PreSonus: Quantum HD8 Interface

I was mixing the record that would never die – or at least would never go to mastering. You may have been there yourself; you start mixing, and then the artist goes to another studio and adds a bunch of tracks, and now you’re dangerously close to having to start over. Except, the client definitely doesn’t want to pay you double to mix everything twice.

While dealing with the above scenario, I couldn’t fathom changing out any gear from my racks. I think my head would have exploded. I was worried about switching interfaces mid-project, especially one that already had a fair number of complications... and it turns out I shouldn’t have been. When I finally wrapped the project up, the deadline for this review was fast approaching, so I grabbed my laptop and the PreSonus Quantum HD8 USB-C interface and headed over to my friend Sean Hays’ for an impromptu recording session. I had the HD8 up and running in about ten minutes, including the time it took to download the latest version of Universal Control, PreSonus’ driver management utility and software control interface. Seriously, it took about as long to get on Sean’s Wi-Fi as it did to get the software working.

I was already somewhat familiar with Universal Control because, for a few years now, I have been using the original version of the PreSonus Quantum, and, as with the HD8, the software has to be instantiated for the interface to work. In reality, the way the software works with the HD8 is a tad different. For example, the very first thing I did once the HD8 was passing signal to Pro Tools was to plug in a Shure SM7 [Tape Op #36] and then do a quick vocal line check. On first listen, I could hear the latency. No problem – I simply muted the channel in Pro Tools, set up Universal Control for input monitoring, was able to hear my voice latency-free, and it sounded good! Not only do the MAX-HD mic preamps have plenty of gain on tap (75 dB) for the SM7, but the overall presentation is super clear and low noise. It's pretty cool when you consider that inline boost devices like the Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter [#156] were brought to market to address using lower impedance/output mics like the SM7 with affordable interface preamps. Plenty of folks seem to like the Cloud/SM7 combo, but in this case we didn’t reach for it even though Sean owns one.

Also worth noting: Universal Control allows users to control basic routing functions as well as preamp gain, phantom power, etc. via their mobile or desktop device. So, while the physical UI of the hardware is pretty great, there’s an even more robust software offering if you prefer it. I’ve often considered remoting my interface to under my desk (there’s room for another rack down there), and with Universal Control, I’d really only need to reach the interface to repatch or power the unit on or off.

As for the basics, the HD8 is a 26 x 30, 32-bit/192 kHz, USB-C, USB 2.0 audio interface. PreSonus claims a 124 dB dynamic range, and in my experience, the conversion is transparent with fairly low latency and has a handy DSP mixer. It includes eight full-band preamps with +75 dB of gain. Unlike many cheap built-in interface pres, these remain usable when cranked. The box also has ADAT and ADAT S/MUX optical I/O, BNC wordclock I/O, and a DB-9 jack for MIDI and S/PDIF. Two balanced 1/4-inch TRS Main outputs, eight balanced 1/4-inch TRS Line outputs, and eight Mic/Line Inputs on XLR combo jacks round out the rear panel. On the front panel, two high-power headphone outputs provide ample monitoring options and are impressive with their clear, full-fidelity sound – my trusty Sennheiser HD 650s [Tape Op #43] really shone. As mentioned previously, the DSP monitor mixer makes creating monitor and streaming mixes quick and easy and has a loopback feature for live streamers. Bonus: If you’re in the market for a new DAW, PreSonus includes access to one year of Studio One+ Hybrid, which grants users a perpetual license of Studio One Pro with your HD8 purchase!

So, at this point, I’m about 15 minutes into using this “new to me” interface, and I’m already getting sound – cool! Sean and I decided to mic up his minimalist drum kit, placing an AEA R84 [Tape Op #38] outside the bass drum with a Mercenary Audio KM69 [#69] as a mono overhead. As mentioned, the front panel of the HD8 is really intuitive, with a dedicated key for each input. Simply hit the input you want to use and adjust gain via the single multi-function knob on the faceplate. There’s a separate button for +48v, you just need to select the correct channel when you turn it on. Once again, the HD8 offered ample clean gain for the ribbon mic and sounded excellent, adding some much-needed heft to Sean’s very shallow (but vibey) vintage bass drum. So, let me be clear: When it comes to drums, the HD8 has enough low noise/clean gain on hand to use both the AEA R84 and the Shure SM7. We ended up moving the SM7 to Sean’s Matchless combo amp. Then we mic’d up another small tube amp with a Rhythm Ace drum machine running through it. For that amp, we used a humble Shure SM57. Within minutes, we had sounds and were off and running thanks to the simplicity of the interface and the ample clean gain of its preamps.

Sean and I were working very quickly, much more focused on having fun and being creative than trying to capture the perfect drum sound, etc. The HD8’s Auto Gain function came in handy, setting a clip-free perfect gain level for microphones and instruments with the click of a button. One cool function I didn’t get to use that night was the two built-in re-amp instrument outputs on the faceplate of the HD8, located just below the two instrument/DI inputs. You may be aware that PreSonus and Fender are part of the same company now, and the press materials for the HD8 mention that PreSonus collaborated with Fender on this box. That influence is clearly visible in the inclusion of these re-amp outputs. How cool is it to be able to run signal out to an amp or a pedal (why not both?), then back in without any extra hardware? I own, and I am quite happy with the basic Radial Reamp but wouldn’t hesitate to use the PreSonus for re-amping duties instead.

Overall, the PreSonus is an impressive value proposition with very little compromise – perhaps none if you’re already used to working with a DSP mixer. The previous generation of Thunderbolt Quantum interfaces had such low native latency that I was able to monitor directly from my DAW, just as I would on an HD system. In the last 12 months, I have recorded bands on all manner of boutique and pro level converters (think of all the drool-worthy brands), and I have had my hands on most of them. The PreSonus is super easy to use and, short of some obsessive-compulsive blind A/B testing (which I’m not going to do), the sound quality can hang with the best stuff out there in that it offers exactly zero hindrance to getting great audio capture. So, you better put something great in front of your mics since no magic box can help you there. Oh, and it looks great too. I love PreSonus’s new streamlined aesthetic and look forward to kicking my old Quantum to the curb in favor of the better-looking and better-sounding HD8. Onward!