MOTU is shipping the latest version of its 896 digital interface box, the 896mk3 Hybrid.
The mk3 version adds USB 2.0 to the FireWire, AES/EBU, ADAT optical, S/PDIF and analog I/O, warranting the “Hybrid” moniker. Combo jacks on the analog XLR inputs allow for guitar and other 1/4-inch input.
MOTU lists the FireWire performance at 400 Mbps and the USB speed at 480 Mbps. Top performance is 24-bit/192 kHz across eight channels. Utilizing the internal CueMix FX soft mixer and a computer more than eight channels can be accessed.
The 896mk3 has 48V for its microphone inputs along with DSP effects such as reverb, “vintage” compression and a seven-band parametric EQ.
Word clock and SMPTE timecode are also onboard. There is even a tuner and a suite of signal analysis tools included. The 896mk3 Hybrid is compatible with all major DAW platforms. Ships with AudioDesk Mac-based DAW software. Price: $995.
