MOTU 848 28x32 Thunderbolt 4 Audio Interface

Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Audio Interface with DSP, Mixing, FX, and Networking

Ideal for pros looking for flexibility to tackle any audio project, the MOTU 848 is a 28x32 audio interface sporting high-bandwidth 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4/USB4 connectivity. With its DAC technology offering an impressive 125 dB of dynamic range, 32-bit float / 192 kHz conversion, and up to 60 simultaneous audio channels, the 848 can take all of your studio gear at once.

The plethora of connectivity on the 848 includes four XLR-1/4" TRS combo mic / line / Hi-Z inputs with up to +74 dB of gain, eight balanced 1/4" TRS line inputs, 12 balanced 1/4" TRS outputs, four 1/4" inserts (two send, two return), two front-panel headphone outputs with individual mixes and volume adjustment, up to 16 channels of ADAT via TOSLINK optical ports (S/MUX and S/PDIF capable), BNC wordclock I/O, two RJ45 AVB/Ethernet ports, and two Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports. With the bright color TFT display, you can keep an eye on your meters and parameters, while dedicated monitor controls make it easy to switch between speakers. Utilize CueMix Pro for easy remote control of all functions, control up to 12 analog outputs in groups for easy surround mixing, and enjoy deep control including a 64-channel mixer with FX and virtual patchbay, routing, and matrix splitting functions. The MOTU 848 includes a power cable and a USB-C cable.

Superb Audio Quality

Renowned ESS Sabre32 DAC technology delivers 125 dB dynamic range and extremely low harmonic distortion. Analog performance is driven by decades of engineering expertise in audio interface technology.

Thunderbolt and USB Connectivity

The 848 delivers cutting-edge Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 universal connectivity for Mac, Windows, and iOS. Connect your host device with the included 40 Gbps USB-C cable and the 848 negotiates the fastest possible connectivity speed, up to 40 Gbps, with backward compatibility for Thunderbolt 3, USB3, and USB2 host connections. Thunderbolt and USB4 connections deliver an astonishing 256 channels of computer I/O (128 in and 128 out) at sample rates up to 96 kHz.

Connect all your studio gear, including monitors, headphones, microphones,guitars, synths, keyboards, drum machines, outboard processors, optical expanders, and more. All 28 inputs and 32 outputs are available simultaneously.

Optimized drivers for both Mac and Windows deliver renowned ultralow-latency performance. With a high-performance DAW such as Digital Performer, the 848 delivers an astonishing round trip latency (RTL) of about 1.8 ms over Thunderbolt and USB at 96 kHz with a 32-sample host buffer.

Daisy-chain the 848 with up to six other Thunderbolt devices, all connected to your host computer with massive 40 Gbps bandwidth to easily handle hundreds of audio channels, 8K video, terabytes of hard drive storage, and more. Thunderbolt 4-compatible USB-C cable included.

Capture your recorded material in its truest, most natural form with -114 dB THD+N, 118 dB dynamic range, and -129 dBu EIN performance. Each mic channel has individual preamp gain, -20 dB pad, 48V phantom power, and remote control from your computer or iOS device. Each combo jack alternately provides a 1/4" high-impedance TS guitar input for DI tracking and reamping.

Do you work with compressors and other outboard gear? Mic inputs 3 to 4 each offer a dedicated analog send/return loop, allowing for both mono or stereo mic channel outboard processing via fully balanced connections. If nothing is plugged in to a mic input, its return serves as an extra line input with identical signal characteristics to all other line inputs.

Control your 5.1 or 7.1.4 Atmos surround speaker system with a single fader. The Monitor Group gives you the flexibility to choose any analog outputs you wish to control.

Take control of your recording sessions with the front-panel talkback switch. Connect three sets of monitors and check your mixes instantly with front-panel A/B/C select buttons, along with Mute and Mono.

The 848 is equipped with a 64-channel mixer designed just like a large format mixing console.The 64 inputs can take signal from anywhere: the physical inputs on the 848 interface itself, audio channels from host software on your computer, audio network streams, or even mixer outputs.

The mixer provides 26 aux buses, plus main, reverb, monitor, and solo buses. All input and output buses provide 4-band double-precision parametric EQ and a compressor. Additionally, input channels include a high-pass filter and gate. In essence: capable and transparent mixing.

Using intuitive, virtual patch cords, you can easily route any source signal to any destination. Sources can be analog or digital inputs on the interface, computer channels, mixer bus outputs, or audio network streams from other devices on the network. Destinations include interface outputs, host software inputs, mixer inputs, or any other device (or computer) on the network. You can even split any single source (or stereo pair) to unlimited multiple output destinations.

For complex workflows that involve routing and splitting at scale, the Routing Grid provides a global bird's-eye view of all the connections in your 848 system. Manage hundreds of audio channels quickly, at a glance. Check for signal with convenient activity meters. Show and hide audio banks to customize your routing environment. Display destinations on either the right side or left side of the grid, as you prefer.

Audio networking has come of age, delivering a world of possibilities. The 848 features an integrated AVB switch with two Gigabit Ethernet ports, allowing you to daisy-chain multiple 848 and 16A units using standard network cabling. Alternatively, expand your network by connecting an external AVB switch to build a network with multiple interfaces, computers, and ultralow network latency, even over long cable runs (hundreds of feet).

Each 848 can transmit and receive 128 audio channels to and from the network. Stream hundreds of audio channels among devices and computers on the network. The 848 is compatible with previous-generation MOTU AVB devices.

• The new 848 is AVB-compatible with all other MOTU AVB interfaces.
• 256 channels of host computer I/O (128 in / 128 out) via Thunderbolt or USB3.
• 16 8-channel streams for 256 channels of network audio I/O (128 in / 128 out).
• Each audio stream can be individually configured between 1 to 8 audio channels.
• Use multiple PC hosts on the network. Each host can send/receive to all devices and other hosts.
• Use existing Ethernet wiring. Just replace Ethernet switches with AVB-compatible switches.
• Shared operation with standard Ethernet devices like wireless routers, switches, etc.
• Supports 1722.1 for Connection Management and Control.Supports AAF stream formats and the legacy AM8-24 format, configurable per stream.
• Gigabit Ethernet speeds support many devices on the network.
• Easy, one-click clock sync across all MOTU devices on the network.

Control Everything from Laptop, Tablet, or Phone

CueMix Pro is the consummate app for controlling everything in the 848, including device settings, signal routing, and 64-channel mixing and effects. Available for macOS, Windows, and iOS, you can run CueMix Pro on multiple devices at the same time and access the 848 wirelessly through Wi-Fi. As a 1722.1 controller, CueMixPro can also be used to access AVB-related settings in 3rd-party devices on the network.

Includes Software Package

Connect the 848 to your Mac or PC and start laying down tracks with the included Performer Lite production software, plus hundreds of loops, one-shots, and sounds from industry leaders Big Fish Audio, Lucidsamples, and Loopmasters. Performer Lite provides everything you need to record, edit, mix, process, and master your own music tracks quickly and easily. Plug in your mic, guitar, and MIDI keyboard and start tracking with over 100 virtual instruments, dozens of effects plug-ins, guitar FX processing, and much more.

Additional Highlights

• Balanced analog: The 848's balanced I/O connections are well protected against RF interference, AC hum, and other noise-producing environmental factors.
• Optical I/O and expansion: Two optical banks provide 16 channels of ADAT optical at 48 kHz, 8 channels of S/MUX optical I/O at 96 kHz, with optional stereo TOSLink at rates up to 96 kHz. Expand your 848 with other optical gear, or use it as an optical expander.
• Meter views: Not using the optical I/O? Or any digital I/O? The 848 provides customized meter views for analog I/O only, digital I/O only, and other combinations to best support your workflow.
• Two headphone outputs: Each headphone output can be programmed with the same or different mixes, with independent volume control and source selection from the front panel or CueMix Pro.
• Loopback and live streaming: Easily route computer output channels?as many as you need?back to the computer, where you can mix them with live mics and/or guitar inputs from the 848 in your host software for live streaming or podcasting.
• DC-coupled TRS outputs: All analog outputs are DC-coupled. This means you canuse the 848 to manipulate and sequence modular synthesizers from a host DAW using control voltage (CV).

Key Specs

General

Signal Processing

Connectivity

Performance