How to setup SPDIF, and AES - as AUX?

[angelotaylor]

Hello, dear D8B users!

I`m still newby DB8 user.

I have a reverb processor - Lexicon MPX 550, with SPDIF IN/OUT`s. I want connect it with AES, or SPDIF to D8B, and use as external reverb.

Please explain me about step-by step, how to setup patching! How to send signal to reverb, anb return it to mixer. I am very interest - how to make it with AES, because I cant see any AES, or "digital" inputs in patching menu!

Thank You!

[Crash]

You would benefit from a PDI.8 card in the Alt I/O slot.

[angelotaylor]

You would benefit from a PDI.8 card in the Alt I/O slot.

Thank You for Your answer. Unfortunately, I dont have a dsub25/snake to XLR cable for it. Any another way, is it possible? What about SPDIF?

[Y-my-R]

I think the problem with this is, that the S/PDIF and AES Outputs on the "Digital I/O" card that comes with every D8B, is always mirroring the Master Out of the console.
I'm not aware of a way to have these "Global" digital outputs have any other signal on them than a digital mirror of the Master Out.

In my opinion, this makes sense when working in a digital environment. If you're using a digital mixer, you'll most likely also using a digital Master recorder to mix down to. Back in the day, this may have been a DAT Recorder... nowadays, you'd probably route the digital Master Out back into a computer and record your Mixdown that way. But it makes sense to stay in the digital realm for this, and not use the analog-converted signal from the analog Master Outs and then have the DAT/Master-Recorder do another analog to digital conversion. You will want to stay in the digital realm to have a "lossless" Master-Recording arriving at your Stereo-Master recorder - thus, you'll want to use the S/PDIF or AES output for that purpose.

In short, there's a good reason why the "global" S/PDIF and AES outputs always mirror the analog Master Output.

You might argue that the S/PDIF and AES out should be usable separately, but this would require a separate audio stream for the DSP to handle. So, this would likely have increased cost in the design, not sure.

I think that's also why Crash suggested using a PDI.8 card for this purpose instead. This lets you keep the digital "Master Out" for the purpose it was intended for (see above), and use the additional 4 Stereo channels of AES outputs on a PDI.8 card, to send signals to external processors etc. digitally. Yes, DB25 cables are relatively pricey, and the Lexicon MPX may not even be able to handle it, without converting the signal from AES to S/PDIF first... but I think that was how the D8B was intended to work with digital peripherals... via the Extension cards, and not via the "Global" digital I/O, that is mainly intended for your Main/Master outs (plus a flexible digital input option... but this won't help to create a complete FX-Loop, of course).

Having said all that - I have a Lexicon MPX200 that has S/PDIF I/O on it. I don't use it much, since there's plenty of plug-ins that sound better, IMO (e.g. I have two different Lexicon 480L simulations that sound gorgeous!). When I do use it, then usually via the S/PDIF I/O on my audio interface, instead of via the D8B.

I sometimes route the S/PDIF return that comes back into my audio interface from the Lexicon, back to my D8B's ADAT inputs (I have 4 DIO.8 ADAT cards in there), via the audio interface's control panel mixer. But this of course still limits what signal you can send TO the Lexicon... Although theoretically, you could buss a signal out to via ADAT to the audio interface, from there out to the S/PDIF to the Lexicon, back to the audio interface via S/PDIF, and back to the D8B via ADAT. It's all digital, so there would be no quality loss... but that complexity probably isn't worth what you get from a low-end Lexicon unit like the MPX series.

The way I usually do it, I only feed audio running on the computer to the Lexicon, and not really audio that is passing through the D8B. So, I admit, this is a bit limiting when wanting to do a simple S/PDIF FX Loop via the D8B... but again, I think there's a good reason why the D8B treats the S/PDIF&AES outs like a "digital Master Out"

On a side-note, none of my S/PDIF stuff is connected between two devices directly (not even the D8B S/PDIF out). I have an old M-Audio "Digipatch 12x6" patchbay, that acts as the S/PDIF hub for my setup. From here, I can route any of my devices that have S/PDIF, to any other device that has S/PDIF. This adds a lot of flexibility without having to re-patch digital cables.
Besides the Lexicon S/PDIF, I also use multiple computers for different purposes in my setup, and this gives me a quick and easy way to send a digital stereo signal from any computer/audio-interface, to another computer/audio-interface... (...and then have more routing/mixing options via their control panel mixers). But in my setup, the D8B isn't central to my signal flow, anyway. I work mostly in the box... the D8B is just an "auxiliary mixer" for me anyway, so my way of working isn't typical.

Sorry about the long ramble... I have a tendency to think out loud in writing, still going off on tangents... I hope there was still some useful info somewhere in this word-salad...

[angelotaylor]

I think the problem with this is, that the S/PDIF and AES Outputs on the "Digital I/O" card that comes with every D8B, is always mirroring the Master Out of the console.
I'm not aware of a way to have these "Global" digital outputs have any other signal on them than a digital mirror of the Master Out.

In my opinion, this makes sense when working in a digital environment. If you're using a digital mixer, you'll most likely also using a digital Master recorder to mix down to. Back in the day, this may have been a DAT Recorder... nowadays, you'd probably route the digital Master Out back into a computer and record your Mixdown that way. But it makes sense to stay in the digital realm for this, and not use the analog-converted signal from the analog Master Outs and then have the DAT/Master-Recorder do another analog to digital conversion. You will want to stay in the digital realm to have a "lossless" Master-Recording arriving at your Stereo-Master recorder - thus, you'll want to use the S/PDIF or AES output for that purpose.

In short, there's a good reason why the "global" S/PDIF and AES outputs always mirror the analog Master Output.

You might argue that the S/PDIF and AES out should be usable separately, but this would require a separate audio stream for the DSP to handle. So, this would likely have increased cost in the design, not sure.

I think that's also why Crash suggested using a PDI.8 card for this purpose instead. This lets you keep the digital "Master Out" for the purpose it was intended for (see above), and use the additional 4 Stereo channels of AES outputs on a PDI.8 card, to send signals to external processors etc. digitally. Yes, DB25 cables are relatively pricey, and the Lexicon MPX may not even be able to handle it, without converting the signal from AES to S/PDIF first... but I think that was how the D8B was intended to work with digital peripherals... via the Extension cards, and not via the "Global" digital I/O, that is mainly intended for your Main/Master outs (plus a flexible digital input option... but this won't help to create a complete FX-Loop, of course).

Having said all that - I have a Lexicon MPX200 that has S/PDIF I/O on it. I don't use it much, since there's plenty of plug-ins that sound better, IMO (e.g. I have two different Lexicon 480L simulations that sound gorgeous!). When I do use it, then usually via the S/PDIF I/O on my audio interface, instead of via the D8B.

I sometimes route the S/PDIF return that comes back into my audio interface from the Lexicon, back to my D8B's ADAT inputs (I have 4 DIO.8 ADAT cards in there), via the audio interface's control panel mixer. But this of course still limits what signal you can send TO the Lexicon... Although theoretically, you could buss a signal out to via ADAT to the audio interface, from there out to the S/PDIF to the Lexicon, back to the audio interface via S/PDIF, and back to the D8B via ADAT. It's all digital, so there would be no quality loss... but that complexity probably isn't worth what you get from a low-end Lexicon unit like the MPX series.

The way I usually do it, I only feed audio running on the computer to the Lexicon, and not really audio that is passing through the D8B. So, I admit, this is a bit limiting when wanting to do a simple S/PDIF FX Loop via the D8B... but again, I think there's a good reason why the D8B treats the S/PDIF&AES outs like a "digital Master Out"

On a side-note, none of my S/PDIF stuff is connected between two devices directly (not even the D8B S/PDIF out). I have an old M-Audio "Digipatch 12x6" patchbay, that acts as the S/PDIF hub for my setup. From here, I can route any of my devices that have S/PDIF, to any other device that has S/PDIF. This adds a lot of flexibility without having to re-patch digital cables.
Besides the Lexicon S/PDIF, I also use multiple computers for different purposes in my setup, and this gives me a quick and easy way to send a digital stereo signal from any computer/audio-interface, to another computer/audio-interface... (...and then have more routing/mixing options via their control panel mixers). But in my setup, the D8B isn't central to my signal flow, anyway. I work mostly in the box... the D8B is just an "auxiliary mixer" for me anyway, so my way of working isn't typical.

Sorry about the long ramble... I have a tendency to think out loud in writing, still going off on tangents... I hope there was still some useful info somewhere in this word-salad...

My greetings, Y-my-R!

Thank You for Your answer! What emulations of Lex 480 did You use? It is about Relab LX480 VST? Very good plugin!

I've been thinking... I will connect my MPX to one of my 888 I/O, after that I will create in Pro Tools AUX track, and after - I will rout it to ADAT BRIDGE ADAT In/Out. In D8B, I will use second Apogee ADAT card to rout with Pro Tools ADAT BRIDGE.
This is very similar to what you described. And this will really work! Latter, I will purchase digital patching panel with DB25 and XLR`s....

[Crash]

20200626_142733.jpg (Array KiB) Viewed 1659 times

OK, pretend that the dxb in this pic is a d8b, because at one time, it was. All of that gear in the racks was used with that desk, as is this one. Your world will open up if you can go analog with your outboard gear. Getting some snakes will help you connect to outboard whizbang boxes as well. It's all about maximizing inputs and outputs by any means necessary.

[angelotaylor]

OK, pretend that the dxb in this pic is a d8b, because at one time, it was. All of that gear in the racks was used with that desk, as is this one. Your world will open up if you can go analog with your outboard gear. Getting some snakes will help you connect to outboard whizbang boxes as well. It's all about maximizing inputs and outputs by any means necessary.

Thank You! I will!

[Y-my-R]

Believe it or not, I typed something even longer than the below, but kinda got stuck, so I decided to start over, trying to make it short. This is the short version, hahaha

Here are some opinions on different use-cases for the D8B:

A. Tracking bands WITHOUT a separate DAW-computer

A D8B together with an HDR/MDR are a KILLER combination to record bands/artists. It acts like a huge harddisk-recorder with built-in effects and gives tons of options to tie in external (analog) processing gear. If you have your D8B and HDR/MDR connected DIGITALLY, it's even better, since there's no quality loss between them in that case. Otherwise, when connecting the multi-track recorder via analog connections, these conversions happen every time you press record:

1. Analog source converted to digital as it enters the D8B
2. Digital signal converted to analog as it exists the D8B and goes toward the HDR
3. Analog signal converted to digital as it enters the HDR
4. Digital signal converted to analog as it exits the HDR and goes toward the D8B
5. Analog signal converted to digital as it enters the D8B
6. Digital signal converted to analog as it exists the D8B on the way to the speakers (this last conversion plays no role, when sending via S/PDIF to a Stereo Master-Recorder. The conversion is part of what you hear over speakers connected to the D8B, though)

If using the D8B together with a digital multi-track recorder for the purpose of tracking bands on up to 24 tracks, then it's best to have the recorder connected DIGITALLY via ADAT, TDIF or AES. Which digital card doesn't really matter, if both ends have the same type of digital connections. The goal is to have the signal remain unchanged when transferred between these devices.


B. Tracking bands WITH separate DAW-computer

This "can" work just as well and even better than scenario A above, but here, too, it's better if the connection between the audio interface and D8B are all digital/lossless.

However, it often times makes a lot more sense to record directly into the audio interface instead of going through the D8B, though, since modern converters are usually better, and the Pre-amps on the D8B also don't really hold up to what even many budget interfaces can do nowadays. So, this sort of setup has a limited use, IMO.
Besides, I think this really only starts making sense when being able to transfer (close to) the full number of Tape Outs/Returns from the D8B to the DAW computer and back (i.e. 24 out, 24 return). IMO, the usefulness of doing this for only 8 tracks or so, is doubtful, and the added complexity for a questionable benefit is often not worth it, IMO.
I could write a lot of pros/cons in this section (and did... but deleted, since it was getting too much), but what it comes down to is that it's often a lot easier to use a control surface with the DAW if all you really want is to mix with "real faders" and go straight into the audio interface with your audio, instead of dealing with all kinds of possible hurdles and possible sound degradation (depending on connections) when tying in an old digital mixer, etc.
And you can use the D8B as a control surface, too! Via the ProBox (or with only 8 faders via the built-in HUI mode)

C. Using D8B as audio-switchboard / routing central

This pretty much always makes sense, if you have plenty of signal sources and destinations, and need a way to patch them in useful ways, without having to physically change the cable connections. For this, it makes the most sense to have all analog cards in your D8B, since you'll get to tie in a lot of analog processing gear this way. You'll "only" get 2 conversions when using external ANALOG peripherals this way - on the way out of the D8B, and back into the D8B. So, this is not nearly as bad, as when connecting a digital recorder to it by analog means.

If you have DIGITAL external processing gear (like your Lexicon, but with AES/EBU connections), then it could of course also make sense to have an AES expansion card in the D8B to tie in the digital processing gear without conversions. But this comes at the cost of the flexibility to quickly connect something else to these I/O ports... analog is always the lowest common denominator.

D. Same as point C, but with better converters

You could do exactly the same thing as what I'm describing in point C, by having all digital expansion cards in your D8B, but adding better external converter boxes that connect to the D8B digitally. The guy I bought my first two D8Bs from (at the same time), used a couple of Lynx Aurora converters with it, for example. This is a way to "upgrade" the D8B, keep it useful and at the same time make it sound better... but is usually cost prohibitive. Who'd buy thousands of dollars worth of converters, to make a 20 year old mixer sound better, that can be had for a few hundred bucks nowadays. Just saying, that this would be one way to connect a lot of external gear while having modern and higher-end audio and converter quality. This still doesn't improve the quality of anything you connect to the analog inputs or aux sends/analog buss outs etc. on the D8B, though.
Anyway... "point D" is probably not very practical, unless you work for a company that makes converter boxes and have free access to them


E. A combination of the above

Something that gives you access to most of the benefits of the different ways you can use a D8B that I'm describing above, is to simply put ALL of the D8B's analog inputs and outputs on a patchbay. (And the analog I/O of your audio interface and outboard gear as well.) That's how I'm using it myself.

I have 24 DIGITAL channels of I/O connected between the D8B and my DAW computer (via ADAT in the Tape I/O slots), but all the (analog) Channel Inputs, Inserts, Aux-Sends and Buss-outs go to an (analog) TRS patchbay. Even the D8B's XLR inputs go to a separate XLR patchbay/stagebox, to make them easily accessible right next to my other pres/audio-interface's pres (that I also put on the patchbay).

I don't have nearly as much outboard gear as Crash (I really wish I did, though - amazing stuff!! Impressive!!!), but even for the stuff I do have, I don't usually use it all at the same time. And that's where the patchbay comes in. A lot of it is "normaled", so some of the outboard gear I do have is by default connected to the D8B's Aux-Sends etc. But with a patch-bay, a signal flow change is always just a few patch cables away

So, if you put everything on a patchbay, you can quickly re-configure your setup to allow you to track bands, or work on your Synth Magnum-Opus, using all the external processing you can get your hands on

...and for ADAT-routing, I still get a number of options via the control panels for my Universal Audio Apollo 8 and PreSonus Quantum interfaces (...well... via the DAW for the PreSonus interface).

What I really wished I had, was a much larger digital patchbay, though, so I could connect all the ADAT I/O to that, and re-patch any time I want. But with the rest of the setup, I can usually work around this... if I win the lottery, I'll get a huge digital patchbay with lots of ADAT I/O on it, though

Sorry for publishing a second "novel" in a single day. I just thought a breakdown like this, for different ways to use the D8B and the downsides of some ways to connect it, could be useful for some others who are reading along. I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, who has things set up in a way that I describe as less-than-ideal here. In the end, it's all in the eye (or ear) of the beholder...

[angelotaylor]

Believe it or not, I typed something even longer than the below, but kinda got stuck, so I decided to start over, trying to make it short. This is the short version, hahaha

Here are some opinions on different use-cases for the D8B:

A. Tracking bands WITHOUT a separate DAW-computer

A D8B together with an HDR/MDR are a KILLER combination to record bands/artists. It acts like a huge harddisk-recorder with built-in effects and gives tons of options to tie in external (analog) processing gear. If you have your D8B and HDR/MDR connected DIGITALLY, it's even better, since there's no quality loss between them in that case. Otherwise, when connecting the multi-track recorder via analog connections, these conversions happen every time you press record:

1. Analog source converted to digital as it enters the D8B
2. Digital signal converted to analog as it exists the D8B and goes toward the HDR
3. Analog signal converted to digital as it enters the HDR
4. Digital signal converted to analog as it exits the HDR and goes toward the D8B
5. Analog signal converted to digital as it enters the D8B
6. Digital signal converted to analog as it exists the D8B on the way to the speakers (this last conversion plays no role, when sending via S/PDIF to a Stereo Master-Recorder. The conversion is part of what you hear over speakers connected to the D8B, though)

If using the D8B together with a digital multi-track recorder for the purpose of tracking bands on up to 24 tracks, then it's best to have the recorder connected DIGITALLY via ADAT, TDIF or AES. Which digital card doesn't really matter, if both ends have the same type of digital connections. The goal is to have the signal remain unchanged when transferred between these devices.


B. Tracking bands WITH separate DAW-computer

This "can" work just as well and even better than scenario A above, but here, too, it's better if the connection between the audio interface and D8B are all digital/lossless.

However, it often times makes a lot more sense to record directly into the audio interface instead of going through the D8B, though, since modern converters are usually better, and the Pre-amps on the D8B also don't really hold up to what even many budget interfaces can do nowadays. So, this sort of setup has a limited use, IMO.
Besides, I think this really only starts making sense when being able to transfer (close to) the full number of Tape Outs/Returns from the D8B to the DAW computer and back (i.e. 24 out, 24 return). IMO, the usefulness of doing this for only 8 tracks or so, is doubtful, and the added complexity for a questionable benefit is often not worth it, IMO.
I could write a lot of pros/cons in this section (and did... but deleted, since it was getting too much), but what it comes down to is that it's often a lot easier to use a control surface with the DAW if all you really want is to mix with "real faders" and go straight into the audio interface with your audio, instead of dealing with all kinds of possible hurdles and possible sound degradation (depending on connections) when tying in an old digital mixer, etc.
And you can use the D8B as a control surface, too! Via the ProBox (or with only 8 faders via the built-in HUI mode)

C. Using D8B as audio-switchboard / routing central

This pretty much always makes sense, if you have plenty of signal sources and destinations, and need a way to patch them in useful ways, without having to physically change the cable connections. For this, it makes the most sense to have all analog cards in your D8B, since you'll get to tie in a lot of analog processing gear this way. You'll "only" get 2 conversions when using external ANALOG peripherals this way - on the way out of the D8B, and back into the D8B. So, this is not nearly as bad, as when connecting a digital recorder to it by analog means.

If you have DIGITAL external processing gear (like your Lexicon, but with AES/EBU connections), then it could of course also make sense to have an AES expansion card in the D8B to tie in the digital processing gear without conversions. But this comes at the cost of the flexibility to quickly connect something else to these I/O ports... analog is always the lowest common denominator.

D. Same as point C, but with better converters

You could do exactly the same thing as what I'm describing in point C, by having all digital expansion cards in your D8B, but adding better external converter boxes that connect to the D8B digitally. The guy I bought my first two D8Bs from (at the same time), used a couple of Lynx Aurora converters with it, for example. This is a way to "upgrade" the D8B, keep it useful and at the same time make it sound better... but is usually cost prohibitive. Who'd buy thousands of dollars worth of converters, to make a 20 year old mixer sound better, that can be had for a few hundred bucks nowadays. Just saying, that this would be one way to connect a lot of external gear while having modern and higher-end audio and converter quality. This still doesn't improve the quality of anything you connect to the analog inputs or aux sends/analog buss outs etc. on the D8B, though.
Anyway... "point D" is probably not very practical, unless you work for a company that makes converter boxes and have free access to them


E. A combination of the above

Something that gives you access to most of the benefits of the different ways you can use a D8B that I'm describing above, is to simply put ALL of the D8B's analog inputs and outputs on a patchbay. (And the analog I/O of your audio interface and outboard gear as well.) That's how I'm using it myself.

I have 24 DIGITAL channels of I/O connected between the D8B and my DAW computer (via ADAT in the Tape I/O slots), but all the (analog) Channel Inputs, Inserts, Aux-Sends and Buss-outs go to an (analog) TRS patchbay. Even the D8B's XLR inputs go to a separate XLR patchbay/stagebox, to make them easily accessible right next to my other pres/audio-interface's pres (that I also put on the patchbay).

I don't have nearly as much outboard gear as Crash (I really wish I did, though - amazing stuff!! Impressive!!!), but even for the stuff I do have, I don't usually use it all at the same time. And that's where the patchbay comes in. A lot of it is "normaled", so some of the outboard gear I do have is by default connected to the D8B's Aux-Sends etc. But with a patch-bay, a signal flow change is always just a few patch cables away

So, if you put everything on a patchbay, you can quickly re-configure your setup to allow you to track bands, or work on your Synth Magnum-Opus, using all the external processing you can get your hands on

...and for ADAT-routing, I still get a number of options via the control panels for my Universal Audio Apollo 8 and PreSonus Quantum interfaces (...well... via the DAW for the PreSonus interface).

What I really wished I had, was a much larger digital patchbay, though, so I could connect all the ADAT I/O to that, and re-patch any time I want. But with the rest of the setup, I can usually work around this... if I win the lottery, I'll get a huge digital patchbay with lots of ADAT I/O on it, though

Sorry for publishing a second "novel" in a single day. I just thought a breakdown like this, for different ways to use the D8B and the downsides of some ways to connect it, could be useful for some others who are reading along. I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, who has things set up in a way that I describe as less-than-ideal here. In the end, it's all in the eye (or ear) of the beholder...

Thank you for the detailed explanations!

But I want to draw your attention to an important detail:
Musicians who work as engineers in studios in Russia report on some nuances of the sound of "modern" devices. There are different classes of converters. Some of them, no matter how modern they are , do not have a " musical sound". Expensive models like Prism Sound - sound really good. When you record dry sound and do tracking, your sound should remain transparent, and the delay processor - should form not only a delay effects, but also a "space" in Your mixes. This "space" should remain "deep" - all the time of operation, the sound should not be "blurred" and become "cloudy", or "chemical". Real clear sound - you can hear on commercial music recordings that were made in serious studios. I have never heard a "modern sound card" in my life that has such a musical sound. But the sound of the d8b mixer is just "musical", despite the fact that it is more than 20 years old! Options from Apogee - give it a bigger head start than any "modern" converters that do not sound "musical", but are created using better technology. The world is divided. At people who hear it and who not. I'm lucky to hear the difference. Therefore, my music is quite successful in my country without any marketing. I hope that my English is not so bad and you understand the meaning of what I was trying to convey to you!

IMO: Unlike to THE d8b sound - most "modern" audio interfaces have a very flat plastic sound! They are not suitable for professional music production!

[Y-my-R]

If you actually like the sound of the D8B converters and the older Pro Tools converters, more power to you! That keeps expenses low, too!

There are no wrong opinions, if it comes to one's own taste for what sound good or doesn't. Just like some people like spicy food, while others don't. It just seems that your opinion and my opinion when it comes to what converters and/or devices give good clarity and a good sound stage/depth, is a bit different.

I'm not trying to convince you at all - I think it's great, if you found the gear that works well for you to find the sound you like - and that it sells well in Russia, too!
But I'm also not exactly new to all of this, and have worked with all the hardware devices that came up by name so far... and the stuff you like (e.g. 888 and D8B converters), I don't seem to like as much... but again, that's totally cool. I'm not trying to convince anyone.
I chose the D8B because I got it cheap, and because it a convenient piece of gear, that works much like a swiss army knife for me. It's good to have a round. I didn't buy it because of the converter quality, though...

FWIW, I worked with digital audio since 1994 (Atari Falcon) and have been working non-stop for a couple different audio software and hardware manufacturers since 1997 (as mentioned, including Avid)... that's how I formed my opinion over time.

Recording with a modern "budget" interface and mixing in the box, is likely to not give the sound much character or depth - that's true. That's why I usually add different pre-amps on the way in (my go-to is an Aurora Audio GTQ-2)...and most of the time go into the line-ins of my Universal Audio Apollo 8 from there. I DO like the converters in the Apollo a lot, actually, and (for example) prefer them over the converters in my PreSonus Quantum interface. They sound VERY different - both very clean, but the Apollo is a bit rounder and fuller, while the Quantum is a bit crisper.

...and as I mentioned before, I do also have a pretty strong opinion about some of the Avid/Digidesign converters from having owned a few of them. So, it's not that I don't hear the difference. I just have a different preference, and a different opinion which sound better and which sound worse.

But again... that's just me. If you like the gear you got and get good results, that's really all that counts!

As for getting more depth... the best thing for that is still to run everything through a high-end analog mixer (SSL, Neve, Trident, Harrisson, etc.). But I personally can't afford that, and the maintenance is a bit of a hassle, too. I still have an analog Mackie 8-Buss... that one's also not helping to make the sound better, IMO, so I don't use it at all.
IMO, a digital mixer (not just the D8B) doesn't add much depth,either. I don't notice much of an improvement in the soundstage/depth, when trying to mix something on the D8B vs in the box... maybe there's a difference, but it must be subtle. I DO notice a difference, if I get something mixed "professionally" via a better analog desk. The D8B just doesn't do it for me, when it comes to that.

When I have some extra cash, I still want to add an analog summing mixer to my setup, in the hopes that this will improve the soundstage in a similar way as when running everything through a "good" analog desk. But that's not a priority for me right now.

Luckily, I don't need better gear to make money. I got a good (music-related) job, but working on music and my home-studio is just a hobby for me. And for that, the results I get actually sound pretty good to me... so, again, I don't really agree that modern interfaces generally sound shallow or flat, etc. At least not the ones I've been using...

Anyway... sorry, I'm typing too much again. Great that you like the sound the 888 and D8B give you! I wish you many years of trouble-free use, and lots of great productions with them!
Anything I said above, is not meant to take away from that. I just prefer a "different" or "more modern" sound in my converters