MOTU 828Mk3 Hybrid FireWire/USB Audio Interface
Get 8 analog ins, 2 front-panel preamps, and ADAT and SPDIF I/O. Route any input to any output. Dial in the onboard DSP effects. This robust interface rocks!
Overall User Ratings (based on 12 ratings)
Submitted September 11, 2012 by John M in Lexington, KY
"Incredible Equipment and Top Notch Customer Service"
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I didn't get my 828MkIII Hybrid at zZounds, but since I am a long time customer of zZounds and this is such a great unit I wanted to submit a review. I can repeat all of the previous accolades. This is a great sounding unit and the DSP effects are actually quite good. The many routing options make it easy to use the built in DSP for monitor mixes, but they can also be patched in to anything going in or out of your DAW. I have a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 I love, but bought the MOTU to use as my main interface primarily for the dual ADAT inputs and the 8 line inputs. I run the Pro 40 in through ADAT and then run my ISA 1 and Langevin Dual Vocal Combo and any other pre amps I am using into the MOTU line ins.
I have to add one other comment about MOTU support and just the character of the company. At 11 months my power supply mysteriously started failing (I say mysteriously because everything goes through a Furman PL Plus DMC) I was a bit taken aback that something that major could fail after less than a year and started worrying about the quality. Well, the great news is MOTU warranties for two full years and is going to replace my unit. But even more important, MOTU is so confident of their hardware and they stand behind it to the tune of replacing any hardware product that is out of warranty for a flat fee of $99.95! You read that right, even if my $750 828 MkIII hybrid was out of warranty, they would replace it for less than $100. You cannot do an better than that!
My one and only comlaint is the knobs are so tiny, they are difficult to use if you are using the unit stand alone.
Musical Background:
Musician, sound and recording engineer, studio owner
Musical Style:
You name it...
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Submitted September 1, 2014 by Jocelito Rousseau in Naples, FL
"Own it or dream about it"
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Since I go mobile most of the time, I was looking for an audio interface to use alongside with my Studiolive32AI mixer. Then I found the MOTU 828 Hybrid. I have bought a case for my Studiolive32AI and put it away ( I meant saved it ) and I have been using my MOTU 828 Hybrid ever since. Great stuff to have in your studio if you are really serious about your professional career as audio engineer. Now I am thinking of buying a second and permanent one for the studio. Own it today.
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Submitted September 30, 2011 by a customer from hotmail.com
"Flexible, intuitive, stable. I can't ask for more."
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I rarely write reviews, but my experience with the MOTU 828Mk3 has been so good that I feel I have to. Others have commented on sound quality and I agree, it's excellent. But where this product really shines for me is in its flexibility and ease of configuring for whatever you want/need it to do. It integrates amazingly easily with Mac OSX's audio engine. Routing and re-routing ins and outs is a piece of cake. The control surface and software are very intuitive.
I am a video and sound artist and teach in a university art department. We use equipment in all kinds of ways. Sometimes we just need a recording and editing setup and this works great, both for stereo and surround. But sometimes we do crazy things for projects and installations, like embed speakers into objects, behind walls, etc. and need to re-route signals so the right things are getting the right sounds. We've tried this kind of work with other audio interfaces and it's complicated enough (especially with Saffire products) that nobody other than me can get it. But MOTU's software and interfaces are so intuitive that I never doubt that students can learn how to control everything about the sound with little effort.
Additionally, the drivers are rock solid. I can turn it on and off, trip over the firewire cable and unplug it while it's running, sleep and wake the computer, whatever. Once it's on and connected, it starts up and runs exactly as intended. I've had too many experiences with interfaces that can't handle that kind of (ab)use. For our purposes, MOTU is the only way to go.
Value
Expensive, but worth it.
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Submitted April 5, 2012 by Nick D in Fort Collins, CO
"MOTU 828Mk3 Hybrid Audio Interface "
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I purchased this unit as a replacement for my 828 mk2 which had recently died. I could've contacted MOTU for repair I suppose, but I was ready to upgrade to the mk3 anyway because of all the new features. I run a Macbook with Logic, and having the cuemix software is a life saver. The new features take a little while to master, such as the dynamics, EQ and reverb built in, but the layout is familiar so that's a help. Basically, I had to figure out where to insert the effects for what results just by trial and error. This is usually not a problem, but if you've already got the session booked, make sure to take some time to play with the new effects as they are not as intuitive as you might think. Just the way it goes with something with this many features.
I run ADAT as well so the fact that I can now run 26 mics is rather huge. And 8 different headphone mixes? Incredible. I record full bands live more and more nowadays to save them money and these are CRUCIAL features to have when doing that. Not to mention having the DSP on the unit itself so I can turn my software monitoring off completely. Can't beat it.
If you're on the fence, I can tell you I have worked with other interfaces and have done the research. If you're recording "in the box" this is the best and most inputs you will get for the money hands down. Pick up a couple 8 pres and you've still got analog inputs for your other pres.
Musical Background:
Professional Rock band, Project Studio Owner
Musical Style:
Alternative Rock, Indie, Cello-Rock
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Submitted September 24, 2012 by Steve W in San Francisco, CA
"Awesome Interface"
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I am using this unit with my new macbook pro and it works great! So many options with inputs and settings! Very happy with this!
Musical Background:
Guitars, 8 years
Musical Style:
Rock/Expirimental
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Submitted April 14, 2014 by scott patnode in phoenix, NY
"AWESOME!"
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The Motu 828 hybrid is AWESOME, AMAZING, STUPENDOUS! Works everytime I power up! ZZounds was fast in shipping and gave me the option to make payments! Words cannot explain how happy i am with both !!
Musical Background:
35 yr guitatr player/ commercial studio owner
Musical Style:
I play it all!
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Submitted August 31, 2011 by a customer from comcast.net
"Clearly designed by people that need to use the gear themselves. I'm consistently impressed."
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I expect to use this for several years. The only thing it could us is more mic inputs. But honestly, I'd prefer to buy a dedicated Mic Pre and go ADAT into this. The feature set of the 828 mk3 far offsets the fact it only has 2 mic inputs, which will go far enough for many users.
Sound
I'm trying this in the place of a Digidesign 96 I/O, with Pro Tools 9, on OS 10.6.7. I can't tell the difference in this and a 96 I/O. It sounds great! Why not a 10? Maybe it should be a 10 but I reserve 10's for things that just knock my socks off.
Features
Now here's where a 10 is well earned. With all the analog inputs, PLUS 2 ADAT ins & outs, PLUS SPDIF I/O, PLUS 2 Mic/Instrument ins? There's just an amazing set of options here.
Not to be overlooked is the CueMix utility that comes with this. You can route any input to any output. For instance, ADAT B 1-2 can be routed real-time to analog outs 1-2, ADAT B 3-4 can be routed to analog 3-4, and so on. And the settings stick even with the utility closed and powering the 828 off & back on.
Also, for Multichannel setups like working in Pro Tools in 5.1 -> 7.1, you can assign a 7.1 output to the Master Volume knob, so no need for a stand-alone multichannel speaker controller system. You can plug your powered monitors directly to the outputs. (The only problem with this is the Master Volume knob is a little small, and the values are minute so you can't just crank it down or up quickly).
Ease of Use
It does take a little reading to grasp the capabilities, but it's well worth it. I've had it about a month and am using it fine, but there are some things I haven't needed to use yet, and will have to read some more once I want to try them, like the onboard FX for monitoring.
In Pro Tools, the inputs take some getting used to, since the Pro Tools I/O window doesn't line up number-wise with the analog ins. I think they're off by 2 due to the 2 Mic/Instrument inputs. Therefore the analog inputs on the back 1-8 are really 3-10 in the Pro Tools I/O window. The digital inputs are also offset I think due to the SPDIF and ADAT's, but I can't remember the specifics. Just be aware you might need to try different numbered inputs in Pro Tools than you think.
Metering is pretty much just "signal is present" so don't get your hopes up too much on this. Inputs have 4 LED's and outputs are just 1 LED for present signal. This doesn't bother me as I use the meters in Pro Tools, or other software anyway.
The manual is substantial & clear.
Quality
It seems very solid. It doesn't get too hot - warm - but not too hot.
Value
I see nothing else I'd rather use than this. This has more features than the Digidesign/AVID Omni interface, and doesn't require any DIGI hardware.
I tried a Presonus Firestudio before this, and had stability issues (kernel panics) on the Mac. And the Firestudio had nowhere near the flexibility this 828 has. The Firestudio had 8 mic pre's, and the 828 only has 2, so you might want to also get an external mic Pre with ADAT outputs to go into the 828. I'm using a Presonus Digimax D8 going ADAT into the 828, which is the same setup I used into the Digidesign 96/I/O.
Manufacturer Support
I had some trouble on my Pro Tools system. It worked perfectly fine in every way except when I'd call up the "Session Setup" window, Pro Tools would crash 100% of the time. Tech support was quick and helpful, though we never fixed the problem entirely. To be fair, the word is this happens with other vendors I/O's as well in some cases, so isn't just a MOTU issue. I know 2 other people using this with Pro Tools 9 and they do not have this issue.
The eventual fix/workaround was to make a new Aggregate Audio device in Audio/MIDI setup, choosing only the 828 as the audio device, and then in Pro Tools selecting that aggregate device as the playback engine. Now I can open the session setup window without crashing Pro Tools, and I kept all the other functionality of the 828 as well.
The Wow Factor
This is technically and aesthetically pleasing. I think I've covered why I like it technically, but I also like the finish. It's kind of glossy on the front, and would look great in a rack. I haven't put mine in the rack yet as I'm still trying out new configurations and hook ups.
But the matte finish on top also looks nice sitting on a desktop, and the matte will avoid looking scratched up when things inevitably wind up on top of it.
Musical Background:
Sound Designer - Musician Hobbyist
Musical Style:
Rock
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