MOTU ships Stage-b16 Stage Box - Mixer And Audio Interface

MOTU has shipped the Stage-B16, a flexible stage box, rack-mount mixer and audio interface with studio-quality analog performance up to 192 kHz, powerful DSP for mixing and effects processing, and connectivity to a digital snake, audio network or host computer through AVB Ethernet or class-compliant high-speed USB 2.0.

"The Stage-B16 redefines what it means to be a stage box, with superb analog audio quality and the flexibility to operate as a rack-mount monitor mixer or as a killer audio interface for Mac- or PC-based recording studios," said Jim Cooper, MOTU Director of Marketing.

Users can operate the Stage-B16 as a stage box, stand-alone mixer or audio interface and control everything with MOTU's web app software running on an iPad, iPhone, tablet, smartphone and laptop. Like MOTU's 1248 and 16A audio interfaces, the Stage-B16 delivers superb analog audio quality suitable for the most critical and demanding studio environments and the world's biggest stages.

A sturdy, two-rackspace aluminum alloy chassis with optional handles provides the following front-panel connectors: sixteen studio-grade mic inputs with individual preamps and 48V phantom power, eight line-level analog outs on XLRs, four channels of AES/EBU digital output on two XLRs, a quarter-inch phone jack with volume knob and an EtherCon AVB Network connector. A bank of 26 LEDs provide signal activity and 48V phantom power status for all channels. The rear panel provides USB 2.0 for connection to a host computer (compatible with USB 3.0 and iOS), MIDI IN and OUT connectors and an auto-switching international IEC power receptacle.

DSP delivers large console style mixing with 48 channels, 12 stereo busses, and 32-bit floating point effects processing, including modeled analog EQ, vintage compression and classic reverb.

With AVB networking technology, users can run mic signals over standard Ethernet cabling to a front-of-house mixing console up to 100 meters away, plus any other destinations on the network, such as a monitor mix console or a computer-based recording rig. For small- to mid-sized applications, the Stage-B16 takes care of all live sound mixing duties, controlled wirelessly from multiple laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Detailed specs can be found here.

Price: $1,695 USD.