Quick newbie question about the Motu 828 MKII

M

maxf

New member
From what I understand, the 828 has twenty (20) inputs available. Are these ALL usable inputs? So that if I wanted to hook up my 7 drum microphones, two singing microphones, and three guitars, they would all fit? Or do I need to buy some sort of additional piece of equipment? Thanks for the help :)
 
You get 10 analog inputs straight out of the box. 2 pre-amped and 8 line level.
10 more with additional gear. 8 via ADAT optical and 2 via S/PDIF.
 
crankz1 said:
You get 10 analog inputs straight out of the box. 2 pre-amped and 8 line level.
10 more with additional gear. 8 via ADAT optical and 2 via S/PDIF.
Click to expand...

Ah that is so frustrating! Seven piece drum microphone kit and two, maybe three guitars. So that's one, maybe two inputs too short. The pre-amped microphone inputs are good though.

Is there any sort of inexpensive alternative to getting those ADAT optical inputs? I know there are converters, but the least amount of money I've seen them go for is almost $300.
 
ADA8000 is about the cheapest. Quite a few people use it with good results as well.
Might be able to score one from ebay for cheap.
I always worry about used gear though.
 
I have an MOTU828mkII (which I really love by the way). I decided to expand it with the ADA8000 (less than $200). It's been working fine for me. Not the greatest pre-amps or ADA converters in the world, but works great for the price, and you end up with 10 mic inputs (2 from the MOTU, 8 from the Behringer).

Take a look at the MOTU Traveler also, it has 4 onboard mic pre's.

Another option would be to get an 8 channel mixer with direct outs or inserts and run that into the analog line (1/4") inputs on the MOTU.
 
RAK said:
I have an MOTU828mkII (which I really love by the way). I decided to expand it with the ADA8000 (less than $200). It's been working fine for me. Not the greatest pre-amps or ADA converters in the world, but works great for the price, and you end up with 10 mic inputs (2 from the MOTU, 8 from the Behringer).

Take a look at the MOTU Traveler also, it has 4 onboard mic pre's.

Another option would be to get an 8 channel mixer with direct outs or inserts and run that into the analog line (1/4") inputs on the MOTU.
Click to expand...


I REALLY like that idea. I wouldn't need pre-amps, since the Motu already takes care of that (I'd have two microphones maximum). Would the sound quality be comparable to the ADA8000 route? I could probably score an 8 channel analog mixer for under $100...
 
You've got 7 drum mics, 2-3 vocal mics, so you will need the same number of preamps - whether theybe built into the MOTU or into the 8-channel mixer or ADA8000. I've got the same problem, and I'm thinking of getting the ADA8000 just for cost reasons. The other option I liked was a Presonus Digimax FS unit with ADAT output.
 
RFsoundguy said:
You've got 7 drum mics, 2-3 vocal mics, so you will need the same number of preamps - whether theybe built into the MOTU or into the 8-channel mixer or ADA8000. I've got the same problem, and I'm thinking of getting the ADA8000 just for cost reasons. The other option I liked was a Presonus Digimax FS unit with ADAT output.
Click to expand...

Why are pre-amps necessary for the drum and guitar mics? If you need to have pre-amps, then what is the point of having 8 regular inputs on the Muto anyways?
 
Line level inputs can be used for instruments. Microphones, regardless of what you are using them for, generally need a preamp circuit. You "can" get an XLR to TS microphone cable and plug it into a line level input, but your level will be down. It may or may not sound like crap doing it that way.

If you are using a condenser mic, then you need phantom power as well.
 
maxf said:
Why are pre-amps necessary for the drum and guitar mics? If you need to have pre-amps, then what is the point of having 8 regular inputs on the Muto anyways?
Click to expand...

a) all mics need pre-amps.

b) line-level inputs let YOU decide what pre-amps you put on them. Not everyone uses the same pres and many will use different pres for different sound sources.
 
Another option.

Get an 8 channel mixer for your drum kit mics. Run the output of that mixer (sub-mixer, at this point) to one of the line level inputs on the MOTU. That leaves you the 2 MOTU preamps for vocal mics and 7 line level inputs for DI connections.

Personally, this is why I went with a interface that had 8 mic inputs to begin with. Now I need more......
 
Here's a possible setup that allows you to get 18 mic inputs at the same time into the MOTU.

Mic 1 - MOTU Mic/Inst. Input 1
Mic 2 - MOTU Mic/Inst. Input 2

Mic 3 - Behringer ADA8000 Mic Input 1 (Behr. ADAT Out to MOTU ADAT IN)
Mic 4 - Behringer ADA8000 Mic Input 2 (Behr. ADAT Out to MOTU ADAT IN)
Mic 5 - Behringer ADA8000 Mic Input 3 (Behr. ADAT Out to MOTU ADAT IN)
Mic 6 - Behringer ADA8000 Mic Input 4 (Behr. ADAT Out to MOTU ADAT IN)
Mic 7 - Behringer ADA8000 Mic Input 5 (Behr. ADAT Out to MOTU ADAT IN)
Mic 8 - Behringer ADA8000 Mic Input 6 (Behr. ADAT Out to MOTU ADAT IN)
Mic 9 - Behringer ADA8000 Mic Input 7 (Behr. ADAT Out to MOTU ADAT IN)
Mic 10 - Behringer ADA8000 Mic Input 8 (Behr. ADAT Out to MOTU ADAT IN)

Mic 11 - Mixer Mic Input 1 (Direct/Ins. Out to MOTU Analog IN 1)
Mic 12 - Mixer Mic Input 2 (Direct/Ins. Out to MOTU Analog IN 2)
Mic 13 - Mixer Mic Input 3 (Direct/Ins. Out to MOTU Analog IN 3)
Mic 14 - Mixer Mic Input 4 (Direct/Ins. Out to MOTU Analog IN 4)
Mic 15 - Mixer Mic Input 5 (Direct/Ins. Out to MOTU Analog IN 5)
Mic 16 - Mixer Mic Input 6 (Direct/Ins. Out to MOTU Analog IN 6)
Mic 17 - Mixer Mic Input 7 (Direct/Ins. Out to MOTU Analog IN 7)
Mic 18 - Mixer Mic Input 8 (Direct/Ins. Out to MOTU Analog IN 8)

That leaves you with the S/PDif Input, which is a digital two-channel format.
 
Okay thank you for walking through the basics. I really appreciate it when people are this kind to help out a newbie :)

Is there a premamp similar to the ADA8000 that you would recommend that has 10 or 12 (or more) inputs? The idea there would be to get everything hooked up to that (except vocal mics, which would go to the Motu) and then bring that through the Motu. Sound like it might work? Seems like, if there was such a preamp, it could be cost effective.
 
I don't think a multi-channel pre-amp (in a rack unit) exists for more than 8 channels. The ADAT spec only carries 8 channels anyway, so if it did exist, it would have to have individual analog outputs.

There are multiple 8 channel pre's that terminate to ADAT output, but the high quality one's are a lot more expensive than the ADA8000.

You could find any number of analog mixers with more than 10 mic inputs, but the MOTU only has 8 Analog Inputs anyway.
 
Thanks for the prompt reply, RAK.

If you don't mind, there is one thing that I'm still not clear on. Let's say I get the ADA8000 and run the guitars through it. Then I get an analog 8 channel mixer and run the 7 drum microphones through it. That mixer would then go to the Motu, but it would still be "un-preamped." Is that correct? Or did I miss a beat?
 
maxf said:
Thanks for the prompt reply, RAK.

If you don't mind, there is one thing that I'm still not clear on. Let's say I get the ADA8000 and run the guitars through it. Then I get an analog 8 channel mixer and run the 7 drum microphones through it. That mixer would then go to the Motu, but it would still be "un-preamped." Is that correct? Or did I miss a beat?
Click to expand...

I'm trying to think of the best way to explain this. Different sources (microphone/guitar/CD player, for example) all operate at different levels/imedances. Mic levels/impedances are low, which is why you need the pre-amp to amplify the low-level mic signal to boost it to line level.

So, the 1/4" Inputs on the ADA8000 are line level inputs I believe, so they're not really made to accept instruments directly. You'll notice the MOTU has an "instrument" input combo'd with the mic input which is designed specifically to accept a guitar or bass. This is where a DI Box comes in. They are made to convert the guitar level down to mic level and then you plug the output of the DI into a mic input. With me so far?

If you plug your drums into an analog mixer and then use the mixers direct/insert outs, that is a line level (similar to the main outputs of a mixer) and you would plug that into the line inputs of the MOTU (not a mic pre-amp).
This gets further confusing because there are two difference reference levels for line level (+4dBu and -10dBu which is switchable on the MOTU).

I'm going to stop here. Let me know how I did?
 
RAK said:
I'm trying to think of the best way to explain this. Different sources (microphone/guitar/CD player, for example) all operate at different levels/imedances. Mic levels/impedances are low, which is why you need the pre-amp to amplify the low-level mic signal to boost it to line level.

So, the 1/4" Inputs on the ADA8000 are line level inputs I believe, so they're not really made to accept instruments directly. You'll notice the MOTU has an "instrument" input combo'd with the mic input which is designed specifically to accept a guitar or bass. This is where a DI Box comes in. They are made to convert the guitar level down to mic level and then you plug the output of the DI into a mic input. With me so far?

If you plug your drums into an analog mixer and then use the mixers direct/insert outs, that is a line level (similar to the main outputs of a mixer) and you would plug that into the line inputs of the MOTU (not a mic pre-amp).
This gets further confusing because there are two difference reference levels for line level (+4dBu and -10dBu which is switchable on the MOTU).

I'm going to stop here. Let me know how I did?
Click to expand...

I'm with you through the end of the second paragraph. I get a bit mixed up in the third, but don't worry about it. What I'm understanding is, I can run my drums through the analog mixer and then bring it into the Motu.

But perhaps I'm still quite confused, because it seems like I should be able to run my drums through an analog mixer, and then not need the 8000 because I'd still have 7 usable inputs on the Motu. Where is my logic screwed up?
 
You don't need the ADA8000 if you have an 8-channel analog mixer - you are correct. You'd use one of the line level inputs on the MOTU for the mixer output. The ADA8000 would use the ADAT optical input/output.

Have you bought the MOTU yet?
 
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