MOTU has released the MOTU 848, a new universal audio interface in a 1U rackmount form factor. It features Thunderbolt 4/USB4 connectivity, DSP, mixing, effects, networking, and more.
The new product has 28 inputs and 32 outputs and supports up to 128 channels from an AVB network. Thanks to its Thunderbolt 4/USB4 connection, the interface can provide up to 256 channels (128 inputs and 128 outputs) on operating systems such as macOS, Windows, and iOS. The front panel features a 3.9-inch full-color TFT display and four gain controls, each with an attenuator (-20 dB) and a 48 V phantom power button below. There is also a group of six buttons that provide quick access to functions such as advanced A/B/C monitor switching, mute, mono, and talkback. A large knob controls advanced menu settings. However, these functions can be controlled remotely via a computer or mobile device using MOTU software.
The rear panel of the audio interface features four XLR/TRS combo inputs for microphones, line levels, and instruments; eight TRS line inputs; and two SEND and two RETURN connectors on channels 3 and 4. Other connectivity options include 12 TRS line outputs, two independent TRS headphone outputs, and four Toslink ports, which provide 16 channels of digital input/output via ADAT. The first pair of these ports can be switched to function as S/PDIF stereo input/output. The interface also features a pair of BNC word clock connectors and two Ethernet ports, one of which is used to connect the device to an AVB network and support up to 128 AoIP channels. The analog outputs use ESS Sabre32 DACs, which provide a dynamic range of 125 dB and a signal-to-noise ratio of -114 dB. They also have a DC connection, allowing them to be used for CV signal transmission.
The 848 comes with MOTU's CueMix Pro software for macOS, Windows, and iOS. It is a 64-channel mixer and a DSP-based routing system with 26 additional buses, including Main, Reverb, Monitor, and Solo. All mixer inputs and outputs have a four-band parametric equalizer and a compressor. Additionally, all input channels are equipped with a high-frequency filter and gate. The interface can be used for monitor mixing during studio recording or for live sound mixing as a standalone device. It has the ability to control all mixing parameters via Wi-Fi from an iPad or iPhone. It comes bundled with Performer Lite software and hundreds of loops, one-shot samples, and sounds from Big Fish Audio, Lucidsamples, and Loopmasters.
The MOTU 848 is available for purchase at a price of around $2,000. For more information, please visit the product page on the official MOTU website. We would also like to remind our readers that we have a detailed review of the MOTU 828, a junior model with some similarities to the MOTU 848 but significantly fewer new features.
