Black Lion Audio Auteur 8DAT Preamp/Word Clock Debuts

Chicago, IL, USA (May 18, 2026)—Answering multiple needs with one piece of studio gear, Black Lion Audio’s new Auteur 8DAT is an eight-channel mic preamp; a word clock; and an eight-channel ADAT expander.

Auteur 8DAT delivers eight channels of Black Lion Audio’s Cinemag transformer-equipped Auteur preamps in a single unit, allowing users to track multiple sources simultaneously while giving each channel its own amount of preamp color. Auteur preamps’ hybrid design features an IC-based front-end and Cinemag output transformers, resulting in crisp transient response at conservative gain levels while providing warmth and saturationn.

Designed to integrate into hybrid studios, the unit can route signals through analog XLR outputs to a console or use its built-in ADAT connectivity to add eight channels of high-quality preamps directly to an existing audio interface. Each channel includes independent phantom power, polarity reverse, and a -10 dB pad, along with front-panel ¼-inch inputs switchable between DI and line-level operation.

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The unit also features eight insert points via DB25 connectors. These inserts can be switched directly from the front panel; the sends can also function as mults, enabling parallel processing chains or mid-side workflows. Auteur 8DAT doubles as a word clock, too. Its Macro-MMC technology is said to provide stable synchronization and low jitter.