MOTU 24Ao AVB - Audio Interface and DSP Mixer with Hybrid Connectivity
The MOTU 24Ao is a high-density professional audio solution designed to deliver exceptional sound quality and unparalleled connectivity flexibility. This device combines a high-performance USB 2.0 audio interface with the power of AVB (Audio Video Bridging) audio networking, making it the ideal hub for recording studios, live sound systems, and fixed installations. With its 24 high-quality analog outputs and 72 simultaneous audio channels, the 24Ao facilitates the integration of large-scale external equipment, the creation of complex monitor mixes, and large-scale audio distribution with extremely low latency.
At its core, the 24Ao features state-of-the-art D/A converters that guarantee transparent and detailed audio reproduction with exceptional dynamic range. The powerful integrated DSP engine frees your computer's CPU, providing a 48-channel digital mixer, 12 stereo buses, and high-quality effects, including analog-modeled EQ, vintage compression, a gate, and classic reverb. The entire system is wirelessly controllable via a web application, accessible from any browser-enabled device (laptop, tablet, or smartphone) connected to the same local network, offering complete freedom of control over routing, mixing, and effects.
Main Features
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24 High-Quality Analog Outputs: Equipped with three banks of 25-pin D-sub connectors and six 12-pin Phoenix (Euroblock) terminal blocks, the interface provides 24 balanced analog (TRS) outputs with impeccable sound performance, ideal for connecting external signal processors, mixing consoles, or multi-channel monitoring systems.
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Hybrid USB and AVB Ethernet Connectivity: It functions as a standard USB 2.0 audio interface, compatible with USB 3.0 and iOS devices, or as part of an AVB audio network. AVB technology allows multiple interfaces and computers to be connected via a standard Ethernet cable, creating a scalable system with hundreds of channels and near-zero latency, even over long distances.
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72 Simultaneous Audio Channels: The 24Ao offers a total of 24 analog outputs and 3 banks of 8-channel ADAT optical I/O, totaling 24 digital inputs and 24 digital outputs. This provides a total of 24 simultaneous inputs and 48 simultaneous outputs for massive routing capacity.
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Digital Mixer and DSP Processing: Includes an internal 48-channel digital mixer modeled after large-format consoles. Each input channel features parametric equalization, compression, gate, and the ability to apply effects such as Classic Reverb, all processed at 32-bit floating point with near-zero latency.
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Universal Control via Web App: Access all device settings, including matrix routing, mixer configuration, and DSP effects, through the MOTU AVB Control web app. This app runs in your favorite browser on Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android, as long as the device is on the same network.
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Professional Synchronization: Dedicated Word Clock inputs and outputs allow for seamless synchronization with other digital equipment in the studio or live system, ensuring rock-solid clock stability.
Benefits for the Audio Professional
The MOTU 24Ao is designed to solve the most complex audio routing and distribution challenges. Its high output density makes it the perfect tool for producers using a large amount of analog (outboard) equipment, allowing for seamless integration with their DAW. For live sound engineers, it simplifies sending multiple channels to PA systems, stage monitors, and recorders. Its ability to function as a standalone mixer, controlled from a tablet, offers a powerful and portable solution for monitor mixing or small events without the need for a computer.
The AVB network transforms the way you work, eliminating expensive and cumbersome analog audio cables in favor of a lightweight and cost-effective network cable. You can easily expand your system by adding other MOTU AVB interfaces to the network, creating a cohesive, high-performance audio infrastructure for any application, from a post-production studio to a large concert venue.
Use Cases
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Professional Recording Studio: Ideal for analog summing, integration of external effects processors (hardware inserts) and the creation of multiple latency-free headphone mixes for musicians.
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Live Sound and Tours: Sending channels from the stage to the FOH, distributing signals to multiple speaker zones, and managing personal monitoring systems (in-ear).
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Fixed Installations and Broadcast: Perfect for theaters, auditoriums, convention centers and mobile broadcast units, where high-quality audio needs to be reliably distributed to multiple locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use the MOTU 24Ao without a computer?
- Yes. The 24Ao can function as a standalone digital mixer. You can control all mixing and effects processing functions via the web app from a mobile device such as a tablet or smartphone connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- What is AVB and why is it important?
- AVB (Audio Video Bridging) is an Ethernet network standard designed to transmit audio and video with very low latency and precise synchronization. It allows for the construction of large-scale audio systems, connecting multiple devices over long distances with a single network cable (Cat-5e or Cat-6), which is more efficient and cost-effective than traditional analog cabling.
- Do I need a MOTU AVB Switch to use the networking features?
- You can connect the 24Ao directly to a computer with an Ethernet cable for a simple setup. To create a network with three or more MOTU AVB devices, or to ensure maximum performance in more complex networks, we recommend using the MOTU AVB Switch, which optimally manages network traffic.
- Is the MOTU 24Ao compatible with Windows?
- Yes, it's fully compatible. MOTU provides high-performance ASIO and Wave drivers for Windows (7, 8, 10, and later), as well as Core Audio drivers for Mac OS X (10.8 or later). The web control application works on any platform with a browser.
Project description
1U 19" rackmount audio interface with hybrid USB 2.0 and AVB Ethernet connectivity. It features 72 simultaneous audio channels: 24 balanced analog outputs via D-Sub 25 and Phoenix/Euroblock connectors, and 24 channels of ADAT optical digital I/O. It supports sampling rates from 44.1 to 192 kHz with 32-bit floating-point internal processing. It includes a 48-input, 12-bus stereo DSP mixer with built-in effects (EQ, compression, gate, reverb). A Word Clock I/O is included for external synchronization. It is controlled via a web application compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
