MOTU OctaLite

Product overview

The MOTU OctaLite is a 16-in / 12-out USB-C audio interface and optical expander for Mac, Windows and iOS, with eight pristine, ultra-quiet mic preamps, on-board mixing and effects in a compact half-rack unit.

Eight combo inputs, two on the front and six on the rear, take microphones, line sources or guitars, each with its own +74 dB of preamp gain, -20 dB pad and 48V phantom power. Balanced line outputs feed your monitors, a headphone output has its own volume, and 8-channel optical I/O connects digital gear. Use the OctaLite as a USB audio interface, a stand-alone mixer, or an 8-channel optical expander for another interface or mixer.

Key features

• 16 x 12 USB audio interface with DSP, mixing and effects: 28 simultaneous channels at 44.1/48 kHz
• 8 x mic/line/hi-Z guitar inputs on combo XLR/TRS, with Burr-Brown™ op-amps and +74 dB of preamp gain
• Individual 48V phantom power and -20 dB pad for every mic input, with a measured -129 dBu EIN
• ESS Sabre32 Ultra™ DAC technology (ES9026PRO) for a measured 125 dB dynamic range on the outputs
• 2 ms round-trip latency (32-sample buffer at 96 kHz) with MOTU's Mac and Windows drivers
• 8-channel optical expander operation up to 96 kHz, with an extra optical output for SMUX channels 5-8
• DSP monitor mixer with independent mixes for headphones and monitor outputs, plus three virtual mix buses
• On-board effects: reverb, 4-band parametric EQ, compression and gating
• High-resolution OLED display with metering for all analog I/O
• Loopback for live streaming and podcasting
• Plug-and-play on Mac and iOS: USB audio class compliant, no driver required

Eight mic inputs in a half-rack unit

Connect up to eight microphones, or any combination of mics, line sources and guitars. The Burr-Brown™ equipped mic inputs deliver super-clean, neutral performance, and the hi-Z 1/4-inch jacks are ideal for DI guitar recording. Select any input with the MIC SEL knob and set its gain, pad and 48V from the front panel or from CueMix 5.

Audio quality

The analog outputs are driven by ESS Sabre32 Ultra™ DAC technology, featuring the ES9026PRO DAC, for a measured 125 dB dynamic range and -114 dB THD+N. ESS converters also drive the headphone output, and MOTU's USB drivers deliver rock-solid, low-latency performance.

Optical expansion

The OctaLite is an ideal optical expander for the MOTU UltraLite-mk5, 828 or another audio interface: add eight mic channels with a single optical cable. Its mic circuits are identical to the UltraLite-mk5's, for uniform sound across all inputs. A second optical output carries channels 5-8 in 4-channel SMUX format at 88.2 and 96 kHz.

Sixteen mic inputs in one rack space

Mount two OctaLites side by side, or an OctaLite next to an UltraLite-mk5, with MOTU's optional half-rack mounting and coupler kits. Two OctaLites give you sixteen mic inputs in a single rack space for the studio or a portable rack case.

CueMix 5 and loopback

The CueMix 5 app for Mac, Windows and iOS gives graphic control of mixing, parametric EQ, trims and settings, with separate mixes for the line outputs, headphones and loopback channels. Loopback returns computer audio plus your live input mix to the computer or iOS device for streaming and podcasting.

Software included

Download CueMix 5 with the driver installer, and register your OctaLite to download MOTU Performer Lite (100+ virtual instruments and dozens of effects plug-ins), Ableton Live Lite, and 6 GB of loops and sounds from MOTU, Big Fish Audio, LucidSamples and LoopCloud.

In the box

• MOTU OctaLite audio interface
• USB-C-to-C cable
• USB-C-to-A cable
• DC power adapter
• User guide
• Software, instruments and sounds available after product registration

Two-year MOTU factory warranty. Works with virtually all Core Audio, ASIO and Wave-compatible audio software.

MOTU OctaLite: frequently asked questions

Can the OctaLite add mic inputs to my existing interface?

Yes. As an optical expander it sends all eight mic inputs to another optical-equipped interface or mixer, such as the MOTU UltraLite-mk5 or 828, at sample rates from 44.1 to 96 kHz.

Does the OctaLite need a driver?

No driver is needed on Mac or iOS: the OctaLite is USB audio class compliant. MOTU's optional Mac driver adds 2 ms low-latency performance and loopback. On Windows, install the MOTU Gen 5 driver, which includes CueMix 5.

Can I use it with an iPad or iPhone?

Yes. It is class compliant for plug-and-play use over USB-C, or Lightning with an adapter kit, and CueMix 5 runs on iPad and iPhone.

What sample rates does it support?

44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz.

Where can I buy the MOTU OctaLite in India?

The MOTU OctaLite is available from Shivansh Electronics, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, with delivery across India.

Workflow 1: Multi-mic recording: drums and bands

Record a full drum kit or a small band at once, with eight mic preamps in one compact unit.

Connections

Setup

1. Install the MOTU driver and CueMix 5 on Windows (optional on Mac) and select the OctaLite in your recording software.
2. Choose each input with MIC SEL and set gain, pad and 48V while watching the OLED meters.
3. Build a headphone mix in CueMix 5 so the players hear themselves with zero latency.
4. Record all eight inputs at up to 192 kHz.

Tip: Register the OctaLite to download Performer Lite, Ableton Live Lite and 6 GB of loops.

Workflow 2: Optical expander for the UltraLite-mk5 or 828

Add eight mic inputs to a MOTU UltraLite-mk5, 828 or other optical-equipped interface with a single optical cable.

Connections

Setup

1. In CueMix 5, set the optical output format to ADAT and the source to Analog Inputs (Optical Expansion).
2. Set both units to the same sample rate.
3. Lock the clocks: run the OctaLite on Internal and resolve the host to its optical input, or the reverse.
4. Set gain, pad and 48V on the OctaLite; the eight channels appear on the host's optical inputs.

Tip: The OctaLite's mic circuits are identical to the UltraLite-mk5's, so all ten mic inputs sound uniform.

Workflow 3: Podcast and live streaming

Multi-guest podcasts and live streams that mix several microphones with music or call audio from the computer.

Connections

Setup

1. Install the MOTU driver to enable the loopback channels.
2. In your streaming or podcasting app, select the OctaLite inputs and the loopback channels.
3. Add EQ, compression and gating to each voice in CueMix 5.
4. Use a virtual mix bus to create an alternate loopback mix if needed.

Tip: Three virtual mix buses let you send different mixes to the stream and to the headphones.

Workflow 4: Mobile recording and live mixing

Record on location to a laptop or iPad, or mix a gig with the OctaLite as a stand-alone mixer.

Connections

Setup

1. Connect the DC adapter and USB cable; on iOS the OctaLite is class compliant, so just plug in.
2. Open CueMix 5 on the laptop, iPad or iPhone to set gain and phantom power.
3. Mix the inputs to the line outputs, with reverb, EQ and dynamics from the on-board DSP.
4. Record to the laptop or iPad, or play backing tracks mixed with the live inputs.

Workflow 5: Sixteen mics in one rack space

Mount two OctaLites side by side for sixteen mic inputs in a studio rack or portable rack case.

Connections

Setup

1. Join the two units with MOTU's half-rack coupler kit and mount them in the rack.
2. On the second OctaLite, set the optical output to ADAT with Analog Inputs (Optical Expansion) as the source.
3. Match the sample rate on both units and resolve the first OctaLite to its optical input.
4. Record all sixteen inputs in your software at 44.1 or 48 kHz.

Workflow 6: Guitar DI recording and re-amping

Track guitars direct through the hi-Z inputs and re-amp the dry signal later for new tones.

Connections

Setup

1. Select input 1 with MIC SEL and set the instrument gain.
2. In CueMix 5, loop the guitar to the line output feeding the amp with near-zero latency.
3. Record the dry guitar and the mic'd amp on separate tracks at the same time.
4. Re-amp the dry track later with different amp settings.