Black Lion Audio has released the Auteur 8DAT, an 8-channel Auteur preamp and word clock with ADAT connectivity. Built in a 2U rackmount format, the Auteur 8DAT is designed for studios, production rooms, mobile recording systems, and ADAT-compatible interfaces that need additional microphone, line, and instrument inputs.
Each channel uses Black Lion Audio’s Auteur preamp design, combining an IC-based front end with Cinemag output transformers. This gives users eight channels of microphone preamplification in one chassis, with balanced XLR microphone inputs, front-panel 1/4-inch Hi-Z and line inputs, and analog outputs for connection to mixers, interfaces, recorders, or external processing.
The front panel, shown across the product visuals, includes individual gain controls, +48V phantom power, pad, polarity reverse, insert switching, Hi-Z/Line selection, and metering for each channel. This layout supports tracking multiple sources at once, including microphones, guitars, basses, keyboards, drum machines, and other line-level equipment.
For digital expansion, the Auteur 8DAT provides ADAT output with support for sample rates up to 192 kHz. The owner’s manual notes that ADAT channel count changes with the selected sample rate: 8 channels at 44.1 and 48 kHz, 4 channels at 88.2 and 96 kHz, and 2 channels at 176.4 and 192 kHz.
The unit also includes Black Lion Audio’s patented Macro-MMC clocking, with BNC word clock input and output. It can operate from its internal clock or sync to an external BNC clock source, giving users flexibility when integrating it into a larger digital recording setup. The rear-panel diagram in the manual also shows ADAT optical connections, BNC word clock, DB25 insert send and return ports, XLR outputs, and XLR microphone inputs.
For outboard gear integration, the Auteur 8DAT includes eight insert send and return connections over DB25. These can be switched from the front panel, allowing hardware processors to be added to individual channels. The insert sends can also function as mults, which may be useful for parallel processing or routing signals to additional destinations.
Key specifications include 24-bit digital operation, internal sample rates of 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz, a mic input gain range of +10 to +66 dB, +48V phantom power, 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response, and a stated noise floor of -90 dBu. The Auteur 8DAT weighs 13 lb and measures 19 inches wide, 3.4 inches high, and 9 inches deep.
The Black Lion Audio Auteur 8DAT brings together eight Auteur preamps, ADAT expansion, DB25 inserts, BNC word clock, front-panel Hi-Z and line access, and 192 kHz-capable digital operation in a single rack unit. For users building a recording setup around an ADAT-compatible interface, it provides a structured way to add more analog inputs, external hardware routing, and clocking control.