all eight channels onto a Dante network over standard Ethernet cabling. Dante is an audio-over-IP protocol that transports many channels of low-latency digital audio across ordinary network infrastructure, collapsing eight analog runs into a single cable. Through Dante the ISA preamps reach every Focusrite RedNet device and Red interface as well as Dante hardware from hundreds of other manufacturers. A large facility can route eight channels of ISA tone anywhere on its network without a dedicated converter rack.

AES3 and ADAT for Legacy Digital Gear

An industry-standard AES59 DB-25 connector provides eight channels of AES3 output, while a pair of TOSLINK connectors carries ADAT optical. ADAT delivers eight channels at up to 96kHz and four channels at 192kHz using sample-rate multiplexing, so the card scales its channel count as resolution rises. This lets the ISA preamps feed an existing digital console or an ADAT-equipped interface directly, protecting a studio's investment in current gear. An engineer can bridge classic analog preamps to whatever digital infrastructure is already in place.

Precision Conversion up to 192kHz

Conversion runs at sample rates up to 24-bit/192kHz with 121dB of A-weighted dynamic range and a 22dBu reference level. Wide dynamic range and high sample rates capture the transient detail and harmonic richness that the ISA transformer front ends produce. Because conversion happens immediately after the preamp, the signal is digitised before any additional cabling can introduce noise. Film-scoring stages and mastering-grade tracking rooms gain conversion worthy of the preamps ahead of it.

Redundancy, Word Clock, and Synchronisation

Dual Dante Ethernet ports give network redundancy with automatic switchover, and BNC word clock input and output handle timing. Word clock is the master timing reference that keeps every digital device sampling in step, preventing the clicks and dropouts caused by drifting clocks. The card can lock the Dante network to a house clock or serve as the reference for external equipment. Broadcast and live installations, where reliability is non-negotiable, depend on this resilient clocking and networking.

Software Control and Ideal Users

RedNet Control handles metering and settings while Dante Controller manages routing, and both applications are included. On-screen routing means sources are patched to destinations in software with no physical repatching, which is invaluable in a large or frequently reconfigured system. Because it relies on the host ISA 428 MkII or 828 MkII for its analog stage and power, the ADN8 is intended for owners of those preamps who want networked, multi-channel digital output. It completes the bridge from a classic ISA rack to a modern Dante studio.