The 800B was the first console to really establish Soundcraft as a market leader in the serious PA Hire and theatre sound markets. A full 16 busses, with 8 subgroups and 8 Aux sends ,8 sends plus 4 Auxes and stereo mix on the Monitor version. On the dedicated PA input, the 8 Aux sends were accessible on individual pots, rather than the previous practice of using 4 pots and shift switching; this was a radical step forward in the number of busses available, and reflected the ever-increasing complexity of live sound systems. Another innovation was the output module: this was available in two versions, one had an effects return, the other had a matrix output to enable a further 8 mixes to be created from the 8 groups. An EQ section could be flipped from the Group path to the FX return or the Matrix section. In its heyday, the 800B was a common sight in many mid-range PA Hire companies’ inventories, as well as permanently installed in many theatres, the matrix option proving invaluable for controlling sound in these multiple speaker environments.