Motu - 848
1 607,50 €
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Audio Interfaces
Motu 848 (2025), Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 audio interface with integrated DSP, mixing, effects and AVB networking. It offers 60 simultaneous audio channels (28 inputs/32 outputs), superb analogue quality and ultra-low latency for Mac, PC and iOS.
ARTICLE N° 111675
Presentation
The MOTU 848 audio interface (release end 2025) is a 1U rackmount audio interface designed for macOS, Windows and iOS. It features universal Thunderbolt™ 4 and USB4 connectivity, offering speeds of up to 40 Gbit/s and backward compatibility with Thunderbolt 3, USB3 and USB2. The 848 provides a total of 60 simultaneous audio channels (28 inputs and 32 outputs) and extensive AVB networking capabilities.
The interface is renowned for its superb analogue audio quality, thanks to ESS Sabre32™ DAC technology that delivers 125dB dynamic range and extremely low harmonic distortion. The mic preamps are transparent, with a THD+N of -114 dB and a dynamic range of 118 dB. Each mic channel has individual controls for +74dB preamp gain (in 1dB steps), -20dB pad, +48V phantom power, and software phase inversion. These settings can be controlled remotely from your computer or iOS device. The XLR/TRS combo inputs can also be used as high-impedance (hi-Z) guitar inputs for DI tracking and reamping. In addition, mic channels 3-4 include dedicated insert send/return loops for processing with external equipment. When nothing is connected to these mic inputs, the insert returns function as additional line inputs. It offers ultra-low latency, achieving around 1.8 ms round-trip latency (RTL) via Thunderbolt and USB at 96 kHz with a 32-sample host buffer.
The 848 incorporates a 64-channel digital mixer with DSP and effects (4-band parametric EQ, compressor, high-pass filter, gate, reverb), as well as a flexible routing and splitting system called 'Patchbay' or 'Routing Grid' to direct signals to any destination. The front panel features a 3.9-inch colour TFT display for high-resolution measurement of all I/O, and two headphone outputs with independent volume control.
AVB audio networking functionality is a key feature, allowing multiple 848 and 16A units to be daisy-chained via standard Gigabit Ethernet ports. This enables hundreds of audio channels to be streamed with extremely low network latency and precise synchronisation.
For control, the CueMix™ Pro app is available for macOS, Windows and iOS, offering wireless control via Wi-Fi for all mixing and routing functions. The interface comes with Performer Lite workstation software, over 100 virtual instruments and 6GB of loops and sounds from Big Fish Audio, Lucidsamples and Loopmasters, allowing you to start creating music straight away.
The interface is renowned for its superb analogue audio quality, thanks to ESS Sabre32™ DAC technology that delivers 125dB dynamic range and extremely low harmonic distortion. The mic preamps are transparent, with a THD+N of -114 dB and a dynamic range of 118 dB. Each mic channel has individual controls for +74dB preamp gain (in 1dB steps), -20dB pad, +48V phantom power, and software phase inversion. These settings can be controlled remotely from your computer or iOS device. The XLR/TRS combo inputs can also be used as high-impedance (hi-Z) guitar inputs for DI tracking and reamping. In addition, mic channels 3-4 include dedicated insert send/return loops for processing with external equipment. When nothing is connected to these mic inputs, the insert returns function as additional line inputs. It offers ultra-low latency, achieving around 1.8 ms round-trip latency (RTL) via Thunderbolt and USB at 96 kHz with a 32-sample host buffer.
The 848 incorporates a 64-channel digital mixer with DSP and effects (4-band parametric EQ, compressor, high-pass filter, gate, reverb), as well as a flexible routing and splitting system called 'Patchbay' or 'Routing Grid' to direct signals to any destination. The front panel features a 3.9-inch colour TFT display for high-resolution measurement of all I/O, and two headphone outputs with independent volume control.
AVB audio networking functionality is a key feature, allowing multiple 848 and 16A units to be daisy-chained via standard Gigabit Ethernet ports. This enables hundreds of audio channels to be streamed with extremely low network latency and precise synchronisation.
For control, the CueMix™ Pro app is available for macOS, Windows and iOS, offering wireless control via Wi-Fi for all mixing and routing functions. The interface comes with Performer Lite workstation software, over 100 virtual instruments and 6GB of loops and sounds from Big Fish Audio, Lucidsamples and Loopmasters, allowing you to start creating music straight away.
Other features
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Motu 848 (2025)
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Analogue Audio Performance:
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ESS Sabre32™ DAC dynamic range: 125 dB
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THD+N (total harmonic distortion + noise): -114 dB (0.0002%) for line outputs and mic preamps
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EIN (equivalent input noise): -129 dBu for mic inputs
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Line input dynamic range: 120 dB
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Mic input dynamic range: 118 dB
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Headphone output dynamic range: 118dB
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Sampling rate :
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44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz
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Mic/Line/Instrument inputs :
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Connectors: 4 XLR/TRS "combo" jacks (located on the rear)
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Preamp gain: +74 dB in 1 dB steps
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Pad attenuator : -20dB individual
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Phantom power: +48V individual
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Impedance (line/instr): 1 MΩ
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Inserts: dedicated balanced analogue send/return loops on mic channels 3-4
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Max level (without pad): 0 dBu
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Phase inversion: Available via software
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Additional Analogue Line Inputs :
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Connectors: 8 x 1/4" TRS jacks (balanced/unbalanced)
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Insert returns function: The 2 insert returns on channels 3-4 can be used as additional line inputs when the corresponding mic inputs are not in use.
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Maximum level: +21 dBu
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Digital gain: +20 dB on each input
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Analogue Line Outputs :
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Connectors: 12 x 1/4" TRS jacks (balanced, DC coupled)
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DC Coupling: Yes, for controlling modular synthesizers via CV
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Max level: +21 dBu
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Digital trim: -99dB on each output
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Dolby Atmos support: 12 line outputs support configurations up to 7.1.4
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Optical digital I/O :
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2 banks:
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◦ 16 optical ADAT channels at 1x sampling rates
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◦ 8 optical S/MUX channels at 2x sampling rates
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TOSLink: Bank A can be switched to stereo TOSLink I/O (optical S/PDIF) up to 96 kHz
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Computer I/O :
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Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4.1 (40 Gbit/s) Type C ports
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Compatibility: USB3 / USB2. Backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3
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Cable included: 1 USB-C to USB-C cable, Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 GEN3 compatible (40 Gbit/s, 240W, length 2 metres)
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Power supply: 15W downstream / 0W upstream
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Round-trip latency (RTL): Approx. 1.8 ms (32-sample host buffer at 96 kHz)
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Host audio channels (total in/out) :
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◦ Thunderbolt 4 / USB4: 128 (44.1/48/88.2/96 kHz), 64 (176.4/192 kHz)
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◦ USB3 (with driver/class compliant): 128 (44.1/48 kHz), 64 (88.2/96 kHz), 32 (176.4/192 kHz)
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◦ USB2 (with compliant driver/class): 64 (44.1/48 kHz), 32 (88.2/96 kHz), 18 (176.4/192 kHz)
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Simultaneous Audio Channels (Physical) :
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Rate 1x (44.1/48 kHz): 28 inputs / 32 outputs (60 channels in total)
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Rate 2x (88.2/96 kHz): 20 inputs / 24 outputs (44 channels total)
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Rate 4x (176.4/192 kHz): 12 inputs / 16 outputs (28 channels total)
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Headphone outputs :
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Connectors: 2 x 1/4" TRS stereo jacks
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Output impedance: <1Ω
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Max output level: 13.3 dBu
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AVB networking :
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Ports: 2 AVB Gigabit Ethernet ports
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AVB in/out streams: 16 at 1x/2x rates, 8 at 4x rates
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Network audio channels: Up to 128 audio channels in/out (up to 96 kHz)
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Network latency: Fixed at 2 ms point-to-point
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Cable length: Up to 100 metres with CAT-5e/6, longer with fibre optics
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Compatibility: With previous generation MOTU AVB devices
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Protocols supported: 1722.1 for connection management and control, AAF and AM8-24 stream formats
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Synchronisation I/O :
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Word Clock: 1 BNC Word Clock In, 1 BNC Word Clock Out/Thru
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Sampling rate: All (44.1 to 192 kHz)
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Front panel :
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Display: 3.9-inch colour TFT screen (480 x 128 pixels, 24-bit RGB) for measurement and settings
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Controls:
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◦ 2 encoders for headphone volume
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◦ 4 encoders for preamp gain
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◦ 8 switches (4 PAD, 4 48V)
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◦ 6 switches for the "Control Room" section (Talk, A/B/C Monitor Select, Mute, Mono)
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◦ 1 large encoder for master volume
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◦ Menu navigation buttons
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◦ Locking power button
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Power supply:
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Universal 100-240V auto-switching internal power supply, 50-60 Hz, 1.0A max.
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Dimensions and Weight:
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Dimensions (W x D x H): 48.26 x 31.1 x 4.44 cm (case only)
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Weight: 5kg
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System Requirements :
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Mac: Intel Core i3 or faster (including Apple Silicon Macs), 4GB RAM (8GB or more recommended), macOS 12 or later, Thunderbolt 3+ or USB port available, minimum 500GB hard drive
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Windows: Intel Core i3 PC (or AMD equivalent), 4GB RAM (8GB or more recommended), Windows 10 22H2 or later (x64 AMD/Intel only) or Windows 11 23H2 or later (x64 AMD/Intel only), Thunderbolt 3+ or USB port available, minimum 500GB hard drive
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iOS: iOS 17.5 or later (iPhone and iPad models compatible with iOS 17). Low-latency Thunderbolt driver support only for iPad models with an M series processor.
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Class-compliant support: Class-compliant USB audio support for macOS or iOS (no driver required).
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Software Included :
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CueMix Pro (for macOS, Windows and iOS)
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Drivers (for macOS, Windows and iOS)
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MOTU Performer Lite (for macOS and Windows) with over 100 virtual instruments and dozens of effects plug-ins
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6GB of loops and sounds from Big Fish Audio, LucidSamples, Loopmasters and MOTU
To find out more...
Wireless connectivity: You can control the interface wirelessly via Wi-Fi. The iOS device (and any other computer used for control) must be connected to the same network as the 848.
Additional documents
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