MOTU 8pre Firewire Audio Interface
The MOTU 8pre FireWire audio interface delivers everything you need to turn your computer into a powerful 24-bit, 96kHz digital audio workstation. The 8pre provides eight microphone/instrument preamps with pristine 96kHz analog recording and playback, combined with 8 channels of ADAT optical digital I/O. Expand your system by connecting additional 8pres or other MOTU FireWire audio interfaces.
- FireWire audio interface for Mac and Windows - provides 16 inputs with 8 mic preamps and 12 outputs including separate phone and main outs for all the basic I/O you need for a powerful desktop studio.
- Eight XLR/TRS "combo jack" mic inputs - connect up to eight mics, or mix and match mics with guitars, synths, drum machines and other analog input signals.
- Flexible analog inputs - each provides a crystal-clear preamp (for both the XLR and TRS input), 24-bit 96 kHz converters, individually switchable 48-volt phantom power, 20 dB pad and front-panel trim controls. Mix and match condenser and dynamic microphones as your needs require.
- Eight channels of ADAT optical I/O - provides two sets of optical connectors to provide eight channels of optical digital I/O even at high samples rates (88.2 or 96 kHz).
- Operates as an optical expander - connect the 8pre to any ADAT optical compatible device (another audio interface, a digital mixer, etc.) to add 8 additional mic inputs seamlessly integrated into the mixing environment of the host device.
- Discrete ins/outs - there's no channel sharing in the 8pre; the mic inputs, ADAT optical I/O, headphone out and main outs are all handled as separate channels.
- CueMix DSP™ near-zero monitoring system.
- Multiple CueMix DSP mixes - create different monitor mixes for the main outs and headphones. Add send/return loops for outboard gear with no latency.
- Front-panel metering - five-segement meters for all analog inputs, plus status lights for clock and interface/expander mode.
- Sample-accurate MIDI - connect a MIDI controller and/or sound module with no separate interface needed. MIDI I/O is sample-accurate with supporting software.
- Expandable - add additional 8pre, UltraLite, 828, 828mkII, 896, 896HD or Traveler FireWire interfaces for additional I/O. Or connect the 8pre optically to any audio interface or mixer that supports ADAT optical I/O.
- Separate TRS main outs and front-panel headphone jack, each with independent volume control.
- SMPTE time code sync via any analog input.
- SMPTE time code generation to any analog output.
- Includes drivers for Mac & PC, including ASIO, WDM, Wave, GSIF, Core Audio, and Core MIDI.
- Supports all popular Macintosh and PC audio software.
- 100% compatible with all host-based effects processing in today's popular audio programs.
- Includes AudioDesk full-featured sample-accurate workstation software for Mac with recording, editing, mixing, real-time 32-bit effects processing & sample-accurate sync.
- Two FireWire ports - daisy-chain up to four units on a single FireWire bus without a hub.
- Plug-and-play operation with your Mac or PC via FireWire.
The 8pre as your primary audio interface
Use the included CueMix™ software to mix all 16 inputs from your computer. Eight channels of ADAT optical I/O make the 8pre an ideal companion for a digital mixer. Two ADAT lightpipe connections work together to support a full 8 channels of optical digital I/O at any sample rate up to 96kHz.
Connect all of your studio gear, including microphones, guitars, synths, keyboards, drum machines and even effects processors. Then monitor all of these live inputs via the 8pre’s main outs or headphone jack — with virtually no monitoring latency and no processor drain on your computer. You can even create separate monitor mixes for the main outs and headphones. Control everything, including talk-back and listen-back, from the included CueMix Console™ software, just like a large studio console.
The 8pre includes a 16-channel MIDI interface. Simply plug in your FireWire cable, and both MIDI and audio are ready to go. Connect any MIDI device, such as a controller keyboard, synth module, automated control surface or drum machine. Timing is sample-accurate with supporting software.
The 8pre provides cross-platform compatibility with Mac OS X 10.3 or higher, Windows XP and all of your favorite audio software and host-based effects via WDM/ASIO/Core Audio drivers. Or you can use the included AudioDesk workstation software for Mac OS, with 24-bit recording/editing and 32-bit mixing/processing/mastering.
The 8pre as a microphone preamp expansion interface
The 8pre is really two products in one. When it is not connected to a computer via FireWire, the 8pre functions as an eight-channel analog to digital (optical) converter. Connect the 8pre to your MOTU 828, 896, Traveler or even another 8pre via the optical “lightpipe” connection to add eight high-quality microphone pre-amps to your system. Since the connection is digital, 100% pristine sound is maintained, down to the very last sample.
The 8pre is the perfect way to instantly add eight more mic inputs to any audio interface or digital mixer with optical I/O. If you have a MOTU interface with on-board CueMix DSP mixing, such as the 828mkII, 896HD or Traveler, the 8pre inputs appear directly in the host interface's CueMix mixer to becomes a transparent extension of your system, operating together with your primary interface as a single, integrated unit — even when the host interface is not connected to a computer and is instead operating as a stand-alone mixer.
If you have a 2408mk3, digital mixer or other audio device that supports 96kHz optical and also has two optical inputs, the 8pre connects to it via both optical ports to provide a full eight channels of analog to optical conversion at the 88.2 or 96kHz sample rates.
Fully available inputs
All inputs and outputs are independent and available at all times. For example, using a mic-preamp input does not 'steal' an input from the ADAT optical input bank. As another example, the headphones and main outputs are available as separate mix destinations. In addition, CueMix DSP gives you all the flexibility you need. For example, you can configure CueMix DSP to mirror an existing mix bus to the headphones.
MIDI I/O
The 8pre includes a 16-channel MIDI interface that provides sample-accurate timing with supporting software. Connect a MIDI keyboard, sound module or control surface, and you are ready to go. The FireWire cable carries both MIDI and audio so you don't need to connect an additional USB cable for MIDI.
The 8pre provides DSP-driven digital mixing and monitoring for all 16 inputs
You can connect mics, guitars, synths and effects processors, and monitor everything from the 8pre’s main outs or headphone jack with no separate mixer needed and no latency.
The 8pre supports up to four separate stereo monitor mixes assigned to any digital or analog output pairs. For example, you could set up separate monitor mixes for the main outs and headphone outs, while two additional stereo buses could be used for send/return loops to a digital mixer. Each mix can support all 16 inputs (8 XLR/TRS analog and 8 ADAT optical digital).
Bounce Back
The "CueMix Bounce Back" feature lets you route one of the four CueMix DSP mixes back to the computer. This allows you to record, for example, your entire mix - including monitored inputs - back into the computer.
Talkback
CueMix Console provides Talkback and Listenback buttons. Talkback allows an engineer in the control room to temporarily dim all audio and talk to musicians in the live room. Conversely, Listenback allows musicians to talk to the control room. For Talkback, you can set up a dedicated mic in your control room and connect it to a mic input on your 8pre. For Listenback, you can set up a dedicated listenback mic in the live room for the musicians and connect it to another mic input.
The 8pre is two products in one: a FireWire audio interface and an 8-channel analog-to-digital converter. When the 8pre is not connected to a computer via a Firewire cable, the front panel "Mode" LED changes from "Interface" to "Converter". In this mode, the 8pre acts as an 8-channel analog-to-digital converter that can add 8 mic inputs to another ADAT optical-equipped audio interface, digital mixer or other device.
For example, if you already own an 828, 896 or Traveler interface, you can connect the 8pre to the optical bank on your MOTU interface to seamlessly integrate the 8pre's additional eight mic inputs into your MOTU interface CueMix mixer or host software mixer.
