Audient EVO range price structure.

[Moroccomoose]

Since the cup of tea incident the other week, I have been considering my audio computer options.

I generally try to keep gear working for as long as I can, but feel now might be the time to move on from my firewire profire 2626 to a USB solution with the view of USB allowing much more flexibility.

To that end, I have been very intrigued by the SOS reviews of the Audient EVO 16 and the future expansion with the Evo SP8.

However, I can't understand why on Andersons Music, the Evo 16 @ £375 is cheaper than the Evo SP8 @£399 when the SP8 isn't even an interface.

Can anyone shed any light?

[Wonks]

The SP8 looks the same as the EVO16, but without the USB connection for I/O (it’s got one but just for firmware updating) and the ADAT ports are its only I/O connections. Otherwise the connector count is the same. So to me it looks like exactly the same unit but with slightly different firmware.

No idea why it’s more expensive. Logically it should be cheaper.

[Moroccomoose]

That's where I got to. Its not putting me off the EVO 16, and I have a pair of Alessis AI3s, for extended IO, it just doesn't seem right for a unit with reduced features to cost more.

But it would look nice on my setup, a 16 with two SP8s!

[Drew Stephenson]

Maybe because they expect to sell many more of the EVO16 than the SP8 and they don't get the same economies of scale?

I'm clutching at straws here.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I've not researched comparable units, but I wonder if it's also about relative pricing with comparable standalone ADAT I/O units? It defies logic, but people don't recognise quality if the price is too low.

[Wonks]

Maybe because they expect to sell many more of the EVO16 than the SP8 and they don't get the same economies of scale?

I'm clutching at straws here.

Economies of scale are in production, not firmware changes. I expect you could probably blow the SP8 firmware into the EVO 16 and it would work as an SP8.

[Drew Stephenson]

Yeah, Hugh's reasoning sounds more logical. Price points and all that.

[Wonks]

Or blatant overcharging.

[Moroccomoose]

I s'pose you could get the ADAT expansion with additional EVO16s. It'd mean you'd have a backup if one failed.

[James Perrett]

I'd have to agree with Hugh - the SP8 is at the cheap end of ADAT expanders. The only cheaper alternative would be a Behringer ADA8200 but that one doesn't work at high sample rates. However, you may well not need an expander if you can get your Profire 2626 to work in stand-alone mode which is what I do with my old Focusrite interface. The Profire should give you 8 extra inputs and outputs for the Evo 16 with probably better conversion quality than your existing AI3.

[Drew Stephenson]

Or blatant overcharging.

Seems a trifle harsh! As James says there's not a slew of better priced products out there with the same features.

I'm sure Audient would suggest that it's actually the Evo that is more heavily discounted in order to meet a more competitive market...

[Wonks]

What’s harsh about it if they are the same product, just with different firmware?