[MPA] Mic Preamps w/ digital outs

[Scott Jacob Loehr]

>No mike Pre's w/ an optical out?
>That would be a clean set up.

The new Mackie Onyx 800R looks WAY cool.
http://www.mackie.com/namm/800r.html

There's also the PreSonus stuff:
http://www.presonus.com/html/products/digimax_96k.html
http://www.presonus.com/html/products/digimax_lt.html
http://www.presonus.com/html/products/digitube.html
http://www.presonus.com/html/products/vxp.html (w/ optional 24/96 
digital output card)
http://www.presonus.com/html/products/firestation.html
http://www.presonus.com/html/products/eureka.html (w/ optional 24/192 
digital output card)

I'm sure that there are probably many other brands/models out there, 
but I have a feeling that some of them will be quite expensive.  I 
haven't A/B'd any of the above gear, but I did A/B an original 
PreSonus Digimax against the 'older' Mackie XDR mic pre, and the 
Mackie won hands down via its analog outputs.  And I SO wanted to 
love the Digimax... hence, I bought a Mackie 1604-VLZ Pro, mostly for 
the 16 mic preamps, but the rest of the board won me over as well. 
I'll probably buy the Onyx 800R on faith alone, though I guess I 
should try to arrange a loaner over the weekend when the units become 
available in my area (Dallas).

Scott Jacob Loehr