With productions spanning everything from the big studio right down to modest mobile or home setups, one box sets out to bridge the gap. Bringing big board front end to the desktop, we get our hands on Neve’s 88M to check it out.
In Summary
The Neve 88M is a 10 in, 10 out desktop audio interface featuring two preamplifiers taken from the company’s well-known 88R control room-filling console. With bus powering and direct monitoring sans app, the 88M sets out to bring world class recording to modest setups.
Going Deeper
Neve 88M
Known to many for their large-format studio consoles, Neve’s creations such as the DFC3D and 88RS boards continue to grace control rooms around the world. The latter of these two consoles is the company’s well-known analogue control room monolith. For those who want genuine big console recording that they can stuff in a laptop bag, Neve recently decided to treat the world to their take on the desktop interface.
Aimed at anyone from producers working with names accustomed to the large studio experience to anyone wanting to invest in two genuine 88R mic amps with built-in interfacing and monitoring, Neve’s 88M has it covered.
In the video, we take 88M for a spin on voice, acoustic guitar, and percussion to soak in some of its big-board DNA. Comparing it to another popular desktop-dweller, we listen in on its transformer-coupled tones without the big bill at the end!
Neve 88M Key Features:
10 in, 10 out audio interface
2 mic pres featuring the same Marinair transformer-coupled technology as Neve’s flagship large-format 88RS
Both preamp channels feature a balanced insert send & return loop. Each insert send is always active, allowing for signal splitting.
ADAT optical connection allow for tracking up to ten signals. In addition, there are ten available outputs, two analogue monitor sends and eight digital outputs via ADAT optical connection.
TRS monitor outputs. Controlled from the 88RS-style monitor pot with a centre detent set to -12dB below the maximum for calibratable studio listening level.
USB3 bus powered, class compliance (on MacOS, with Windows driver available), up to 192kHz ADAC.
Microphone Preamps
Quite aside from the 88M’s interface purposes, it can be used as a standalone two-channel mic preamp featuring large-format 88RS front end courtesy of its Marinair transformer-coupled technology.
Via the 88M’s insert connections, those two Neve mic amps can still be put to good use on those jobs that are beyond a 10 X 10 input count. All that is needed is some power to the USB connection and the option for use with another device is there. These can then be connected to line inputs or insert returns on larger rigs.
Monitoring Modes
One of the advantages of tracking through a console is true zero-latency input monitoring that doesn’t rely on other options such as a hardware-accelerated DAW. The conundrum of combining that with DAW returns for drop-ins and other switched-source monitoring is of course another story! However, for simple cue mixes during track laying, the 88M provides a solution for those who prize simplicity without latency headaches.
Four monitoring modes are available, and these are cycled by pressing the Phones level control.
Stereo DAW: This is the stereo computer return only.
Stereo DIR (direct) : This is the two inputs only routed 1 - L and 2 - R
Stereo MIX: This sums Stereo DAW and Stereo DIR in the headphones.
Mono MIX: This sums Stereo DAW with a mono sum of the two inputs. The DAW return remains in stereo.
88M Final Thoughts
Any 2 x 2 box (OK, 10 X 10 in this case) ideally needs to either do something different or do an existing thing better than the rest to garner attention. I think the 88M succeeds on both counts.
Firstly, it’s hard to ignore the pedigree of the two mic inputs in this box. For anyone who needs reminding, the black ‘leatherette’ tolex finish of the 88M looks like it is literally cut from the same cloth as its progenitor’s armrest. To get one thing out the way, no front end is a magic bullet. That said, these inputs do possess all the ability to resolve detail and add the kind of ‘size’ to a source that 88RS console users are presumably used to. I especially liked the acoustic guitar sound I was able to get through the 88M, that had to my ears an audible lead over another popular interface in terms of its top end complexity and mid-range character.
Many engineers like to drive transformer inputs harder, and those pres with a separate output gain allow them to cook to taste without overloading the channel or interface input. Presumably as a concession to cost and panel space this second stage is absent on the 88M. However its (appreciably more useful) insert points offer a way to attenuate its transformer goodness further downstream. The sends can accommodate a hefty +18dBu output, so all that is needed is outboard with similarly pro working levels.
Using the insert sends to hook up to any 16 X 16 rig, for example, doesn’t mean to 88M has to be redundant on bigger jobs. Compare that to the cost of buying a different standalone Neve style mic amp at £800 + per channel and the 88M’s two-for-one £1.1k price starts to look like a bargain.
Although my daily driver’s simple monitoring app is the best I’ve used, the 88M interface goes one further by ditching the need to jump into any software at all. A mix control would have been nice, and a monitor mute button would have been even better, however for most these won’t be deal breakers. The stereo direct/DAW/mix options from the front panel are welcome, and the mono mix option sums the inputs and retains stereo from the DAW as expected, so the implementation is good.
For anyone who likes the idea of world-class Neve front end for their desktop, or for those who can’t quite justify putting a 72 channel studio console in their house, the Neve 88M is the only game in town.
A Word About This Article
As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.