MOTU 16A - Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C / AVB Hybrid Audio Interface
The MOTU 16A solidifies its position as the core of any professional recording studio, offering an unprecedented combination of connectivity, audio quality, and flexibility. This 2025 redesign integrates the most advanced connection technologies, including Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C (at 40 Gbps), ensuring ultra-low latency and exceptional performance on macOS, Windows, and iOS systems. Its hybrid architecture allows not only a direct, high-speed connection to the computer but also integration into an expandable AVB audio network, making it a future-proof solution for the most demanding production environments.
With a total of 66 simultaneous input and output channels, the 16A is equipped to handle any recording session, no matter how complex. Its 16 high-quality analog inputs and 16 outputs, housed in balanced TRS connectors, provide a pristine signal path for all your external gear, from synthesizers and effects processors to mixing consoles. MOTU's acclaimed conversion technology ensures that every nuance of your audio sources is captured and reproduced with exceptional clarity and depth. Inside, a powerful DSP engine powers a 64-channel digital mixer, featuring EQ, compression, and reverb modeled after classic studio equipment, allowing you to create latency-free monitor mixes with effects without consuming your computer's CPU resources.
Main features
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State-of-the-art connectivity: Equipped with Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C ports for maximum transfer speed (40 Gbps) and compatibility with the latest computers.
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Extensive Analog I/O: Features 16 line-level analog inputs and 16 line-level outputs on 6.35 mm TRS connectors, ideal for integrating external equipment.
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Digital expansion: Two banks of ADAT optical I/O allow you to add 16 channels of digital input and output, perfect for connecting external preamps or digital mixers.
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Exceptional audio quality: High-performance AD/DA converters that support sampling rates up to 192 kHz, delivering transparent and detailed sound.
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Integrated DSP processing: A powerful internal 64-channel mixer with high-quality effects, including reverb, 4-band parametric equalizer, and compressors modeled after classics like the LA-2A.
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AVB Audio Networking: An Ethernet port allows the 16A to be connected to an AVB network to expand the system with other MOTU interfaces, achieving a scalable studio ecosystem with extremely low network latency.
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Total wireless control: Access all mixer functions and effects via a web application, from any device connected to the same network (laptop, tablet or smartphone).
Benefits for audio professionals
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Latency-free workflow: Monitor input signals with all DSP effects enabled and no perceptible delay, allowing artists to hear themselves perfectly during recording.
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Universal connection flexibility: Whether you use Thunderbolt, USB-C or need a network audio solution, the 16A adapts to any studio setup, always ensuring maximum performance.
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Superior conversion quality: The fidelity of its converters ensures that your productions are translated accurately and professionally, from recording to final mix.
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Expandable studio: The AVB standard lets you build a distributed audio system throughout your studio. Add more inputs, outputs, or workstations by connecting additional units with a simple network cable.
Use cases
The MOTU 16A's versatility makes it ideal for a wide range of professional applications. In a recording studio , it acts as the central hub, managing multiple musicians, synthesizers, and effects processors simultaneously. For hybrid mixing , its 16 analog outputs are perfect for routing individual tracks to an analog mixing console or your favorite outboard gear. In live sound environments, it can function as a robust 32-input digital mixer controlled from an iPad, or as a stage box for a larger AVB-based mixing system.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use the MOTU 16A without a computer?
- Yes, the interface can function in stand-alone mode as a digital mixer. Once set up, you can control it wirelessly from a tablet or smartphone without it needing to be connected to a computer.
- What type of analog connectors does the 16A use?
- It uses 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) TRS connectors for both the 16 inputs and the 16 outputs. These connectors accept balanced and unbalanced line-level signals.
- 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 you to massively expand your system by connecting multiple MOTU interfaces through an AVB switch, using standard network cables.
- If I need to record microphones, how do I do it?
- The 16A's 16 inputs are line level. To connect microphones that require preamping, you'll need to connect them through external microphone preamps and then connect the output of those preamps to the 16A's inputs.
Project description
A 1U rackmount audio interface with Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, and AVB Ethernet connectivity. It offers a total of 32 simultaneous inputs and 34 simultaneous outputs (at 44.1/48 kHz). The rear panel features 16 analog line-level inputs and 16 outputs on balanced 6.35 mm TRS connectors, in addition to dedicated XLR main outputs. Digital I/O consists of two banks of optical ADAT, providing 16 channels of input and output. It supports sample rates from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz. The system includes an internal 64-channel digital mixer with 32-bit floating-point DSP processing, including EQ, compression, and reverb effects.
