Recording - February 2017 - 51

That being said, if you are looking for
a preamp to add color and tons of vibe,
you will want to look elsewhere. While this
preamp is very musical, it does not add
any sort of overt coloration to the sound...
with one exception. The m108's input impedance is 19 kΩ when phantom power is
off, and 8 kΩ when phantom power is on.
I love the higher impedance on dynamic
mics-now that adds some vibe!
I find the metering on the m108 to be
very easy to see, and setting levels is simple
once you get the hang of selecting different
channels with the encoder.

Field testing
The first remote configuration I tried was
controlling the m108 through the Grace
Control app. This is available for free on the
Grace Design website. The program is very
intuitive and easy to use; it allows for saving
presets and channel groups, which makes
recalling session settings a breeze, and can
control up to twelve m108 units at once. The
app worked without a single hiccup, and the
entire process was fluid and fast.
Each unit's A/D, preamps, and clocking
parameters can be controlled individually.
After connecting the m108 to an IP network
via Ethernet, each preamp will be assigned
a unique IP address (or you can assign your
own IP through the setup menu). Once you
link the Control app to the hardware, it's
essentially plug-and-play. This gives you the
flexibility to leave the preamps close to the
stage in a live setup, minimizing the cable
run while still having full control from the
FOH position. Or, in a high-end studio installation, you can leave the preamps in a
centralized location and access the parameters from any room in the facility. The m108
can also be controlled over a web browserbased interface from networked computers
or Android or iOS devices.
One of my favorite uses for the control
app is home recording. I brought the m108
with me to a rehearsal for some field
testing, and was able to get some rock-solid
recordings of the whole band using only the
m108. As an engineer and musician, it's
always challenging to wear two hats at once
(as I'm sure we've all tried before); you are
inevitably worried about your performance,
while also being tasked with running back
and forth to the preamps to make sure that
nothing is peaking or dropping signal.
For me, the m108 Control App was a
gamechanger for recording the band at

home. By setting up the control app on
the music stand in front of me, I was able
to monitor and adjust the recording levels
on the fly. This allowed me to stay fully engaged in the music and the performance,
while eliminating the guessing game of trying to capture good recording levels during
a performance. After that experience, I
can't imagine trying to play and record the
band simultaneously without the m108.
Using the DB9 ports on the back panel,
the m108 can be MIDI-controlled by an
Avid Pro Tools | HDX System. This is ultimately controlled by the Mic Preamps
view, which can be added to both the
Edit and Mix windows in Pro Tools. This
method isn't quite plug-and-play, as
there is a little bit of setup needed to
add the m108 as a peripheral into Pro
Tools, but once that's done, it's seamless
to control the preamps directly from the
DAW. This configuration can be very
practical for multiroom facilities, allowing
you to keep the preamps in a machine
room and control them through the
DAW. The m108 does have a built-in
fan, so during longer sessions when the
unit heats up and the fan kicks on, it
wouldn't be a bad idea to have it located
outside the control room anyway.
The m108 is also compatible with a
Dante network configuration. If you aren't
familiar with Dante, it utilizes Gigabit
Ethernet ports and transmits uncompressed
audio over a network with near-zero latency.
There are resources online and in the m108
owner's manual to learn more about Dante
configurations, and how to take advantage
of that optional card slot.

Final thoughts
Grace Design units have been my go-to
preamps for several years, and the m108 is
no exception. It's hard to believe how much
power and meticulous detail Grace has
packed into the m108. It is forward-thinking,
intuitively designed, and offers the same
pristine sound quality as everything else
in the Grace product line. If you are new
to Grace products, this would be a great
first taste. With its eight preamps, musical
and warm conversion, and remote control
options, the m108 would be a very
powerful addition to any studio.
Price: $2845
More from: Grace Design,
www.gracedesign.com
RECORDING FEBRUARY 2017

51
http://www.gracedesign.com http://www.hybridmic.com
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