MOTU 8pre-es - Professional USB/Thunderbolt Audio Interface with DSP
The MOTU 8pre-es represents a significant leap forward in professional audio recording, designed to be the core of any modern music production studio. Surpassing its acclaimed predecessor, this audio interface integrates the prestigious ESS Sabre32 DAC conversion technology, renowned worldwide for its sonic clarity and precision. The result is pristine audio reproduction, with an exceptional 123 dB dynamic range on its analog outputs, ensuring that every nuance of your mixes is translated with absolute fidelity.
Equipped with eight high-quality, transparent microphone preamps with ultra-low background noise, the 8pre-es is ready to capture any sound source, from the delicate nuances of a voice to the power of a full drum kit. Each XLR/TRS combo input features individual 48V phantom power and digital gain control. Connectivity is one of its strongest points, offering universal compatibility with high-speed Thunderbolt and USB 2.0 ports, ensuring seamless integration with any Mac or PC. Furthermore, its performance is outstanding, achieving round-trip latency as low as 1.6 ms at 96 kHz via Thunderbolt, eliminating any perceptible delay during recording.
More than just an interface, the 8pre-es is a powerful command center. Its internal 48-channel digital mixer, powered by DSP, allows you to create complex monitor mixes without overloading your computer's CPU. This mixer includes high-quality effects such as reverb, a 4-band parametric EQ, a compressor, and a noise gate on each channel, which can be applied for both monitoring and recording. Thanks to AVB/TSN Ethernet audio networking, you can expand your system by connecting more MOTU interfaces to increase the number of channels or control the unit wirelessly from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop connected to the same network.
Main Features
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Superior Audio Quality: Equipped with ESS Sabre32 DAC converters that provide a dynamic range of 123 dB for maximum fidelity playback and monitoring.
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High-End Preamps: 8 transparent, low-noise microphone preamps on combo (XLR/TRS) connectors with individual 48V phantom power and digital gain control.
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Universal Connectivity: Connect to Mac or PC via Thunderbolt or high-speed USB 2.0, compatible with most modern operating systems.
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Ultra-Low Latency Performance: Round-trip latency as low as 1.6 ms at 96 kHz via Thunderbolt, ideal for real-time monitoring of instruments and vocals.
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Extensive I/O Capacity: Offers a total of 24 inputs and 28 outputs, totaling 52 simultaneous audio channels at 48 kHz, including analog I/O, optical ADAT and headphone outputs.
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Integrated DSP Mixer: A powerful 48-channel, 12-bus stereo digital mixer with DSP effects (Reverb, EQ, Compressor, Gate) to create latency-free monitor mixes without consuming computer resources.
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Wireless and Network Control: AVB/TSN Ethernet connectivity allows you to connect multiple units and control the mixer and interface settings wirelessly from any device with a web browser.
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High Resolution LCD Screens: Two full-color LCD screens displaying detailed measurements of all input and output signals for complete visual control.
Benefits for the Music Producer
The MOTU 8pre-es is more than just a tool; it's an investment in quality and workflow. For producers, engineers, and musicians, its benefits are tangible: the quality of the Sabre32 converters ensures your mixes transfer seamlessly to other playback systems, while ultra-low latency allows artists to record with complete confidence, hearing themselves in real time without distractions. Its flexibility—using it as an interface, standalone mixer, or I/O expander—makes it a future-proof solution, capable of adapting to the growth of your studio.
Use Cases
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Professional Recording Studio: Ideal for recording full bands, thanks to its 8 high-quality preamps and the ability to expand channels via ADAT to record drums, horn sections or choirs.
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High-End Home Studio: Offers home studio producers sound quality and functionality that rivals commercial studios, all in a single rack unit.
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Live Sound: It can function as a compact digital mixer for small bands or live events, controlling the mix wirelessly from an iPad or laptop.
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Post-production and Sound Production for Film: Its audio fidelity and multiple outputs make it perfect for working with surround sound systems and complex audio projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Thunderbolt port required to use the 8pre-es?
No. The interface is fully compatible with high-speed USB 2.0, ensuring compatibility with virtually any modern Mac or Windows computer. Thunderbolt offers the lowest possible latency, but performance over USB remains excellent.
Can DSP effects be recorded in my DAW?
Yes. You have the flexibility to record the signal processed with the DSP effects directly into your recording software (DAW), or, if you prefer, record the completely clean audio signal while using the effects only for monitoring the musicians.
Can I increase the number of entrances and exits in the future?
Yes. The 8pre-es can be expanded in two ways: by using the ADAT optical ports to connect other converters or preamplifiers, or via its AVB Ethernet port, which allows you to network other compatible MOTU interfaces to create a large-scale audio system.
What specific effects does the DSP mixer include?
The DSP mixer includes a 4-band parametric equalizer modeled after British analog consoles, a classic compressor, a noise gate, and a high-quality reverb on each input and output channel of the mixer.
Project description
Audio interface with Thunderbolt, USB 2.0, and AVB/TSN Ethernet connectivity. Operates at up to 24-bit resolution and sampling rates up to 192 kHz. It features a total of 24 inputs and 28 simultaneous outputs. Eight analog inputs are included on XLR/TRS combo connectors with microphone preamps and individual 48V phantom power. It incorporates ESS Sabre32 D/A converters with a 123 dB dynamic range. The digital I/O consists of 16 optical ADAT channels at 48 kHz. It has eight balanced analog outputs on 6.3 mm TRS connectors, two independent stereo headphone outputs, and BNC Word Clock I/O. An integrated 48-channel DSP digital mixer with per-channel effects processing is included. The physical form factor is a standard 19-inch rackmount, 1U high.
