Cambridge, Massachusetts-based pro audio manufacturer MOTU has been at the forefront of music technology for decades, originally making its mark with the popular Digital Audio Workstation/Sequencer software, Digital Performer. MOTU, which stands for Mark of the Unicorn, has just announced the Stage-B16, a flexible stage box, stand-alone mixer, and USB audio interface with AVB Ethernet networking, a piece that is sure to be a hit in the live-sound reinforcement and studio recording markets. The Stage-B16 can be used stand-alone style, or in tandem with a Mac or PC computer, and supports remote mixing from a smartphone or tablet when used with a Wi-Fi router.
The unit is housed in a sturdy, two-rack-space, aluminum-alloy chassis, and provides 16 front-panel mic inputs with studio-grade preamps, eight line-level XLR outs, four channels of AES/EBU digital output, and a front-panel headphone jack. All mic inputs also supply individual 48V phantom power, and -20 dB pad.
Supporting sample rates up to 192 kHz, the Stage-B16 lets you record, monitor, route, and process all inputs using an onboard digital mixer with no latency and no processor strain on your computer. Modeled after large format consoles, the Stage-B16 digital mixer features 48 inputs with 12 stereo busses, allowing for flexible digital routing for creating mix groups, monitor mixes, and for digital effects, including reverb, four-band EQ, gate, and vintage compression modeled after the legendary LA-2A leveling amplifier.
Built with expandability in mind, the Stage-B16 allows you to network multiple Stage-B16 units or other MOTU interfaces to add more I/O and processing to your rig as needed. Using a standard AVB Ethernet switch and CAT-5e cabling, the system allows you to network hundreds of channels over long distances up to 100 meters, with near-zero latency. Also a highly capable recording interface, the unit allows you to record and monitor up to 64 audio channels in and out, simultaneously, to a host computer through USB. This makes it great for recording live concerts, as well as making studio recordings.
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