The 828mkII USB2 from MOTU is a cross-platform, "High Speed" USB2 computer interface that contains everything needed to turn a computer into a powerful 24-bit/96kHz digital audio workstation. The twenty inputs and twenty-two outputs include ten channels of 96kHz analog recording and playback, combined with eight channels of ADAT digital I/O and stereo S/PDIF. Expansion of the system can be achieved by connecting additional 828 USB2 audio interfaces.
The interface is equally well suited for studio and stage, with or without a computer. Two microphone/guitar/instrument inputs feature analog, pre-amplified sends which allow for inserting an outboard EQ, compressor, guitar amp, reverb or other effects processor before the analog to digital converters. Any input can be used as a return. Additional send/return loops can be added using the new CueMix DSP on-board mixing feature, a flexible DSP-driven 20-input/8-bus mixing and monitoring matrix that eliminates the need for an external mixer or patchbay.
Microphones, guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, drum machines and effects processors can all be connected and monitored via the 828mkII USB2's main outs, headphone jack or any other output with virtually no monitoring latency and no processor drain on the computer. One can even create separate monitor mixes for the main outs, headphones and other outputs and control everything from the included CueMix Console software or directly from the front-panel of the interface.
The interface can operate as a stand-alone mixer, with no computer required. Mixes can be adjusted using front-panel controls and a backlit LCD with every setting accessed from the front panel. MIDI input and output are also included and carry sixteen channels of MIDI via the USB2 connection. The interface provides on-board SMPTE time code synchronization features that allows for slaving the system to SMPTE time code without a synchronizer. A SMPTE out jack is also provided for time code generation.