Motu Standalone Interfaces

Using a MOTU audio interface as a standalone A-D or D-A converter

If your MOTU audio interface has a standalone operation mode and digital audio I/O, you can configure it as a standalone analog-to-digital (A-D) or digital-to-analog (D-A) converter.

In this example, an 828mk3 is configured as a standalone A-D converter using its ADAT optical output by patching through its analog inputs to its digital outputs:

• Connect the 828mk3 to the computer via FireWire and power it on.
• Open CueMix FX.
• Select the Inputs tab, then enable the "Stereo" button on the Analog 1, 3, 5, and 7 channel strips. (They will now appear as Analog 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8.)
• Select the Mixes tab and choose "Bus 1" from the drop-down menu.
• Click on the Output menu above the Master Fader, and choose "ADAT 1-2". Make sure the Master Fader is all the way up to 0 dB.
• Mute all channels except Analog 1-2. Bring the Analog 1-2 fader up to 0 dB and center the balance knob.
• Switch to Bus 2.
• Repeat the process with Bus 2 and ADAT/Analog 3-4, Bus 3 and ADAT/Analog 5-6, and Bus 4 and ADAT/Analog 7-8.
• Open MOTU Audio Setup.
• Set the clock source of the 828mk3 to "Internal".
• Power off the 828mk3, disconnect its FireWire, and power it back on.
• Connect the 828mk3's Optical A output to the ADAT optical input of another device. Set the clock source on the receiving device to its optical input, and ensure that both your 828mk3 and the other device are set to the same sample rate.

The process is similar for all MOTU audio interfaces with features similar to the 828mk3. If you would like to configure your MOTU interface as a D-A converter, follow the steps above, but choose digital inputs and analog outputs rather than analog inputs and digital outputs, and ensure that the clock source and sample rate are set properly on both devices.

Some devices, such as the 2408mk3, can be easily configured from the front panel while in standalone mode. In this example, a 2408mk3 is configured as a standalone D-A converter using its ADAT optical input:

• Power off the 2408mk3, disconnect everything from it but the power cable, then power it back on.
• Use the Select and Set buttons on the front panel to choose these settings:
• Source: ADAT / Bank A
• Bounce: 1-2 > 1-2, swap L/R disabled
• Clock: Dig / 44.1
• Connect ADAT optical output of another device into the 2408mk3's Bank A optical input.