MOTU 8Pre USB

For multitrack recordings with several microphones, the number of inputs available simultaneously is what matters most. The MOTU 8Pre USB is a USB audio interface for Mac and Windows with eight microphone preamps and 16 inputs and 12 outputs in total. It can also be used via ADAT as an analogue-to-digital converter to expand a compatible digital setup.

The eight rear-panel XLR/TRS combo jacks accept microphones via XLR and instrument and line signals via jack. Each input has its own gain control, individually switchable 48-volt phantom power and a 20 dB pad. Up to 48 dB of preamp gain is available for microphones, and up to 39 dB for instrument signals via jack. Five-segment indicators help you keep an eye on the levels of the analogue inputs.

In USB mode, the analogue and digital I/Os are available simultaneously: eight analogue inputs, eight ADAT inputs, two balanced TRS main outputs, a separately usable stereo headphone output and eight ADAT outputs. The headphone output can work as its own output pair or mirror another pair. Use the front-panel volume control to adjust the headphone or main output.

The optical ADAT connections transmit up to eight digital channels at 44.1 or 48 kHz. At 88.2 or 96 kHz, the eight channels are distributed across two connection banks in S/MUX mode. If the interface is not connected to a computer via USB, it can work as an eight-channel ADAT converter and send the analogue inputs via optical output. This allows you to connect it to an interface, digital mixer or another system with an ADAT input.

For monitoring, CueMix DSP provides an internal mixer that routes live inputs to the outputs without additional computer latency. It is controlled using the included CueMix-FX software. The device also supports SMPTE synchronisation: it can receive timecode via an analogue input or output it via an analogue output. The MIDI inputs and outputs each transmit 16 channels.

The connections and status indicators are designed for studio use: LEDs show the clock source and sample rate, as well as whether the device is working as a USB interface or ADAT converter. MOTU Audio Console is used for configuration, including the sample rate, optical I/O format and channel assignment of the headphone output. The software package also includes drivers for Mac and Windows, as well as AudioDesk for Mac with recording, editing and mixing functions, 32-bit real-time effects and sample-accurate synchronisation.

The MOTU 8Pre USB is suited to recording setups where several microphones need to be recorded simultaneously or additional analogue inputs need to be connected via ADAT. A USB interface and ADAT expansion in one also makes it interesting for systems that need a separately usable headphone path, MIDI I/O or SMPTE synchronisation.