The Cranborne Audio 500ADAT is an eight-slot, high-current 500 Series rack with built-in 8-channel AD/DA conversion, ADAT/SMUX expansion, analogue summing, zero-latency cue mixing and dual headphone outputs. It lets any ADAT-equipped interface integrate analogue 500 Series processing deeply into a modern recording, mixing or hybrid-studio workflow.
 
The Cranborne Audio 500ADAT is a professional hybrid-studio expansion system for engineers who already own an audio interface with ADAT optical I/O but want to add premium conversion, modular 500 Series hardware, analogue summing and flexible monitoring in one integrated chassis.
At its centre is an eight-slot 500 Series rack with substantial power reserves. Each module slot receives up to 250 mA per rail, with 2 A total current available across the entire chassis. This makes 500ADAT suitable for a wide range of standard 500 Series preamps, EQs, compressors, saturators and other processing modules—including units that require more current than basic portable racks can supply. Each slot has dedicated balanced XLR input and output connections, an individual insert point and flexible routing, allowing installed modules to work as recording inputs, DAW hardware inserts, mix-bus processors or parts of an analogue summing workflow.
 
Unlike the USB-equipped Cranborne 500R8, 500ADAT connects to an existing interface using optical ADAT. It provides two ADAT inputs and two ADAT outputs, operating as an eight-channel ADAT expander at 44.1–96 kHz via S/MUX II, or as a four-channel expander at 176.4–192 kHz via S/MUX IV. This makes it a practical upgrade for interfaces that have ADAT expansion ports but lack sufficient analogue I/O, converter quality or integrated 500 Series routing. The 500ADAT can therefore add eight channels of premium AD/DA conversion and module I/O without replacing the rest of a studio’s established interface ecosystem.
 
The converter stage delivers up to 121 dB(A) dynamic range, measured using the AES17 method across 20 Hz–20 kHz. Cranborne specifies a frequency response of approximately 2.2 Hz to above 80 kHz at −1 dB, THD+N below 0.00032% / −110 dB at −4 dBFS and 1 kHz, and an internal master-reference clock with less than 0.5 picoseconds of jitter. These figures make the 500ADAT more than a basic format converter: it can act as a serious conversion and clocking upgrade for an ADAT-based studio.
 
For analogue mixing, 500ADAT contains an 8-to-2 high-headroom analogue summing mixer. Eight DAW channels can be converted to analogue, sent through installed 500 Series modules and summed to a stereo output. Dedicated level and pan controls make it possible to build a compact analogue mix-bus system from the rack itself. The summed stereo signal can then return to the main audio interface through an available analogue or digital input path, depending on the studio’s routing configuration.
 
The integrated zero-latency artist mixer supports direct monitoring while recording. Each of the eight channels has front-panel level and pan control, and the rack provides two reference-quality headphone outputs with independent source blend and level controls. This is valuable for tracking vocals, instruments and overdubs without relying on low DAW buffer sizes. A monitor section provides three stereo outputs and an auxiliary stereo input, adding practical control-room and cue-routing flexibility in compact production rooms.
 
Cranborne’s C.A.S.T. connectivity carries four balanced analogue channels over a single shielded Cat5 cable. With compatible Cranborne devices, this can simplify remote recording and headphone-distribution wiring, reduce multicore cable runs and extend the rack’s hybrid-routing capabilities. Word-clock I/O enables synchronization with external digital systems, while a rear-panel Chain function can connect the output of one installed 500 Series module directly to the input of the next for streamlined serial processing.
 
With a professional 4U chassis, premium conversion, high-current module power, ADAT/SMUX operation up to 192 kHz and an integrated analogue mixer, the 500ADAT is ideal for building an expandable, hands-on hybrid studio around an existing ADAT-equipped audio interface.
 
Key features
Eight-slot, high-current 500 Series rack
Eight channels of high-performance A/D and D/A conversion
ADAT/SMUX expander for existing audio interfaces
8-channel I/O at 44.1–96 kHz
4-channel I/O at 176.4–192 kHz
2 × ADAT input and 2 × ADAT output ports
Up to 250 mA per rail for each 500 Series slot
2 A total current available across all module slots
Dedicated balanced XLR inputs and outputs for all eight slots
Per-channel insert connections and flexible signal routing
8-to-2 high-headroom analogue summing mixer
Dedicated front-panel level and pan control for the eight summing channels
Zero-latency artist cue mixer
Two reference-quality headphone outputs
Independent headphone source blend and level controls
Three stereo monitor outputs
Stereo auxiliary input
C.A.S.T. connectivity for four balanced analogue audio channels over Cat5
Word-clock input and output
Rear-panel Chain routing for serial connection between installed modules
Internal master-reference clock with sub-picosecond jitter performance
Reference-grade 121 dB(A) dynamic-range conversion
19-inch, 4U rackmount enclosure
Designed and engineered by Cranborne Audio in the UK
 
Applications
Adding eight 500 Series slots to an ADAT-equipped audio interface
Recording through 500 Series microphone preamps directly into a DAW
Using 500 Series EQs, compressors and processors as DAW hardware inserts
Expanding analogue I/O without replacing an existing primary interface
Building an eight-channel analogue summing system
Routing DAW stems through 500 Series hardware for mix-bus processing
Zero-latency headphone monitoring during vocal and instrument tracking
Creating an expandable hybrid studio at up to 192 kHz
Adding premium AD/DA conversion and clocking to an ADAT-based studio
Remote analogue-audio and cue distribution using C.A.S.T.
Linking multiple 500 Series modules in a compact serial signal chain