The Slate Digital VRS8 is an 8-channel interface designed to provide a flat, linear frequency response, as well as extremely low latencies of 0.7 ms at 96 kHz. It utilizes a satellite-grade clocking system and AKM AK5578 converter chips, ensuring a stable audio performance and a dynamic range of 124 dB. Two discrete headphone amplifiers are on hand for pristine private monitoring, and two front-facing 1/4" instrument jacks accept both instrument and line-level signals.

This interface is designed to be paired with separately available Slate Digital microphones to deliver what slate calls the VRS, or Virtual Recording Studio. Using this preamp, the aforementioned microphones, and included software, the VRS aims to put heretofore cost-prohibitive, holy-grail mic/pre combinations at your fingertips, with each element in the chain contributing to that goal.

Slate Digital is a company well-regarded for its modeling software, and the VRS8 offers almost all of this software, some of it on perpetual basis—as is the case with the Virtual preamp collection—and the rest of it via annual licenses.

In fact, a complimentary one-year subscription to the Slate Everything Bundle is included with your purchase. This package of software comprises a continuously updated suite of emulations and plug-ins, including venerable compressors, equalizers, tube-circuit modules, tape machines, consoles, mastering processors, and more. Everything from vintage and modern buttons from the 76s are represented, as are channel strips from venerated boards, and a few proprietary designs such as an Air EQ by way of Eiosis and a harmonic enhancer by way of the Revival.

Using the VRS8, an ML-1 Microphone, and the Everything Bundle, you can achieve the sound of a 67 through a variety of authentic-sounding gear, such as a British channel strip, a 73-style preamp, a 76-style compressor, a de-esser, and a tape machine emulation—all in real time.

This software is compatible with Mac and Windows platforms, operating in AU, VST and AAX formats. On Mac computers, the interface connects via Thunderbolt. A PCIe card is provided for use with Windows machines and other compatible computing systems.