16A

Superb analog audio quality

Renowned ESS Sabre32™ DAC technology delivers 125 dB dynamic range and extremely low harmonic distortion. Analog performance is driven by decades of engineering expertise in audio interface technology.

Thunderbolt™ and USB connectivity for Mac, PC and iOS

The 16A is the first audio interface to deliver cutting-edge Thunderbolt™ 4 and USB4 universal connectivity for Mac, PC and iOS. Connect your host device with the included 40 Gbps USB-C cable and the 16A negotiates the fastest possible connectivity speed, up to 40 Gbps, with backward compatibility for Thunderbolt 3, USB3 and USB2 host connections. Thunderbolt and USB4 connections deliver an astonishing 256 channels of computer I/O (128 in and 128 out) at sample rates up to 96 kHz.

66 simultaneous audio channels

Sixteen balanced/unbalanced TRS analog inputs and outputs, 2 x 8-channel ADAT optical ports, and an independent stereo headphone output deliver a total of 32 inputs and 34 outputs. Use the 16A for expanded analog I/O or your computer, or as a flexible, comprehensive patchbay and mixer. Or both!

Ultra-low latency performance

Optimized drivers for both Mac and PC deliver renowned, ultra-low latency performance. With a high-performance DAW such as Digital Performer, the 16A delivers an astonishing round trip latency (RTL) of ~1.8 ms (milliseconds) over Thunderbolt and USB at 96 kHz with a 32-sample host buffer.

Plug and play ease with massive bandwidth

Daisy-chain the 16A with up to six other Thunderbolt devices, all connected to your host computer with massive 40 Gbps bandwidth to easily handle hundreds of audio channels, 8K video, terabytes of hard drive storage, and more. Thunderbolt 4-compatible USB-C cable included (length = 2 meters).

64-channel mixing with 32-bit floating point precision

The 16A is equipped with a 64-channel mixer designed just like a large format mixing console. The 64 inputs can take signal from anywhere: the physical inputs on the 16A interface itself, audio channels from host software on your computer, audio network streams, or even mixer outputs. The mixer provides 26 aux busses, plus main, reverb, monitor, and solo buses. All inputs and output buses provide 4-band double-precision parametric EQ and a compressor. Additionally, input channels include a High-Pass Filter and Gate. In essence: capable and transparent mixing.

Patchbay routing and splitting

Using intuitive, virtual patch cords, you can easily route any source signal to any destination. Sources can be analog or digital inputs on the interface, computer channels, mixer bus outputs, or audio network streams from other devices on the network. Destinations include interface outputs, host software inputs, mixer inputs, or any other device (or computer) on the network. You can even split any single source (or stereo pair) to unlimited multiple output destinations.

Flexible system expansion

Audio networking has come of age, delivering a world of possibilities. The 16A features an integrated AVB switch with two Gigabit Ethernet ports, allowing you to daisy-chain multiple 16A units using standard network cabling. Alternatively, expand your network by connecting an external AVB switch to build a network with multiple interfaces, computers, and ultra-low network latency, even over long cable runs (hundreds of meters). Each 16A can transmit and receive 128 audio channels to and from the network. Stream hundreds of audio channels among devices and computers on the network. The 16A is compatible with previous-generation MOTU AVB devices.

Control everything from your laptop, tablet and phone

CueMix™ Pro is the consummate app for controlling everything in the 16A, including device settings, signal routing and 64-channel mixing and effects. Available for macOS, Windows, and iOS, you can run CueMix Pro on multiple devices at the same time and access the 16A wirelessly through Wi-Fi. As a 1722.1 controller, CueMix Pro can also be used to access AVB-related settings in 3rd-party devices on the network.

Features:

• Redesigned iteration of MOTU’s 16A with industry-1st Thunderbolt 4 connectivity
• Lightning-fast Thunderbolt 4 connectivity operates at 40 Gbps
• 32-in/34-out interface with 2 banks of optical I/O, plus word clock
• Class-compliant firmware works with a gamut of Mac, PC, and iOS devices
• High-performance drivers provide 1.8ms of roundtrip latency
• ESS Sabre32-fueled sound with 24-bit/192kHz conversion
• Loopback functionality for livestreaming and podcasting
• Precision boost for all analog inputs and trim for all analog outputs in 1dB increments
• DC-coupled TRS outputs allow you to manipulate and sequence voltage-controlled synthesizers directly from your DAW
• Front-panel headphone output with independent volume control and a customizable cue mix
• Built-in 64-channel digital mixer with 32 stereo buses and onboard DSP effects
• Advanced control room features with talkback
• 2 x 3.9-in. front-panel TFT displays with high-resolution metering and access to detailed status information and hardware settings
• Wi-Fi control from your Mac, Windows-equipped PC, or iOS device
• 2 Gigabit network ports bolstered by potent AVB networking capabilities
• Includes MOTU Performer Lite application, plus over 6GB of loops, samples, and 1-shots