MOTU UltraLite




The UltraLite bus-powered FireWire audio interface delivers everything you need to turn your laptop or desktop Mac or PC into a mobile 24-bit, 96kHz recording studio with 10 inputs and 14 outputs. And because it's bus-powered, the UltraLite gives you the ultimate freedom to make music anywhere, anytime.

Housed in sturdy yet lightweight aluminum alloy, the UltraLite provides 2 mic/instrument inputs with preamps, 48V phantom power, front-panel gain adjust and three-way pad switch. There is plenty of additional analog I/O via 6 balanced line-level quarter-inch (TRS) inputs and ten analog TRS outputs for a total of 8 analog ins and 10 analog outs. You also get stereo S/PDIF digital I/O, a dedicated stereo headphone output and MIDI I/O for your controller keyboard and other gear.

Connect all of your studio gear, including microphones, guitars, synths, keyboards, drum machines and even effects processors. Then monitor all of these live inputs via the UltraLite’s main outs, headphone jack or any other output — with virtually no monitoring latency and no processor drain on your computer.

You can even create separate monitor mixes for the main outs, headphones and other outputs. Control everything, including talk-back and listen-back, from the included CueMix Console™ software, just like a large studio console. If you’re using the UltraLite to mix without a computer, you can control CueMix directly from the UltraLite’s front-panel.

The UltraLite includes a 16-channel MIDI interface. Simply plug in your FireWire cable, and both MIDI and audio are ready to go. Connect any MIDI device, such as a controller keyboard, synth module, automated control surface or drum machine. Timing is sample-accurate with supporting software.
The UltraLite provides cross-platform compatibility with Mac OS X 10.3 or higher, Windows XP and all of your favorite audio software and host-based effects via WDM/ASIO/Core Audio drivers. Or you can use the included AudioDesk workstation software for Macintosh, with 24-bit recording/editing and 32-bit mixing/processing/mastering.

I didn't see a price, so I'm assuming it's $100, right? Checkbook is ready.

beauhall said:

$600. Kind of steep but a nice looking device.

Stax said:

Wow, the variety. You mean ALL of these devices? That's innovation I guess.



Well, since that type of technology has been available since the early 90s it better be able to do that as well.


Having said that, I think I could do with one of these things. I'll put it on the list for next Christmas.

Stax said:

$600 isn't that bad if this thing is half as good as what it says
[Edited 3/17/06 15:57pm]

Novabreaker said:

Portable 7.1 surround sound is pretty inovative to me.

Stax said:

Hah. I was just referring to these ad-speeches that always seem to underestimate their customers: "Connect ALL your studio gear to this device". Well it bloody hell should allow me to connect all my gear to it...

Novabreaker said:

MOTU does not play. I've been using their gear for YEARS.