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MOTU 8pre-es 24x28 Mac PC Thunderbolt/USB Audio Interface

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$1,195.00
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  • Model: MOTU9385
  • Shipping Weight: 8lbs
  • Manufactured by: MOTU

DESCRIPTION

MOTU 8pre-es 24x28 Mac PC Thunderbolt/USB Audio Interface

The MOTU 8pre-es is a 24x28 audio interface designed to provide versatile connectivity, DSP console-style mixing, and high-resolution audio for musicians and recording engineers in project studios, commercial facilities, home setups, and live stage applications. Using the aclaimed ESS Sabre32 Ultra digital-to-analog converters, it boasts a dynamic range of 123 dB and latency as low as 1.6 ms. The 8pre-es can be used at up to 24-bit / 192 kHz resolution with a host DAW or as a standalone mixer. It is compatible with Thunderbolt and USB on Mac OS X and Windows systems.. It also works with iOS systems

Superb analog audio quality

Renowned ESS Sabre32™ DAC technology delivers measured 123 dB dynamic range and the same proven, award-winning audio quality as MOTU's flagship 1248.

Redesigned mic channels

Cutting-edge components deliver ultra-transparent sound. Eight transparent mic preamps deliver superb -108 dB THD+N, 118 dB dynamic range and -129 dBu EIN performance. Each mic channel has individual preamp gain, pad, 48V phantom power and digital remote control.

High-performance Thunderbolt and USB drivers for Mac and PC

Ultra-low latency and renowned rock-solid performance. Round-trip latency (RTL) performance as low as 1.6 ms at 96kHz over Thunderbolt™ with high-performance DAW hosts.

Universal connectivity

USB and Thunderbolt for Mac, PC and iOS. Connect to your Mac or PC with Thunderbolt™ or Hi-speed USB 2.0, with up to 256 audio channels (128 in and 128 out) over Thunderbolt. Or stream dozens of audio channels to and from your Mac over AVB/TSN Ethernet using a standard, affordable CAT-5e cable up to 100 meters long. Class-compliant firmware and industry standard drivers work with any audio apps. Connect to your iPad™ with a standard camera connection kit (adapter).

Control room features

Take control of your recording sessions with the built-in talkback mic and front-panel talk button. Connect two sets of speakers and check your mixes instantly with front-panel A/B speaker select buttons.

DSP mixing and effects

Console-style mixing with 48 channels and 12 busses. A full-fledged 48-input digital mixer delivers 7 stereo aux busses, 3 groups, access to 64 network inputs, and DSP effects including reverb, 4-band EQ, gate and compression. If you know your way around a large-format mixing console, you'll feel right at home. If you've ever wished to mix on a large console, the driver's seat is now yours.

Modeled vintage effects processing

Vintage processing with 32-bit float precision. Classic reverb. Compression modeled after the legendary LA-2A compressor. EQ modeled after British analog console EQs. The 8pre-es DSP engine delivers virtually unlimited headroom and the utmost in sound quality.

Flexible matrix routing and splitting

Route your audio anywhere with one-click ease. Send any input to any output, or multiple outputs. Includes routing to and from the computer, plus any devices on the audio network.

Web app control from any device

Control everything from your laptop, tablet and smartphone. The software that you use to control the 8pre-es doesn't reside on your hard drive. It's a web app served from the hardware itself. This means you can control the 8pre-es on-board DSP, mixing, device settings, and network audio routing from your favorite web browser on a laptop, tablet or smartphone connected by wire or Wi-Fi to your local area network. Use any web client on any platform - Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android - as long as it shares the same network.

Touch Console

The art of the mix on your touchscreen. Designed specifically for touchscreen operation, Touch Console™ delivers a whole new mixing experience. Access Touch Console from your tablet or smartphone to effortlessly control the powerful 48-channel mixer and effects in the 8pre-es. With large targets for your fingers, multi-touch operation and intuitive design, you can tap, swipe and pinch your way to a perfect mix, every time.

Stand-alone operation with wireless control

No computer or laptop needed. Connect an Apple® Airport™ or other Wi-Fi router with a standard Ethernet cable for wireless control of device settings, powerful 48-channel mixing and DSP effects. Means you can use the 8pre-es in your studio and at your gigs to mix the band (add powered speakers and you're good to go!)

Solid metal chassis

MOTU interfaces are built to last. Like all MOTU interfaces, the 8pre-es aluminum alloy chassis is lightweight, yet incredibly sturdy and durable, and designed to withstand the rigors of the studio, stage, and tour bus. In a world awash with cheap plastic, the solid feeling of the 8pre-es metal exterior in your hands is a reassuring reminder that you are holding quality engineering and construction.

System expansion / networking

Expand your system with more I/O and Wi-Fi control

  • Add a 2nd MOTU AVB-equipped interface with a simple CAT-5e Ethernet cable.
  • Connect up to five MOTU interfaces using a MOTU AVB/TSN Switch (sold separately).
  • Build a network with multiple interfaces and computers using standard AVB/TSN switches and network cabling, with ultra-low network latency, even over long cable runs (100 meters point to point). Stream hundreds of audio channels among devices and computers on the network.

Advanced Extras

The engineering behind the 8pre-es runs deep to give your audio recordings the depth of quality they deserve

  • Two optical banks provide 16 channels of ADAT optical at 48 kHz, 8 channels of S/MUX optical I/O at 96 kHz or a single stereo TOSLink pair at rates up to 96kHz.
  • Time code support. Converts SMPTE time code (LTC) to MIDI Time Code (MTC) and passes MTC on to any MTC-compatible host software.
  • DC-coupled TRS outputs Use the 8pre-es to manipulate sequence voltage-controlled modular synthesizers from a host DAW.
  • Balanced analog. 8pre-es balanced I/O connections are well-protected against RF interference, AC hum, and other noise-producing environmental factors.
  • Two headphone jacks. Eachheadphone output can be programmed with the same or different mixes, with independent front-panel volume control.
  • Audio analysis tools. Includes an oscilloscope, real-time FFT, X-Y Plot, and graphic phase analysis.

AudioDesk

Includes AudioDesk® workstation software for Mac and Windows with 24-bit recording, sample-accurate editing and 32-bit mixing and mastering.

Features:

  • Eight Preamps
    • 8 transparent mic inputs deliver 118 dB of dynamic range.
  • Sabre DAC
    • ESS Sabre32 DAC technology delivers 123 dB dynamic range and the same audio quality as MOTU's flagship 1248.
  • Digital Connectivity
    • Connect to your computer with Thunderbolt, Hi-Speed USB 2.0, or AVB/TSN Ethernet for up to 256 audio channels (128 in / 128 out). Class-compliant firmware and industry standard drivers work with any audio apps. The unit can even connect to an iPad with a standard camera connection kit (available separately).
  • Comprehensive I/O
    • 28 inputs and 32 outputs including stereo S/PDIF coaxial, 16 channels of ADAT optical, dual XLR-1/4" combo jacks, eight 1/4" I/O, two independent headphone outputs, and more.
  • 52 Simultaneous Audio Channels
    • 24 inputs and 28 outputs include eight transparent remote-controllable mic inputs, 8 TRS analog outputs, two banks of optical wordclock I/O, and two front-panel headphone jacks.
  • Displays
    • Dual front-panel LCD screens provide visual access to robust metering and menu displays.
  • Versatile Control
    • Easily control the interface via web app on a wired or wireless device.
  • Standalone Operation
    • Use the interface without a computer for effects and signal routing at a live gig.
  • Flexible Matrix Routing/Splitting
    • Send any input to any output, or to multiple outputs. You can route to and from the computer, or any device on an AVB network.
  • MIDI I/O
    • Standard MIDI 5-pin jacks provide 16 channels of MIDI I/O.
  • Footswitch Input
    • Enables connection of a standard foot pedal switch (available separately) for hands-free punch recording, talkback, and more.
  • 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 outputs for connecting to secondary monitors.
  • Dual-Headphone Outputs
    • Each 1/4" TRS headphone output has its own volume control and can be programmed with the same or different mixes.
  • SMPTE Timecode Support
    • Converts SMPTE time code (LTC) to MIDI Time Code (MTC) and passes MTC on to any MTC-compatible host software.
  • DC-Coupled TRS Outputs
    • Use the 8pre-es to manipulate and sequence voltage-controlled modular synthesizers from a host DAW.
  • Audio Analysis Tools
    • Included software features an oscilloscope, real-time FFT analyzer, X-Y plot, and graphic phase-analysis.
  • AudioDesk
    • Includes digital audio workstation software for Mac and Windows with 24-bit recording, 32-bit mixing and effects processing, and sample-accurate editing.
  • Built-In Talkback
    • Integrated talkback microphone and front-panel talk button.
  • Monitor Controls
    • Front-panel monitor level with mono, mute, and switching for two sets of monitors.

MOTU 8pre-es specs

Bit Depth 24-bit (converters)
32-bit floating point (built-in mixing and DSP)
Sample Rates 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz
Analog Inputs 2 x XLR-1/4" combo jacks
8 x 1/4" TRS (balanced/unbalanced)
1 x S/PDIF coaxial
2 x ADAT optical
Analog Outputs 2 x 1/4" headphone outputs
8 x 1/4" TRS balanced, DC coupled
Digital I/O USB, Thunderbolt, BNC word clock, S/PDIF, Ethernet, and ADAT
D/A Converters ESS Sabre32
Dynamic Range 123 dB (D/A converters)
118 dB (microphone preamps)
Equivalent Input Noise -129 dBu
Latency As low as 1.6 ms at 96 kHz
Enclosure Material Aluminum alloy chassis
Dimensions (W x D x H) 19 x 7 x 1.75 inches
48.3 x 17.75 x 4.5 cm
Weight 4.2 lbs / 1.9 kg
Shipping info
Package Weight 7.15 lb
Box Dimensions (LxWxH) 23.4 x 11.6 x 5.5"

Mac System Requirements

  • 1 GHz Intel-based Mac or faster
  • 2 GB RAM; 4 GB or more recommended
  • Mac OS X version 10.8 or later
  • Available Thunderbolt 1/2/3, USB 2/3 or AVB/TSN Ethernet port*
  • A large hard drive (at least 500 GB for recording)
  • *AVB/TSN Ethernet audio interface operation requires OS X El Capitan or later

Windows System Requirements

  • 1 GHz Pentium-based PC compatible or faster
  • 2 GB RAM; 4 GB or more recommended
  • Windows 7, 8 or 10
  • Available Thunderbolt 1/2/3 or USB 2/3 port
  • A large hard drive (at least 500 GB for recording)

Web App Support

  • Any web client platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
  • Any web browser: Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Explorer, etc.

Included Software

  • Thunderbolt and USB 2.0 drivers
  • MOTU Discovery App for Mac & PC (finds connected MOTU interfaces)
  • MOTU Discovery App for iOS (available from Apple App Store)
  • MOTU Pro Audio Control web app (served from the hardware itself)
  • MOTU Audio Tools (FFT, oscilloscope, X-Y plot, phase analyzer)
  • AudioDesk for Mac & Windows (separate download)

Operating Systems

  • For computer audio I/O: Mac OS X 10.8 or later; Windows 7 or later
  • For web app control: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
 UPC: 839128006102


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