Motu 828 MK III

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Specifications

828mk3 Overview

The 828mk3 is MOTU's most advanced FireWire audio interface. Once again it raises the bar with innovative new features, enhanced standard features that remain unique, superb sound and reliable performance.

The 828mk3 provides ten channels of pristine 192 kHz analog recording and playback, combined with sixteen channels of ADAT digital I/O and stereo S/PDIF. Expand your system by connecting additional MOTU FireWire audio interfaces or the 8pre mic input expander.

The 828mk3 is equally well-suited for studio and stage, with or without a computer. As an interface or standalone mixer, the 828mk3 provides 28 separate inputs and 30 separate outputs, including dedicated main outs on XLRs and two front panel headphone outs.

Connect all of your studio gear, including microphones, guitars, synths, keyboards, drum machines and even effects processors. Record, monitor, route and process all of these live inputs using the professional on-board CueMix FX digital mixer – with no latency and no processor strain on your computer. Apply hardware DSP-driven compression, EQ and reverb to every input and output, independent of your host computer. When recording from the mic/guitar inputs, the 828mk3’s signal overload protection gives you an extra 12 dB of headroom above zero with no digital clipping or harsh artifacts.

After programming the on-board mixing in the studio, unplug the 828mk3 from the computer and take it on the road for operation as a stand-alone mixer with effects. All mixing and effects parameters are adjustable using the front panel backlit LCD.

The 828mk3 provides cross-platform compatibility with Mac and Windows 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, with 24-bit recording/editing and 32-bit mixing/processing/mastering.

 

828mk3 Mic/guitar inputs

Two convenient front panel mic/guitar inputs are equipped with high quality preamps, plus overload protection and all the features you need to record any mic or guitar with excellent sound quality.

Each input is equipped with its own 48V phantom power switch and 20 dB pad switch. Both inputs also include a switch that toggles between the low-impedance XLR mic input and the true high-impedance quarter-inch guitar input jack.

Precision digitally controlled analog trim

The preamps provide 53 dB of gain, which you can adjust in precise 1 dB increments using the detented digital rotary encoder. As you turn the encoder, you see graphic and numeric feedback in the front panel LCD, so you know exactly how much gain you are applying. The gain adjustment itself is smooth because it is analog, but the digital control gives you both precision and the ability to save and recall trim settings. You get the best of both worlds: analog trim with digital precision and control.

Precision digitally controlled analog trim is also available on all of the 828mk3's balanced quarter-inch (TRS) analog inputs on the rear panel. Level matching analog inputs has never been easier or more convenient. You can carefully tune the balance among your analog inputs using the CueMix FX software and then save the entire configuration on disk for instant recall. You can create and save as many trim configurations as you need.

V-Limit™ hardware limiter

Both mic/guitar inputs are equipped with V-Limit™, a hardware limiter that helps prevent digital clipping from overloaded input signals. With V-Limit enabled, signals can go above zero dB (where limiting kicks in) to as high as +12 dB above zero with no distortion due to digital clipping.

Soft Clip™

Additional protection can be applied to the mic/guitar inputs by enabling the 828mk3's Soft Clip™ feature, which engages just before clipping occurs and helps reduce perceptible distortion.

Sends

Each mic input has a corresponding rear panel send that allows you to insert outboard gear before the signal goes digital. Any input can be used as a return.

 

828mk3 Comprehensive I/O

The 828mk3 allows you to connect a wide variety of studio gear, including microphones, guitars, synths, keyboards, drum machines, effects processors and more.

Front panel I/O

In addition to the two mic/guitar preamp inputs on the front panel, the 828mk3 provides two independent headphone jacks with independent volume knobs, one of which also controls the XLR main outs on the rear panel. Alternately, this "Master Vol" knob can be programmed to control any combination of outputs (analog and/or digital). For example, it can control monitor output for an entire 5.1 or 7.1 surround mix.

Discrete inputs and outputs

The phone jack below the MASTER VOL knob labeled "(MAIN)" is hard-wired to (mirrors) the XLR main outs. In all other cases, inputs and outputs are discrete. For example, using a mic input does not "steal" an input from the TRS analog I/O bank. Even the second headphone jack operates as an independent output with its own volume control, although you can program it to mirror any other output pair (such as the XLR main outs).

Digitally controlled analog input trim

All of the 828mk3's analog inputs are equipped with digitally controlled analog trim controls that allow adjustments in precise 1 dB increments. The mic/guitar input trims can be adjusted using front-panel digital rotary encoders that provide feedback in the front panel LCD. All analog inputs, including eight TRS analog inputs, can be trimmed using the CueMix FX control software for Mac and Windows.

This allows you to fine-tune your trim settings for synths, effects modules and a wide variety of analog inputs for optimum levels. Different trim configurations can then be saved as files on disk for instant recall.

Rear panel I/O

Eight balanced (TRS) 24-bit analog inputs and outputs, as well as two XLR main outs and the two preamp inputs, can operate at sample rates up to 192 kHz (a total of ten analog inputs and outputs). Two optical banks provide 16 channels of ADAT optical at 48 kHz, 8 channels of S/MUX optical I/O at 96 kHz or two banks of stereo TOSLink at rates up to 96 kHz. The banks operate independently, allowing you to mix and match any optical formats. RCA S/PDIF connectors also supply independent stereo digital I/O.

Each mic input has a corresponding rear panel send that allows you to insert outboard gear before the signal goes digital. Any input can be used as a return. (These two dedicated sends are not counted as outputs in the table below.)

	Input	Output
Analog 24-bit 192-kHz on +4/-10 bal/unbal TRS	8	8
Mic preamps 24-bit 192-kHz on XLR/TRS combo	2	-
Main outputs 24-bit 192kHz on bal XLR	-	stereo
Headphone output*	-	stereo
ADAT optical (digital)†	16	16
S/PDIF 24-bit 96-kHz (digital)	stereo	stereo
Total	28	30

* The phone jack below the MASTER VOL knob is hard-wired to (mirrors) the XLR main outs. The other phone jack operates as an independent stereo pair.

† The two optical banks provide 16 channels of ADAT optical at 48 kHz, 8 channels of S/MUX optical I/O at 96 kHz or two banks of stereo TOSLink at rates up to 96 kHz. The banks operate independently, allowing you to mix and match any optical formats.

Control room monitoring

Powered monitors can be plugged directly into the outputs of the 828mk3 and you can attenuate the output from the software or the front-panel MASTER VOL control. Main out volume is not limited to stereo operation: quad, 5.1, 7.1 and even user-defined configurations are available. You can even program the 828mk3 to control all 30 outputs with the MASTER VOL knob.