The MOTU 2408mk3 PCIe audio interface provides DAW users with what is
easily one of the best-sounding all-round recording, mixing, and
monitoring solutions available. The MOTU 2408mk3 not only offers highly
affordable expandability, but also lets you easily integrate your
legacy hardware with latest additions as well.
From the eight channels
of super-quiet 96kHz analog inputs, to the 24 channels of digital I/O
including ADAT, TDIF, S/PDIF, and word clock, the MOTU 2408mk3 is a
true studio workhorse. Let the heart of your digital audio workstation
beat with MOTU's 2408mk3.
Versatile 24-bit/96kHz Digital Audio Workstation
The 1U rack-mountable 2408mk3 provides seven banks of I/O: one bank of
24-bit, 96kHz analog on balanced TRS connectors, three banks of 96kHz
ADAT optical, three banks of 96kHz Tascam TDIF, plus stereo S/PDIF. You
can choose any three banks (up to 24 channels) to be active at one
time. This means you can hook up three ADATs, three DA-88s, and eight
analog devices all at the same time and access any three banks - in any
combination of formats. And you can freely switch formats at any time.
In addition to the eight dedicated analog outputs, the 2408mk3 also
features a stereo output with front panel volume control so you can
plug powered monitors directly into the 2408mk3.
24 Channels of Digital I/O
With 24 channels of digital I/O, the 2408mk3 is ideal for connecting
your computer to a digital mixer. Both ADAT lightpipe and TASCAM TDIF
digital connections are supported at any sample rate up to 96kHz. Plus,
the 2408mk3 offers built-in video and SMPTE synchronization. Slave your
entire workstation directly to video or SMPTE time code with sub-frame
accuracy - without a dedicated synchronizer. It's just another example
of this unit's versatility.
DSP-driven Mixing and Monitoring Matrix
The PCIe-424 card features CueMix DSP, a powerful processor dedicated
to creating a custom tailored monitor mix of up to 96 channels of 96kHz
audio. Because the mixing takes place on the card itself, instead of
making the round trip from the PCIe bus to the host processor, the
2408mk3 system provides the same near-zero latency performance as
today's latest digital mixers. CueMix DSP completely eliminates the
buffer latency associated with monitoring on host-based systems.
Because the DSP is mixing for you, your computer's CPU is free for
other tasks. Cuemix DSP is the most flexible CueMix ever, allowing you
to mix multiple channels into multiple mix busses or directly assigned
outputs. Manage your monitor mix with the enhanced CueMix Console
software included with the 2408mk3. CueMix console greatly now provides
independent level and pan controls for each input on every mix. Also,
Cue Mix DSP does not limit you to four stereo mixes. You can configure
a unique mix for every physical stereo output you have available. This
means you can have up to 48 separate stereo mixes on a 96 output system.
Cross-platform PCIe-424 Card
The MOTU 2408mk3's PCIe card allows you to take advantage of the
next-generation functionality of PCIe architecture; the bus technology
that will dominate the personal computer for the coming decade. Unlike
older parallel technologies, PCI Express guarantees each device
dedicated bandwidth to and from the system controller. PCI Express
cards and slots are defined by their bandwidth, or number of data lanes
- typically one lane, four lanes, eight lanes, or 16 lanes. At 250 MBps
per lane, a four-lane slot can transfer data at up to 1 GBps and an
eight-lane slot, up to 2 GBps - almost twice as fast as a 133MHz PCI-X
slot at a maximum throughput of just over 1 GBps. The new PCIe-424 card
can be installed in any PCI Express slot (regardless of its number of
lanes). PCI Express delivers more than enough bus bandwidth for the 424
card, while ensuring that other PCI devices won't "steal" bus cycles
from the 424 card. PCIe means more bandwidth and a vastly improved
scheme for high-speed data transfers - just what you need for
high-quality audio.
The 2408mk3 provides cross-platform compatibility with Macintosh,
Windows 98SE/Me/2K/XP and all of your favorite audio software and
host-based effects via WDM/ASIO/Sound Manager drivers. Or you can use
the included AudioDesk workstation software for Macintosh, with 24-bit
recording/editing and 32-bit mixing/processing/mastering.
Continuing MOTU's tradition of compatibility with existent MOTU
interfaces, if you own a PCI-424-based 2408mk3, the PCIe-424 card will
work with your existing hardware, so you can expand your system with
your present 2408mk3 rack unit.
Features:
- 8 analog inputs/outputs with 24-bit, 96kHz converters on balanced/unbalanced 1/4" TRS connectors
- 108dB S/N ratio (A-weighted)
- 24 channels of ADAT optical input/output
- 24 channels of TDIF (Tascam digital) input/output
- 2 channels of S/PDIF in and 4 channels out
- 16, 20 and 24-bit recording at 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96kHz kHz
- ADAT sync input on PCIe-424 card
- Word clock in and out
- Includes cross-platform PCIe-424 card
