MOTU has begun shipping the Monitor 8, a 24 x 16 x 8 monitor mixer, 6-channel headphone amplifier and USB/AVB audio interface with console-style 48-channel mixing and DSP effects. Monitor 8 can serve as a primary audio interface and monitor mixer in the studio, as a complete monitoring solution for live performance, or as a dedicated monitoring component of a MOTU AVB audio network system.

"Monitor 8 is a one-stop solution for high-quality stereo monitoring through speakers, headphones, and in-ear systems," said Jim Cooper, director of marketing at MOTU. "With large console-style mixing and Wi-Fi control, Monitor 8 is equally well suited for both studio operation and live performance situations."

Users can create multiple mixes from a variety of inputs, including 8 channels of high-quality balanced (TRS) analog, 16 channels (2 banks) of ADAT optical, 32 channels of audio streamed from other MOTU interfaces on a connected AVB audio network (if present), and host software audio channels over USB or AVB Ethernet.

All of these inputs can be mixed to eight stereo output groups: Main, Aux and monitor groups A thru F. XLR Main Outs and balanced quarter-inch Aux Outs can feed primary and secondary studio monitors or PA speakers. Users can then set up six additional, independent monitor groups, each with multiple mirrored outputs that include two sets of 1/4-inch headphone outs (front and rear panel), a summed 1/4-inch mono output, and, on groups A-D, balanced stereo quarter-inch outs. Monitor mixes can be sent to twelve sets of headphones, six stage monitors, four stereo in-ear modules (or other stereo line level destinations) and two sets of powered speakers.

Monitor 8 operates without a computer as a stand-alone mixer and headphone amp, but it can also function as a universally compatible AVB or USB 2.0 audio interface that is USB 3.0 and iOS compatible.

Powerful DSP delivers large console style mixing with 48 channels, 12 stereo busses, and 32-bit floating point effects processing, including modelled analog EQ, vintage compression and classic reverb. For stand-alone mixing, users can control Monitor 8 over Wi-Fi from an iPad, iPhone, tablet, smart phone, and laptop — or several devices simultaneously for multi-user control of the Monitor 8’s multiple mix busses.