MOTU 828x Professional 28x30 Audio Interface with Thunderbolt Technology

The MOTU 828x Professional 28x30 Audio Interface with Thunderbolt Technology is a 1RU 19" rack mountable digital audio interface that can connect to your 32- or 64-bit Mac or PC computer over Thunderbolt 1, Thunderbolt 2, or USB 2.0 (compatible with USB 3.0 ports). Up to six Thunderbolt devices such as displays and hard drives can be daisy chained together with the audio interface at the end of the chain. The interface offers eight channels of 192 kHz analog recording and playback, combined with 16 channels of ADAT optical digital I/O (8 channels at 96 kHz), stereo S/PDIF, MIDI I/O, word clock, two headphone jacks, and stereo XLR main outs. Equally suited for the studio and stage, the interface can also function without a computer connection as a standalone mixer with effects such as reverb, EQ, and classic compression. Two front panel microphone/guitar inputs feature high-quality preamps, plus a V-Limit hardware limiter for overload protection. Additional protection is available via MOTU's Soft Clip function. Each microphone input is equipped with individually switchable 48V phantom power and a 20 dB pad. Each microphone input also has a rear panel send that allows for inserting outboard gear before the analog to digital conversion. An additional 8 balanced analog inputs enable connection to most studio gear, including microphones, guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, drum machines, and effects processors. In turn, these can all be recorded, monitored, routed and processed using the professional on-board CueMix FX digital mixer, with minimal latency and processor strain on the computer. Additionally, the interface includes a built-in chromatic tuner and audio analysis tools such as a Fast Fourier Transform function, spectrogram, and X-Y phase alignment plot. The mixer can be remotely controlled using an iPad and TouchOSC software (sold separately). The interface includes a license for AudioDesk 3 digital workstation software for Mac OS X.

Key Features

Thunderbolt Connectivity

• Enables high-speed low-latency connection between the audio interface and the computer using Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2

USB Connection

• Provides a USB 2.0 connection compatible with USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 ports

I/O

• Provides 28 inputs and 30 outputs distinct channels for microphone inputs, S/PDIF I/O, headphone out, and main outs

CueMix FX

• Provides flexible 28 input/16 bus mixer with on-board DSP effects such as reverb with sends/returns, as well as EQ and compression on every input and output

Front-Panel Control

• Enables access to every setting on the interface

Stand Alone Operation

• Allow you to use the interface without a computer for effects and signal routing at a live gig

Multiple CueMix FX Mixes

• Enables you to create up to eight different monitor mixes for the main outs, headphones, or other output pairs

Flexible Mic/Guitar Inputs with Preamps

• Offers two front panel combo jacks provide hi-Z 1/4" guitar input or XLR mic input with phantom power, pad, and gain control

Mic/Guitar Instrument Sends

• Enables adding an outboard EQ, preamp, reverb, or other processor to the two mic/guitar inputs before the signal is converted into the digital domain

Instrument Tuner

• Provides real-time tuning of inputs with an accuracy of one 10th of a cent

V-Limit Overload Protection

• Prevents digital clipping and distortion from overloaded signal levels up to +12 dB over zero

Analog I/O

• Provides eight inputs and outputs on balanced/unbalanced 1/4" TRS jacks that can be converted at 24-bit 192 kHz resolution

Precision Digital Trim

• Provides digitally controlled trim adjustments in 1 dB increments that can be saved and recalled

Flexible Optical I/O

• Offers 16 channels of ADAT lightpipe, 8 channels of SMUX (96 kHz), or two pairs of stereo TOSlink

Sample-Accurate MIDI

• Enables connection of MIDI controller or sound module without the need for a separate MIDI interface

Foot Switch Input

• Enables connection of a standard foot pedal switch (sold separately) for hands-free punch in and out during recording, or to be mapped to any keystroke function

Expandable

• Connect multiple interfaces together to expand system I/O

Separate Main Outs

• Provides dedicated XLR main outputs for connecting to studio monitors, as well as additional balanced TRS monitors for connecting to secondary monitors. Multiple monitor output pairs can be controlled with the front panel main output knob or through software

Dual Headphone Outputs

• Provides one assignable headphone output for a submix and one headphone output that always correlates the main output

S/PDIF I/O

• Provides 24-bit RCA/SPDIF in/out at up to 96 kHz

Word Clock I/O

• Resolves to external word clock sources at sample rates up to 192 kHz, and outputs work clock at current rate or 1x rate when operating at 2x or 4x setting

Direct Digital Synthesis

• Produces low jitter by phase locking internal clock source, even when resolved to an external clock via SMPTE time code

SMPTE Time Code In/Out

• Provides dedicated Longitudinal Time Code (LTC) in and output to resolve time code with fast lockup times and sub-frame accuracy

DC-Coupled TRS Outputs

• Using Volta interface (sold separately) to manipulate and sequence voltage-controlled modular synthesizer from host DAW

CueMix FX Cross-Platform Mixing Software

• Enables on-screen graphic mix with an instrument tuner and audio analysis tools including real-time FFT display, spectrogram "waterfall" display, oscilloscope, X-Y plot and linear or polar phase analysis

Universal Compatibility

• Works with both 32 and 64 bit drivers for Mac OS X and Windows 8/7/Vista

AudioDesk

• Includes digital audio workstation software for Mac with recording, mixing, editing, real time 32-0bit effects processing and sample-accurate sync

Plug and Play

• Connect to your Mac or PC with Thunderbolt 1, Thunderbolt 2, or USB 2.0 (USB 3.0 port compatible)

Front Panel Volume Control

• Controls stereo, quad 6.1, 7.1, or user-defined surround monitoring configurations

Metering

• Provides LED panel meters for analog, digital, MIDI I/O, SMPTE sync, and lock LEDS

Auto-Switching Power

• Enables international 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz autoswitching power supply

Specifications