MOTU has unveiled the 896mk3 FireWire audio interface, adding DSP effects and on-board mixing.
The high-end interface includes eight XLR/TRS combo analog inputs that include preamps and true hi-Z guitar inputs. Overall, the 896mk3 includes 28 inputs and 32 outputs that are routed to the 16-bus digital mixer with hardware-based DSP effects.
DSP or Digital Signal Processor effects are intensive effects that can change the way your music sounds. Using something like MOTU’s 896mk3, the user can actually mold the sound before it reaches the computer where it is recorded.
Effects included with the 896mk3 are reverb, parametric EQ and compression/limiting. Mic and guitar inputs are protected by the 896mk3’s Soft Clip feature, which engages just before clipping occurs and helps reduce perceptible distortion — this is a great thing if you have one part of the song that barely clips, but the levels are perfect the rest of the arrangement.
The 896mk3 has many other features too, like an internal clock source CueMix FX and metering.
MOTU said the 896mk3 will ship this summer and cost $1,295.