MOTU 828mk3 Review
Hybrid Firewire/USB Audio Interface
- 28 Input/30 Output
- Hybrid FireWire/USB2 Connectivity
- Dual Microphone Preamps
- Phantom Power, Pad and Trim per Preamp
- Multiple CueMix FX Mixes
- Sample Accurate MIDI
- Clip Protection
- Standalone Operation
- Mac OS X
- Windows XP/Vista/7
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 20 of 23 Reviews
Felxible, stable, intuitive.
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I rarely write reviews, but my experience with the MOTU 828Mk3 has been so good that I feel I have to. Others have commented on sound quality and I agree, it's excellent. But where this product really shines for me is in its flexibility and ease of configuring for whatever you want/need it to do. It integrates amazingly easily with Mac OSX's audio engine. Routing and re-routing ins and outs is a piece of cake. The control surface and software are very intuitive. I am a video and sound artist and teach in a university art department. We use equipment in all kinds of ways. Sometimes we just need a recording and editing setup and this works great, both for stereo and surround. But sometimes we do crazy things for projects and installations, like embed speakers into objects, behind walls, etc. and need to re-route signals so the right things are getting the right sounds. We've tried this kind of work with other audio interfaces and it's complicated enough (especially with Saffire products) that nobody other than me can get it. But MOTU's software and interfaces are so intuitive that I never doubt that students can learn how to control everything about the sound with little effort. Additionally, the drivers are rock solid. I can turn it on and off, trip over the firewire cable and unplug it while it's running, sleep and wake the computer, whatever. Once it's on and connected, it starts up and runs exactly as intended. I've had too many experiences with interfaces that can't handle that kind of (ab)use. For our purposes, MOTU is the only way to go. ... More
MOTU Reliability
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by Brett M. on Reverb
Excellent interface for the price point. This interface connects to most gear both old and new with versatility. ADAT, Coax, and analog connections with word clock and midi can just about hook up to any gear around. It can be used in stand alone mode if you just want to turn on some analog equipment and jam without having to load VSTi instruments in your DAW. It is very flexible as far as signal routing, and doesn't take up much space. It also has USB 2.0 and FireWire connections for newer and older computers. I am currently connected with USB 2.0 on a Windows 10 machine without any issues. The built in DSP offers Dynamics and EQ on each input, but other than the microphone inputs I prefer to use plugins in my DAW. However in standalone mode this allows even more flexibility, but adjusting the settings using the buttons on the unit is tedious. Thankfully the CueMix software allows you to save presets directly to the interface that can be recalled easily in standalone mode. Overall I am very pleased with this unit as it replaced my old interface and a 24 channel analog desktop mixer. The latencies I'm getting with VSTi instruments is 3-4ms without any audio glitches. I can't get it down to 2ms without audio glitches, but that could be my system and using USB 2.0. This knocks the socks off of my old interface and has way more routing and I/O. ... More
Good, but not great
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed by Dan on B&H Photo Video
I use this product with Windows Vista Business 64 and on a laptop with XP Professional x86Some good things about the 828:- Very good AD converters- Usable on board compression and analog limiter- Great I/O variety and options- Very nice DSP mixer and software- All features of the DSP can be controlled on the box itself if you have the patience. Not so great- Preamps are typical MOTU. Noisy, and somewhat muddy in the lower register. Not completely usable for classical/acoustic music recording.- DA converters (probably the fault of lower end analog components) are not as clean as they should be in this price range- Software on windows can be buggy at times. - Not completely reliable for backup recorders if computer accidentaly shuts down. The audio mutes on startup due to the automatic sample rate swithing -flimsy knobs break easily and MOTU customer service/tech support is the worst in the biz. ... More
Midi Driver issue
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I have 1 828 mk1, 1 828 mk3 and a new 828mk3 hybrid. Nothing but trouble with the hybrid so far. If you are using a midi express AV the driver for they hybrid will try and open Digital express software (which I do not have) I have 3 techs at MOTU trying to figure this one out. Using windows 7... You can not use the USB option and the firewire from other 828 at the same time, all must be firewire if you are using more than one. The attractive thing about MOTU is they can share a driver so you can use more than one, but not usb and firewire at the same time, for most this will not be an issue. They are thinking now that I may have a bad 828mk3 hybrid. If I were doing it all again I would get another 828mk3 without being hybrid. I will say their tech support has been great. I can't believe how helpful they have been. Today they picked up on the first ring. ... More
Windows 10 USB No Audio Fix
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by Shea A. on Reverb
I use it on Windows over USB with REAPER and it works great! If you are having trouble with no audio on Windows 10 or 11 read this. First make sure the interface in the Setup menu is set to USB not Firewire and yes the quality of the USB cable you use matters. MOTU says 6 feet max for USB, I had minor pops and glitches with a 15 foot long cable but all perfect with a 6 foot cable. Then: 1) Install Equalizer APO, activate it on all MOTU outputs. (we won't use WASAPI for audio output so any effects this applies doesn't affect anything). 2) Make sure system audio is not set to any of the MOTU outputs. 3) Make sure the sample rate in MOTU Audio Console and your DAW match, force the sample rate in the DAW if it's an option 4) Reboot your windows PC. The 2015 drivers still work fine. Yes MOTU tried to make it difficult for those of us who insist on USB but it works just fine like this. Enjoy your audio! ... More
Ads
lots of I/O for the size and price
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed by phantompwr on B&H Photo Video
Already used this for an audiobook session and it worked out really well. I have an older digital mixer with ADAT I/O so I wanted to make sure this had that, but you can't go wrong with this unit. I am really impressed so far. I've done a couple tests recording multiple tracks at once just to put it throught the paces a little, and haven't had any problems. I've hooked it up to my iMac and PC laptop with no issues at all.Using the onboard mixer and effects is complicated without a computer, and even the computer interface is a little cluttered, but I don't plan to use the onboard effects much if at all so that wasn't a big deal to me. I wouldn't buy this to use as a standalone mixer though, even though the brochure claims you can. ... More
828mk3 fantastic gear.
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
The 828 can be used alone and is light and portable with on board effects. Plug it in a system and it becomes a powerful digital Multitrack mixer. In addition with Audio Desk software,it provides sound analysis tools such as a spectrum analyzer and pro sequencer. For its price its quite awesome compared to its higher competitors who boast the same features. Though it could be very frustrating for the novice midi studio musician in setting up and getting devices synced . The 828mk3 is definitely a powerful tool.
Step up from the MOTU Traveler
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by Richard C. on Reverb
I bought a used 828mk3 Hybrid to replace my MOTU Traveler, which had given up the ghost after 12 years. The 828mk3 runs warmer than the old box, but that's not a problem once it's in a rack. It has a total of 10 analog inputs (vs the Traveler's 8), but only 2 of those have mic preamps (vs the Traveler's 8). Digital hookup is comparable. I'm used to dealing with CueMix, and its FX control panel isn't the worse that I've seen. The great advantage over the old Traveler is that it has Firewire AND USB. That lets me hook up with my old Windows laptop as well as with my Mac. Well done MOTU. ... More
Unhappy with MOTU.
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire Audio Interface
Reviewed by EMIL on Guitar Center
Got a used unit from Guitar Center. The 9pin Firewire ports didn't work with my computers. Using FW you could see the unit connecting but nothing was working properly. 9pin sucks! The USB did work but would crash my computer a lot. Had to send it for FW repair. Stupid MOTU sent back the wrong dam unit!! UNBELIEVABLE!! They sent me the 828 Firewire which actually had the nice 6pin firewire connectors which would have been nice because 9pin is unnecessary and cables don't seat well with them. I'm about ready to throw the unit out the window and never look back on MOTU. PROS - The onboard DSP is nice and the Cuemix is great. Compression & reverb are all great. Routing options (to & from unit) are really nice and surprising. You'll find very unique routing configs unlike other units. They should have put on a delay effect, that's really the only thing they left out for a full live mix setup. ... More
Still useful in 2020
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by Jason F. on Reverb
I am using this as a 16 channel digital I/O loop on a secondary computer for my main DAW, tied in via the 2x8 ADAT I/O. Works great, and enables me to run 8-16 virtual synths or effects on the slave computer to offload processing demands from my main DAW. Because it never gets converted to analog the 828mk3 still works great for this. The AD converters aren’t terrible but I wouldn’t record any special vocal takes through them either.
Versatile unit
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by Raul R. on Reverb
It was a bit glitchy on a Windows based system, but it has worked flawlessly on a mac since I switched. I'm using a Behringer ADA8200 to expand the I/O capacity, I can have all my synths and drum machines plugged in without having to switch any cables. CueMix software from MOTU allows much easier control of all the parameters than the actual interface.
Great Features for the price!!!
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
The 828 MK3 has good converters and also good efx for the price. The monitoring and mixing features are one of the best that I ever saw in an average Audio Interface. I really recommend!!!
Great Piece of Gear
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed by Robemeister on B&H Photo Video
The MOTU 828mk3 meshed effortlessly with DP9 and Kontakt even for a bit of a luddite like myself. 'Magic Dave' at MOTU was an enormous help in narrowing down my choices for replacing my old MOTU 2408 and generally allaying my tech phobias.
Motu setup is a pain
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by Reese W. on Reverb
The seller is not at fault. The Motu have great I/o but their setup within the software control for it is bad. I had to try routing the I/o with the knob on the panel instead of doing it with the computer. I don't know!!!!
Very good audio interface
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by Dan M. on Reverb
Very good unit use with Logic Pro X. Daisy chained MkII and Adat focus rite works beautifully. Sound better than the mk3 FW I had to replace.
Great features
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by Freddie T. on Reverb
Great features, simple to use. Allows compatibility to any computer w/USB (was previously locked-in to Firewire)
Low quality reverb
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed by Boki on B&H Photo Video
I have a home studio and bought 828mk3 because it has built in EQ, compressors and reverb on each in and out. I only tried reverb so far, and the quality is very poor even for home studios or demo projects.
Plug it in and it worked great!
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Upgrade from a Hybrid Express,Installed software and hooked the unit up and it worked Great,No setting problems at all and easy to operate
Great multi use product
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid - FireWire/USB2 Audio Interface with On-Board Effects/Mixing
Reviewed by Kyle The av tech on B&H Photo Video
once set up it is a great product. setting up as a stand alone converter harder than said in book.
USB more useful
MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid Firewire / USB Audio Interface
Reviewed by D T. on Reverb
Great to have USB instead of firewire. Also can use iPad for Cuemix control. Matchless quality.
