NAMM 2024: MOTU has introduced the 828, a major design and feature (USB-C…) upgrade for its popular audio/MIDI interface.
NAMM is just around the corner. The largest music tech trade fair starts in Anaheim (LA) in 2 weeks. Lots of news from the synthesizers, effects, guitars, and also music production domain are expected.
MOTU dropped big news today with the new generation of its popular 828 audio interface.
MOTU 828
The new 828 2024 is a major redesign of its popular rack-mounted (1U) audio interface. According to MOTU, it is powered by the renowned ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC technology, using USB-C with 5 Gbps that gives low-latency performance on macOS, Windows, and iOS.
MOTU says it gives you 28×32 connections with high-performance drives that deliver 60 total channels of I/O and 24-channel mixing with onboard DSP.
Like its predecessor, the new 828 generation has a pair of XLR combo preamps with gain controls on its front panel, alongside a pair of headphone outputs with individual controls.
Each mic channel includes a dedicated send/return insert for outboard gear processing. When nothing is connected to the front-panel mic inputs, the two rear-panel returns function as additional balanced line inputs with identical signal path characteristics as the other eight line inputs.
A large, wide-color LCD display (3.9 inch – 480×128) on the front panel gives you an overview of all channels (analog + digital). Plus, you get controls for the menu, including a big volume knob, an encoder, and buttons.
Backside
On the rear panel, the new MOTU 828 2024 offers eight analog TRS line inputs (6.3mm), a pair of insert/send/return channels, and eight DC-coupled TRS line outputs. Like the previous MOTU interfaces, these outputs can output modular CV signals.
Then, you get a MIDI interface (in/out + optional MIDI thru), BNC word clock I/O (with optional Thru), and a foot switch input. The latter gives you hands-free punch-in during recording.
Also onboard are two loopback USB channels for live streaming and podcasting. Users can easily route computer output back to the computer, where they can mix it with live 828 inputs (microphones, guitars, etc.) in their host software for live streaming or podcasting.
The 828 also supports guitar re-amping. Users can connect a guitar to the front-panel input, use CueMix’s near-zero latency to loop to any output (with a re-amp adapter, if needed), and record both the dry signal and a mic’d up amp simultaneously.
Further, the CueMix 5 app allows wireless control from multiple devices simply by running them on the same network as the host PC, Mac, or iPad. With the app, you can control the complete interface, including the EQs, and more.
Software
Of course, the new 828 2024 includes a solid software package for musicians to start making music immediately. Besides the CueMix 5 app, it ships with MOTU Performer Lite and Ableton Live Lite workstation software, 100+ instruments (in Performer Lite), and over 6 GB of included free loops, samples, and one-shots.
First Impression
The 828 interface has been on the market for many years and is considered one of the best in the range. This is a nice upgrade that brings the interface into the modern age. But it has serious competition like the Arturia 16Rig.
MOTU 828 is available now for $995 USD or 1149€
More information here: MOTU
Available at my partners
Mark Of The Unreliable
Went thru 3 828s before I finally said no more MOTU for me.
Personally, I can’t say anything bad about the quality of the 828 interfaces. I use an old one from 2001 as a standalone submixer and have never had any problems with it. Not even with the FireWire connections and the drivers – even though I have been using Windows computers exclusively for a very long time. It’s a shame if other users have had bad experiences with it. It’s still a good-sounding workhorse that I can rely on.
Looking forward to NAMM this year. After a few years of the pandemic (still going on) perhaps some companies have some interesting stuff to showcase. So many synth companies pass NAMM over for some euro trade show, as a result you’d probably get more coverage at a NAMM now. I heard that Roland isn’t showing up but they’ve been releasing new stuff. Personally hoping for some interesting MIDI controlled pedal FX.
I’m also excited to see what NAMM will bring this year. I’m not there personally because there aren’t enough synth/electronic music companies for me to justify the crazy expenses for flight, hotel, etc.
After a couple of months my 828es starting makng noise on 2 analog inputs. Turnaround was 6 weeks for the repair which ended up being a someone else’s used one.
Not exactly stellar peformance from MOTU or Thomann.