MOTU 828 28x32 USB3 Audio Interface with DSP Mixing and Effects

The 828 is the rack interface most small studios build around. Two XLR/TRS combo inputs give 74 dB of stepped preamp gain with individual pad and phantom, plus balanced send/return inserts for outboard processing. Behind them sit eight balanced TRS line inputs, eight balanced DC-coupled TRS outputs, two male XLR outs and two independent headphone jacks, all capable of +21 dBu. Two ADAT optical banks and a stereo S/PDIF pair on RCA bring total I/O to 28 in and 32 out at base sample rates.

A single USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port handles the computer connection and is class compliant, so it works without a driver; a certified 2 m C-to-C cable is in the box. Round-trip latency is roughly 2 ms with a 32-sample buffer at 96 kHz. A 3.9-inch 480 x 128 color display doubles as a meter bridge and settings menu, and word clock in and out on BNC plus a quarter-inch footswitch input cover the sync and hands-free duties a tracking room needs.