MOTU MicroBook II USB Audio Interface

No longer available at zZounds
Get pristine MOTU sound quality in a pocket-sized 4-in/6-out USB audio interface with the MOTU MicroBook II -- perfect for portable recording on your laptop.

The MOTU MicroBook II USB Audio Interface is the ultimate compact recording interface featuring incredible audio and all the must-have features. The MicroBook II provides simultaneous inputs for a microphone, a guitar, and a keyboard or other stereo line level device. The mic preamp delivers neutral coloration and pristine sound, with 20 dB pad and 48V phantom power for condenser mics. Programmable outputs provide flexible monitoring options with the MOTU MicroBook II interface.

Three Separate Mixes

The MOTU MicroBook II mixer takes signals from its four inputs, plus output from your computer, and mixes them to an output pair, such as the main outs. You control the volume of each input. Better yet, you can adjust input volumes differently for each output pair. In other words, each output pair can have its own unique mix. For example, you might create a balanced mix going to your PA via the main outs, but bring up the guitar for the mix going to your stage monitors via the line outs, so you can easily monitor your guitar sound. You get a separate mix for main out, line out, and phones.

Multi-Touch iPad Control

Use an iPad to control your MicroBook II mix. It's the ultimate hands-on experience: use TouchOSC software (sold separately) with a custom-designed template for your MOTU MicroBook II USB audio interface and enjoy hands-on control of all mixing, EQ and compressor settings. Refining your mix has never been this fluid and intuitive.

CueMix FX Software

The read more included CueMix FX software for Mac OS X and Windows gives you graphic, on-screen control of the MicroBook II's on-board audio mixer, with up to four separate stereo mixes. For example, you can mix all the inputs to the main outs, but also mix them to the line outs with completely different levels than the main outs. Other advanced features include a tuner, oscilloscope, FFT/spectrogram, and phase analysis tools.

AudioDesk Workstation Software for Mac OS X

The MOTU MicroBook II interface includes AudioDesk, the workstation software for Mac OS X, which provides advanced recording, editing, mixing, processing, and mastering. AudioDesk delivers the power of modern digital audio workstation technology in an easy-to-use, inspiring multitrack recording experience. Together, AudioDesk and the MicroBook II audio interface transform your computer desktop into a pro recording studio.

Ultra-Compact Size

The MOTU MicroBook II USB audio interface is an impressively small 5.5 by 3.6 by 1.25 inches, which means that it slides easily into your backpack - or a large pocket. It also sits nicely next to your laptop or desktop computer.

Studio-grade Sound

The MicroBook II has been engineered with MOTU's renowned, award-winning audio interface technology, for uncompromising audio quality and rock-solid performance MOTU interfaces are known for worldwide. You can always record and mix with confidence, even in most demanding pro recording situations, knowing that decades of engineering experience are behind you, every step of the way. The MOTU MicroBook II delivers measured audio specs that rival interfaces costing hundreds more.

High Bandwidth and Low Latency

The MicroBook II USB interface can record and play all channels simultaneously, and high-speed USB 2.0 provides plenty of bandwidth, even at 96 kHz.

Flexible Volume Control

The two digital rotary encoders on the MicroBook II interface not only look good, they feel good, too. Push the volume knob repeatedly to cycle among the main outs, headphones, or both, as indicated by the LEDs. For the mic input, adjust trim and toggle 48V phantom power or the -20 dB pad. Hands-on control is immediate and intuitive.

XLR Mic Input

Go ahead, plug in your $5,000 microphone. The MOTU MicroBook II's exceptionally transparent preamp faithfully preserves the characteristics and nuance of even the finest mics. Control trim, -20 dB pad and 48V phantom power from the digital rotary encoder on the top of the unit, or from the included CueMix FX software.

Hi-Z Guitar Input

The MicroBook II USB audio interface's dedicated hi-Z DI guitar input provides high-impedance load characteristics suitable for passive and active pickups alike, to produce authentic guitar tone and feel with your guitar processing software.

Stereo Line Inputs

The MOTU MicroBook II analog inputs are designed to be flexible, so that you can address a wide range of recording situations. The line inputs provide proper level matching for keyboards, analog mixers, effects processors, or other gear with either -10 dB or +4 dB reference level.

Professional Headphone Jack

The MicroBook II audio interface provides a quarter-inch phone jack equipped with a high-end D/A converter for studio-grade headphones. All-around audio quality this good deserves pro headphones.

Digitally Controlled Analog Trim

The MOTU MicroBook II preamp delivers clean sound, 60 dB of gain, and adjustments in approximately 1 dB increments using the top-panel digital encoder or the on-screen CueMix software. The gain adjustment itself is smooth because it is analog, but the digital control gives you both precision and the ability to save and recall trim settings. So you get the best of both worlds: analog trim with digital precision and control. Trim is adjusted at the input, before the mixer, so it applies to all mixes. Mix levels are controlled separately from trim, so you never sacrifice sound quality for a balanced mix.

Features:

- 4-input, 6-output bus-powered 'plug-and-play' high-speed USB 2.0 audio interface
- Impressively small 5.5 by 3.6 by 1.25 inches for great portability
- 6 x 8 physical inputs and outputs
- 8-bus digital mixer to route and mix live inputs with computer tracks
- Pre-amp equipped mic input with Precision Digital Trim 48V phantom power, and 20 dB pad
- Hi-Z guitar input with -20 dB pad Precision Digital Trim
- Stereo line level analog input (balanced TRS quarter-inch or stereo mini)
- Stereo balanced TRS quarter-inch line level main outs
- Stereo eighth-inch 'mini' line level out
- S/PDIF digital out (duplicates main out)
- Headphones output on quarter-inch stereo jack with independent volume control
- Digitally controlled analog trim for all analog inputs
- Digital trim for all outputs
- Output volume digital rotary encoder. Push to cycle among three modes: main out, phones, or both
- Mic input digital rotary encoder for adjusting trim level, 48V and pad
- Dedicated 3- or 4-segment LED meters for all inputs and outputs
- Support for recording and playback at 2x sample rates (88.2 and 96 kHz)
- CueMix FX no-latency mixing and monitoring with EQ and dynamics processing
- 7-band parametric EQ and compression
- Built in instrument tuner
- Test tone and white/pink noise generator
- Advanced audio analysis software tools, including FFT display, spectrogram 'waterfall' display, oscilloscope, X-Y plot, and phase torch
- 100 percent compatible with all host-based effects processing in today's popular audio programs
- Industry standard Mac and Windows audio drivers (Core Audio, Wave, and ASIO) for across-the-board compatibility
- Compatible with all current and recent generation Macs and PCs
- Includes AudioDesk full-featured audio workstation software for Mac OS X
- USB cable included
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- Converters: 24-bit
- Sample Rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96kHz
- Analog In:
- 1 x XLR mic input with preamp
- 1 x 1/4 inch hi-Z guitar
- 2 x 1/4 inch TRS phone (balanced/unbalanced)
- 1 x 1/8 inch stereo mini (unbalanced)
- Analog Outputs:
- 2 x 1/4 inch balanced TRS main out
- 1 x 1/8 inch stereo mini line out (unbalanced)
- 2 x 1/4 inch TRS headphone
- Digital Input: none
- Digital Output: 1 x RCA coaxial S/PDIF
- Computer I/O: 1 x USB 2.0 High-speed
- Sync Out: S/PDIF
- Headphone Output: 1 x 1/4 inch TRS phone with volume control
- Phantom Power: 48V
- Top panel:
- 2 x 3-segment ladder LEDs - main outs
- 1 x 4-segment LEDs - mic in
- 1 x 4-segment LEDs - guitar in
- 1 x 3-segment LEDs - line in
- 2 x 3-segment LEDs - main out
- 1 x 3-segment LEDs - line out
- 1 x LED - 48V phantom power
- 1 x LED - -20 dB pad
- 2 x LEDs - main/phone vol
- 1 x digital rotary encoder - mic trim
- 1 x digital rotary encoder - main/phone volume
- Power Requirements: USB bus power
- Mac System Requirements:
- PowerPC G4 CPU 1 GHz or faster (including any Mac with a PowerPC G5 or any Intel processor)
- 1 GB RAM; 2 GB or more recommended
- Mac OS X version 10.5, 10.6, or 10.7; v10.5.8 or later required
- Available high-speed USB 2.0 port
- A large hard drive (preferably at least 250 GB)
- Windows System Requirements:
- 1 GHz Pentium-based PC compatible or faster equipped with at least one USB2 or FireWire port
- 1 GB RAM; 2 GB or more recommended
- Windows 7 or Vista, 32- or 64-bit; Vista SP 2 or later required
- Available high-speed USB 2.0 port
- A large hard drive (preferably at least 250 GB)
- Included software:
- CueMix FX
- AudioDesk (Mac only, optical CD drive required)
- 64-bit operation:
- Available for Mac OS X v10.6 or 10.7
- Available for 64-bit versions of Windows 7 or Vista
- Requires a 64-bit CPU (and host application for plug-in versions)

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 617-576-2760