MOTU 8A Thunderbolt/USB 3.0 Audio Interface

Equipped with renowned ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC technology, the MOTU 8A Thunderbolt/USB 3.0 Audio Interface has the same award-winning analog audio quality and proven performance as MOTU's flagship 16A interface — packed into a mobile half-rack enclosure.

Superb analog audio quality

Renowned ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC technology delivers 123 dB dynamic range and the same proven, award-winning audio quality as MOTU's flagship 16A. The 8A delivers round-trip latency (RTL) performance as low as 1.6 ms at 96 kHz over Thunderbolt — and an astonishing 1.9 ms over USB — with high-performance DAW hosts.

Mobile operation and universal connectivity

The 8A Connects to your computer with Thunderbolt, super-speed USB 3.0 or AVB/TSN Ethernet — with support for up to 256 audio channels (128 in and 128 out). USB audio class-compliant firmware and high-performance, industry-standard drivers work with any audio apps. Connects to your iPad with a standard camera connection kit (adapter). Send any input to any output, or multiple outputs. Includes routing to and from the computer, plus any devices on the audio network.

DSP mixing and effects processing

The 8A's full-fledged 48-input digital mixer delivers 7 stereo aux busses, 3 groups, access to 64 network inputs, and DSP effects, including reverb, 4-band EQ, gate and compression. If you know your way around a large-format mixing console, you'll feel right at home. If you've ever wished to mix on a large console, the driver's seat is now yours.

Modeled vintage effects processing

Classic reverb. Compression modeled after the legendary LA-2A compressor. EQ modeled after British analog console EQs. The 8A's mixing and effects DSP engine delivers virtually unlimited headroom and the utmost in sound quality.

Web app control from any device

The software that you use to control the 8pre-es doesn't reside on your hard drive. It's a web app served from the hardware itself. This means you can control the 8pre-es on-board DSP, mixing, device settings, and network audio routing from your favorite web browser on a laptop, tablet or smartphone connected by wire or Wi-Fi to your local area network. Use any web client on any platform - Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android - as long as it shares the same network.

Touch Console

Designed specifically for touchscreen operation, Touch Console delivers a whole new mixing experience. Access Touch Console from your tablet or smartphone to effortlessly control the powerful 48-channel mixer and effects in the 8pre-es. With large targets for your fingers, multi-touch operation and intuitive design, you can tap, swipe and pinch your way to a perfect mix, every time.

Mac System Requirements:

• 1 GHz Intel-based Mac or faster
• 2 GB RAM; 4 GB or more recommended
• Mac OS X version 10.8 or later
• Available Thunderbolt, USB or AVB/TSN Ethernet port
• A large hard drive (at least 500 GB for recording)
• AVB/TSN Ethernet audio interface operation requires OS X 10.11 or later

Windows System Requirements:

• 1 GHz Pentium-based PC compatible or faster
• 2 GB RAM; 4 GB or more recommended
• Windows 7, 8 or 10
• Available Thunderbolt or USB port
• Available Ethernet port for firmware updates
• A large hard drive (at least 500 GB for recording)

Web App Support:

• Any web client platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
• Any web browser: Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Explorer, etc.
• Web client must be connected to the same network as the MOTU interface by wire or Wi-Fi

Included Software:

• MOTU Discovery App for Mac & PC (finds connected MOTU interfaces)
• MOTU Discovery App for iOS (available from Apple App Store)
• MOTU Pro Audio Control web app (served from the hardware itself)
• MOTU Audio Tools (FFT, oscilloscope, X-Y plot, phase analyzer)
• AudioDesk 4.0 for Mac & PC (separate download)

Operating Systems:

• For computer audio I/O: Mac OS X 10.8 or later; Windows 7 or later
• For web app control: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android