MOTU 4pre User Manual

4pre

User Guide for Mac

™

1280 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02138

Business voice: [phone]

Business fax: [phone]

Web site: www.motu.com

Tech support: www.motu.com/support

About the Mark of the Unicorn License Agreement and
Limited Warranty on Software

TO PERSONS WHO PURCHASE OR USE THIS PRODUCT: carefully read all the
terms and conditions of the “click-wrap” license agreement presented to you when
you install the software. Using the software or this documentation indicates your
acceptance of the terms and conditions of that license agreement.

Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. (“MOTU”) owns both this program and its documentation.
Both the program and the documentation are protected under applicable copyright,
trademark, and trade-secret laws. Your right to use the program and the
documentation are limited to the terms and conditions described in the license
agreement.

Reminder of the terms of your license

This summary is not your license agreement, just a reminder of its terms. The actual
license can be read and printed by running the installation program for the software.
That license agreement is a contract, and clicking “Accept” binds you and MOTU to
all its terms and conditions. In the event anything contained in this summary is
incomplete or in conflict with the actual click-wrap license agreement, the terms of the
click-wrap agreement prevail.

YOU MAY: (a) use the enclosed program on a single computer; (b) physically transfer
the program from one computer to another provided that the program is used on only
one computer at a time and that you remove any copies of the program from the
computer from which the program is being transferred; (c) make copies of the
program solely for backup purposes. You must reproduce and include the copyright
notice on a label on any backup copy.

YOU MAY NOT: (a) distribute copies of the program or the documentation to others;
(b) rent, lease or grant sublicenses or other rights to the program; (c) provide use of
the program in a computer service business, network, time-sharing, multiple CPU or
multiple user arrangement without the prior written consent of MOTU; (d) translate,
adapt, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise alter the program or
related documentation without the prior written consent of MOTU.

MOTU warrants to the original licensee that the disk(s) on which the program is
recorded be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a
period of ninety (90) days from the date of purchase as evidenced by a copy of your
receipt. If failure of the disk has resulted from accident, abuse or misapplication of the
product, then MOTU shall have no responsibility to replace the disk(s) under this
Limited Warranty.

THIS LIMITED WARRANTY AND RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT IS IN LIEU OF,
AND YOU HEREBY WAIVE, ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, BOTH
EXPRESS AND IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE
LIABILITY OF MOTU PURSUANT TO THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL BE
LIMITED TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE DISK(S), AND IN NO
EVENT SHALL MOTU OR ITS SUPPLIERS, LICENSORS, OR AFFILIATES BE
LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF DATA OR
DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE, OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY THIRD
PARTIES EVEN IF MOTU HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
SUCH DAMAGES. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS
WHICH MAY VARY FROM STATE TO STATE. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW
THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Update Policy

In order to be eligible to obtain updates of the program, you must complete and return
the attached Mark of the Unicorn Purchaser Registration Card to MOTU.

Copyright Notice

Copyright © 2011 by Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system,
or translated into any human or computer language, in any form or by any means
whatsoever, without express written permission of Mark of the Unicorn, Inc., 1280
Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, U.S.A.

Limited Warranty on Hardware

Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. and S&S Research (“MOTU/S&S”) warrant this equipment
against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of TWO (2) YEARS from
the date of original retail purchase. This warranty applies only to hardware products;
MOTU software is licensed and warranted pursuant to separate written statements.

If you discover a defect, first write or call Mark of the Unicorn at [phone] to
obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization Number. No service will be performed on
any product returned without prior authorization. MOTU will, at its option, repair or
replace the product at no charge to you, provided you return it during the warranty
period, with transportation charges prepaid, to Mark of the Unicorn, Inc., 1280
Massachusetts Avenue, MA 02138. You must use the product’s original packing
material for in shipment, and insure the shipment for the value of the product. Please
include your name, address, telephone number, a description of the problem, and
the original, dated bill of sale with the returned unit and print the Return Merchandise
Authorization Number on the outside of the box below the shipping address.

This warranty does not apply if the equipment has been damaged by accident,
abuse, misuse, or misapplication; has been modified without the written permission
of MOTU, or if the product serial number has been removed or defaced.

ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE
LIMITED IN DURATION TO TWO (2) YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE
ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASE OF THIS PRODUCT.

THE WARRANTY AND REMEDIES SET FORTH ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVE
AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHERS, ORAL OR WRITTEN, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.
No MOTU/S&S dealer, agent, or employee is authorized to make any modification,
extension, or addition to this warranty.

MOTU/S&S ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY BREACH OF
WARRANTY, OR UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS,
DOWNTIME, GOODWILL, DAMAGE OR REPLACEMENT OF EQUIPMENT
AND PROPERTY AND COST OF RECOVERING REPROGRAMMING, OR
REPRODUCING ANY PROGRAM OR DATA STORED IN OR USED WITH
MOTU/S&S PRODUCTS.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of implied warranties or liability for
incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not
apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other
rights which vary from state to state.

MOTU, Digital Performer, AudioDesk, Mark of the Unicorn and the unicorn silhouette
logo are registered trademarks of Mark of the Unicorn, Inc.

This equipment has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio
or television equipment reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by any combination of the following measures:

• Relocate or reorient the receiving antenna

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver

• Plug the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected

If necessary, you can consult a dealer or experienced radio/television technician for additional
assistance.

PLEASE NOTE: only equipment certified to comply with Class B (computer input/output devices,
terminals, printers, etc.) should be attached to this equipment, and it must have shielded interface
cables in order to comply with the Class B FCC limits on RF emissions.

WARNING: changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.

Contents

Part 1: Getting Started

7

Quick Reference: 4pre Front Panel

Quick Reference: 4pre Rear Panel

8

9

Quick Reference: MOTU Audio Setup

About the 4pre

11

15

Packing List and System Requirements

Installing the 4pre Software

17

19

Installing the 4pre Hardware

Part 2: Using the 4pre

MOTU Audio Setup

31

4pre Front Panel Operation

37

41

Configuring Host Audio Software

Reducing Monitoring Latency

47

53

CueMix FX

MOTU SMPTE Setup

77

Troubleshooting

83

3

4

Part 1

Getting Started

mix/trim knobs (1 and 2). Push the MIX knob (2) repeat-

edly to cycle among the four separate mixes and trim

mode. When a mix is active, the knobs control input

levels for the current mix. Push and hold the MIX knob

(2) to toggle between volume and pan control (pan LED

off and on, respectively).

When trim mode is selected, the knobs control input

trim levels.

From the factory, it operates as its own output pair. But it

can be programmed to mirror any other output pair

(digital or analog). See “Phones Assign” on page 34. Use

11. The Mix LEDs indicate what is being controlled by the

the volume knob above to control its level.

12. This is a standard quarter-inch stereo headphone jack.

10

1112

phantom power is enabled or disabled for the corre-

sponding mic input (1).

3 and 4.

the mic inputs, ranging from -42 dB to -1 dB.

metering for the stereo main outputs, ranging from

5. These eight LEDs indicate whether the -20 dB pad or 48V

6. The “line out” LEDs provide signal activity on line outputs

7. The four input meters provide five-segment metering for

-42 dB to clip.

8. The MAIN OUT meters provide ten-segment ladder LED

input and output.

9. Indicates the current operational sample rate.

10. The S/PDIF activity LEDs indicate signal presence for

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

21

Quick Reference: 4pre Front Panel

2. This multi-function knob controls volume of the 4pre’s

1. These four Precision Digital Trim™ rotary encoders

four mix busses (11). Push the knob repeatedly to cycle

provide triple-function control over the trim level, mix

among the four mix busses, as indicated by the LEDs

(11). When a mix is active, push and hold the VOL knob

volume, and pan of the XLR/TRS combo jacks on the rear

panel. Push the MIX knob (2) repeatedly to cycle among

to toggle the individual channel knobs (1,2,3, and 4)

between volume and pan control, as indicated by the

“pan” LED (11), where on is pan and off is volume.

the four separate mixes and trim mode. The LEDs (11)

indicate the current mix, or trim mode. When a mix is

active, push and hold the MIX knob to toggle between

headphone jack below the knob, which mirrors the main

outs.

3. Turn the MAIN knob to control the main outs and the

4. Turn the PHONES knob to control the headphone jack

volume and pan control, as indicated by the LEDs (11).

When in trim mode, use the knob and input level meters

(7) to calibrate the input signal level. These knobs

provide +60 dB and +22 dB of boost, respectively, for

the mic (XLR) and instrument (TRS) input jacks. Adjust-

volume below it. When power is off, push the PHONES

knob to power on the 4pre; push and hold to turn it off.

When connected to the computer via FireWire, the 4pre

is powered by its FireWire connection. When connected

via USB, it must be powered with the included DC power

adapter.

ment can be made in approximately 1 dB increments. All

four jacks have preamps, so you can plug in just about

anything: a microphone, a guitar or even a synth. For +4

dB signals, push the knob (1) to engage the -20 dB pad.

For the XLR mic input, push and hold the knob to toggle

48V phantom power.

When in mix mode, use the knob to control the jack’s

input volume or pan (as indicated by the LEDs, 11) for

the currently selected mix.

.

Quick Reference: 4pre Rear Panel

3

46 5

1 2

FireWire or USB2, using either the standard 1394

FireWire A or USB cable provided with your 4pre. There’s

not much difference, except that FireWire offers bus-

powered operation (without the DC power supply).

Important note: it is best to turn off the 4pre when

1-4 encoders to apply up to +60 dB or +22 dB of boost,

respectively, for the mic (XLR) or TRS input. To toggle the

-20 dB pad for the XLR (mic) input, push the correspond-

ing front-panel mic encoder. To toggle 48V phantom

plugging in the FireWire cable, as this avoids the

power for the XLR (mic) input, push and hold the corre-

5. Connect the 4pre to the computer here via either

a cable with a quarter-inch plug. Use the front panel mic

3. These XLR/TRS combo jacks accept either a mic cable or

possibility of static discharge, which can harm the

sponding front-panel encoder. The TRS jacks for inputs

electrical components in the 4pre or your computer

3-4 have higher impedance for DI guitar connections.

Main Out

with either tip-positive or tip-negative polarity.

6. This jack accepts any standard 9-18V DC power supply

outputs on balanced +4dB TRS (tip/ring/sleeve)

4. The 4pre’s analog line outputs operate as separate

quarter-inch connectors that can also accept an unbal-

anced plug. They are equipped with 24-bit, 128x

oversampling converters.

and output at any sample rate up to 96kHz.

4pre’s main outputs. You can connect them to a set of

powered studio monitors and then control the volume

from the front panel volume knob. To hear disk tracks in

1. These jacks provide stereo, 24-bit S/PDIF digital input

2. These two balanced, quarter-inch jacks serve as the

your audio software on these main outs, assign the disk

). You can also use the 4pre’s on-board CueMix

tracks (and master fader) to these main outs (

1-2

mixing to monitor live 4pre inputs here as well.

Quick Reference: MOTU Audio Setup

CHAPTER

Determines the clock source for your 4pre. If
you’re just using the analog ins and outs, set
this to Internal. The other settings are for
digital transfers via S/PDIF or synchroniza­tion to time code or other audio devices.

This menu lets you choose what you will hear
from the headphone jack. To mirror the main
outs, choose Main Out 1-2. Or you can mirror
any other output pair. To hear the phones as
their own independent output, choose
Phones 1-2.

Click the General tab to access these settings.

Click the tabs to access general
MOTU interface settings or
settings specific to the 4pre (or
other connected interface).

Choose the sample rate for the
4pre here.

Specifies the stereo input and
output pair when the 4pre is
chosen for Mac OS X audio I/O.

Check this option if you would like the MOTU
Audio Setup application to open as soon as a
MOTU interface is detected (switched on,
plugged in, etc.)

These foot switch settings are for other
MOTU audio interfaces and don’t apply
to the 4pre.

This button opens another dialog
that lets you assign your own
customized names to each 4pre
input and output. For example, if
you have a lead vocal mic plugged
into input 1, you could name it
“Lead Vox”. Your customized
names then appear in your host
audio application (if it supports
CoreAudio input naming).

In the standard Mac OS X fashion, the
setup software appears in the dock
when you launch it. If the Launch MOTU

Audio Setup when hardware becomes
available option is checked (as shown

above), the icon appears as soon as you
switch on your 4pre interface. If you
right-click or control-click the dock icon,
a menu of hardware settings appears as
shown to the right. You can view and
configure any hardware settings from
this menu, without opening the setup
software window.

9

10

CHAPTER

1

About the 4pre

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

The 4pre Rear Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

The 4pre Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

16-bit and 24-bit recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

CueMix mixing and effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

AudioDesk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Digital Performer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Other Host Audio Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

OVERVIEW

The 4pre is a hybrid FireWire and USB2 audio
interface for Mac and Windows that offers six
independent inputs and eight independent
outputs. Both analog and digital I/O are offered at
sample rates up to 96 kHz. All inputs and outputs
can be accessed simultaneously. The 4pre is housed
in a sturdy, compact half-rack enclosure that
connects directly to a computer via a standard
FireWire or USB cable.

The 4pre offers the following main features:

■

Universal computer connectivity via FireWire or

high-speed USB 2.0

■

Bus-powered operation (FireWire only)

■

Two 24-bit analog quarter-inch (TRS) outputs

■

Four combo XLR/TRS mic/guitar inputs with
preamps, 48V phantom power, 20 dB pad, and
Precision Digital Trim™ preamp gain adjustment

Headphone jack with independent output and

■

volume control

■

Extra headphone jack that mirrors the main outs

Front panel volume control of the main outs

■

Front-panel mixing of live inputs

■

■

Front panel metering and status LEDs

■

Stand-alone operation

■

Mac and Windows drivers for multi-channel
operation and across-the-board compatibility w ith
any audio software on current Mac and Windows
systems

■

CueMix FX cross-platform mixing software with
attractive graphic mixing and a convenient tabbed
interface for quick access to all features in one
window. CueMix also provides a full-screen real­time FFT display, spectrogram “waterfall” display,
oscilloscope, X-Y plot, linear or polar phase
analysis, and a tuner.

■

AudioDesk™, full-featured audio workstation
software for Mac OS X that supports both 16-bit
and 24-bit recording

With a variety of I/O formats, mic preamps and
no-latency mixing and processing of live input, the
4pre is a complete, portable “studio in a box” when
used with a Mac or Windows computer.

■

Operation on all I/O at standard sample rates up

to 96 kHz

■

Digitally controlled analog trim for all analog

inputs

■

Coaxial S/PDIF digital I/O at sample rates up to

96 kHz

SMPTE synchronization

■

THE 4PRE REAR PANEL

The rear panel has the following connectors:

Four combo XLR/TRS mic/instrument inputs

■

■

Four balanced +4dB quarter-inch (TRS) analog
outputs (with 24-bit 96 kHz converters)

Coaxial S/PDIF in/out

■

11

■

1394 FireWire B connector

■

High-speed USB 2.0 connector

DC power jack

■

6 inputs and 8 outputs

All 4pre inputs and outputs can be used simulta­neously, for a total of 6 inputs and 8 outputs:

Connection Input Output

Analog 24-bit 96 kHz on bal/unbal TRS - 4

Mic preamps 24-bit 96 kHz on XLR/TRS combo 4 -

SPDIF 24-bit 96kHz digital 2 2

Stereo headphones with independent output - 2

Total 6 8

Precision Digital Trim™

All of the 4pre’s mic/guitar inputs are equipped
with digitally controlled analog trims that allow
adjustments in approximately 1 dB increments
using front-panel digital rotary encoders or the
CueMix FX control software for Mac and
Windows, with 60 dB of adjustment for the mic
input and 22 dB for the TRS input. This allows you
to fine-tune trim settings for guitars, synths, effects
modules and a wide variety of analog inputs for
optimum levels. Different trim configurations can
then be saved as files on disk for instant recall.

S/PDIF

The 4pre rear panel provides coaxial
S/PDIF input and output.

All inputs and outputs are discrete and can be
active simultaneously.

The headphone output can operate as an
independent out put pair, or it can mirror any other
4pre output pair, such as the line outs.

The second headphone output (labeled MAIN)
always mirrors main outs.

Mic/guitar inputs with preamps

The four mic/instrument inputs are equipped with
preamps and “combo” XLR/TRS jacks, which
accept XLR microphone inputs or quarter-inch
guitar/line inputs, as indicated below each
connector. Individual 48 volt phantom power and a
20 dB pad can be supplied independently to each
mic input. The Precision Digital Trim™ knobs on
the front panel for each mic/instrument input
provide 60 dB of boost for the XLR mic input and
22 dB of boost for the TRS input in approximately
1 dB increments.

Analog outputs

All four quarter-inch analog outputs are on
balanced TRS +4dB jacks. All of these jacks can
also accept unbalanced plugs.

SMPTE time code synchronization

The 4pre can resolve directly to SMPTE time code
via any analog input, without a separate
sy nchron izer. It ca n also gene rate time cod e vi a any
analog output. The 4pre provides a DSP-driven
phase-lock engine with sophisticated filtering that
provides fast lockup times and sub-frame
accuracy.

The included MOTU SMPTE Setup™ software
provides a complete set of tools for generating and
regenerating SMPTE time code, which allows you
to slave other devices to the computer. Like
CueMix FX, the synchronization features are
cross-platform and compatible with any audio
software that supports them.

Hybrid FireWire/USB2 connectivity

FireWire has long been recognized as a reliable,
high-performance connectivity standard for
professional MOTU audio interfaces. Meanwhile,
high-speed USB2 has also developed into a widely
adopted standard for connecting peripheral
devices to personal computers.

12

ABOUT THE 4PRE

To fully support both formats, your 4pre Hybrid
audio interface is equipped with both a 9-pin
FireWire B (400 Mbit/sec) connector and a hi­speed USB2 (480 Mbit/sec) connector, and you can
use either port to connect the 4pre to your
computer. This gives you maximum flexibility and
compatibility with today’s ever-expanding
universe of Mac and Windows computers.

rear panel. Alternately, this MAIN knob can be
programmed to control any combination of
outputs (analog and/or digital).

Status and metering LEDs

The LED section provides visual indication of
audio levels, audio activity status, and the current
settings for all front-panel controls.

The 4pre has the ability to power itself from its
FireWire connection to the computer, for
convenient, mobile bus-powered operation.

Power supply

If you do not want the 4pre to draw power from the
computer, and AC power is available, you can
power the 4pre from any standard 9-18V, 5 watt
DC power supply with any polarity (tip positive or
negative).

THE 4PRE FRONT PANEL

Front-panel trim adjustment and mixing

The six digital rotary encoders on the 4pre front
panel provide hands-on trim adjustment and
mixing of all four mic inputs. In fact, these controls
provide control of up to four separate mixes. Use
the volume and trim/mix knobs to control input
volume for each mix; push the MIX knob to cycle
among the four different mixes, plus trim mode,
which lets you adjust input trim for each across all
mixes.

48V phantom power and pad

The four TRIM/MIX knobs let you toggle
independent 48V phantom power and -20 dB pad
settings for the four mic inputs. See “Mic/guitar
inputs with preamps” on page 12.

Main volume control with dedicate headphone output

The 4pre front panel provides two independent
headphone jacks with independent volume knobs,
one of which also controls the main outs on the

16-BIT AND 24-BIT RECORDING

The 4pre system handles all data with a 24-bit
signal path, regardless of the I/O format. You can
record and play back 16-bit or 24-bit audio files at
any supported sample rate via any of the 4pre’s
analog or digital inputs and outputs. 24-bit audio
files can be recorded with any compatible host
application that supports 24-bit recording.

CUEMIX MIXING AND EFFECTS

All 4pre inputs and outputs can be routed to the
on-board CueMix 8-bus (4 stereo) digital mixer
driven by hardware-based DSP. The mixer allows
you to mix all inputs to any output pair directly in
the 4pre hardware, independent of the computer.
The on-board mixer can be used when the 4pre is
operating stand-alone (without a computer) as a
complete portable mixer.

INCLUDED SOFTWARE

The 4pre software installer provides the following
including cross-platform software applications for
Mac and Windows.

MOTU Audio Setup

MOTU Audio Setup provides access to basic
hardware settings, such as sample rate, headphone
output channel selection, and other settings.

MOTU SMPTE Setup

MOTU SMPTE Setup provides access to the 4pre
system’s SMPTE time code synchronization
features, including locking to time code,
generating time code, displaying a time code read­out, and so on.

ABOUT THE 4PRE

13

CueMix FX

CueMix FX gives you complete control over the
4pre’s CueMix FX on-board mixer, which provides
no-latency monitoring, mixing of live inputs
through your 4pre.

CueMix FX provides attractive graphic mixing, a
convenient tabbed interface for quick access to all
mixing features, digitally controlled trims and
other settings in your MOTU audio interface.

CueMix FX provides many advanced features, such
as an accurate instrument tuner and an extensive
arsenal of audio analysis tools, including a real­time FFT, spectrogram “waterfall” display,
oscilloscope, and phase analysis tools.

AUDIODESK

AudioDesk is a full-featured, 24-bit audio
workstation software package included with the
4pre system (for Mac only). AudioDesk provides

multi-channel waveform editing, automated
virtual mixing, graphic editing of ramp
automation, real-time effects plug-ins with 32-bit
floating point processing, crossfades, support for
many third-party audio plug-ins, background
processing of file-based operations, sample­accurate editing and placement of audio, and more.

DIGITAL PERFORMER

The 4pre system is fully integrated with MOTU’s
award-winning Digital Performer audio sequencer
software package.

OTHER HOST AUDIO SOFTWARE

The 4pre system includes a standard Mac OS X
Core Audio driver for multichannel I/O with any
audio application that supports Core Audio.

14

ABOUT THE 4PRE

CHAPTER

2

Packing List and System Requirements

PACKING LIST

The 4pre ships with the items listed below. If any of
these items are not present in your 4pre box when
you first open it, please immediately contact your
dealer or MOTU.

■

One 4pre I/O rack unit

One 9-pin to 9-pin IEEE 1394 “FireWire” cable

■

■

One USB cable

■

One set of removable rack mounting brackets

■

One 4pre Mac/Windows manual

■

One cross-platform CD-ROM

■

Product registration card

MAC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

The 4pre system requires the following Mac
system:

■

PowerPC G4 CPU 1 GHz or faster (including

PowerPC G5 CPUs and all Intel processor Macs)

■

1 GB RAM; 2 GB or more recommended

■

Mac OS X version 10.5, 10.6, or 10.7; v10.5.8 or

later required

■

Available FireWire or high-speed USB 2.0 port

PLEASE REGISTER TODAY!

Please register your 4pre today. There are two ways
to register.

Visit www.motu.com/register

■

OR

Fill out and mail the included product

■

registration card

As a registered user, you will be eligible to receive
technical support and announcements about
product enhancements as soon as they become
available. Only registered users receive these
special update notices, so please register today!

Be sure to do the same for the included AudioDesk
software, which must be registered separately. You
can do so online or by filling out and mailing the
included software registration card found at the
beginning of your AudioDesk manual. Please be
sure to register AudioDesk as well, so that you will
be eligible to receive technical support and
announcements about AudioDesk software
enhancements as soon as they become available.

Thank you for taking the time to register your new
MOTU products!

■

A large hard drive (preferably at least 250 GB)

15

16

PACKING LIST AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

3

CHAPTER

Installing the 4pre Software

OVERVIEW

Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

MOTU Audio driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

MOTU Audio Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

CueMix FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

MOTU SMPTE Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

AudioDesk workstation software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

3

Open the

4

Follow the directions that the installer gives you.

MOTU Audio Installer

application.

Drivers are installed, along with MOTU Audio
Setup, CueMix FX, and other components,
summarized in the table below.

INSTALLATION

Before you connect the 4pre to your computer and
power it on, run the 4pre software installer. This
ensures that all the 4pre components are properly
installed in your system.

Run the MOTU Audio installer

Install the 4pre software as follows:

1

Insert the MOTU Audio Installer disc; or, if you
have downloaded the MOTU Audio installer,
locate the folder containing the download.

2

Read the

Read Me

file for installation assistance

MOTU AUDIO DRIVER

Core Audio

technology built into Mac OS X that provides all of
its standardized audio features. More specifically,
we use
audio driver model. The
provides multi-channel audio input and output
with any Mac OS X Core Audio-compatible
software.

For details about using the 4pre with Core Audio
applications, see chapter 7, “Configuring Host
Audio Software” (page 41).

is a term that refers to the software

Core Audio

to refer to Mac OS X’s standard

MOTU Core Audio driver

and other important information.

Software component Purpose For more information

MOTU audio drivers Provides multi-channel audio input and output for MOTU

MOTU Audio Setup Provides access to all of the settings in the 4pre and other MOTU

CueMix FX Gives you complete control over the 4pre’s CueMix FX on-board

FireWire and USB Audio devices with host audio software.

interfaces. Required for 4pre operation.

mixer, which provides no-latency monitoring, mixing and analysis
of live inputs through your 4pre.

“MOTU Audio driver” on page 17

chapter 5, “MOTU Audio Setup”
(page 31)

chapter 9, “CueMix FX” (page 53)

MOTU SMPTE Setup Provides access to the 4pre system’s SMPTE time code sync fea-

AudioDesk Provides complete multi-track recording, mixing and processing.

tures.

Optional.

chapter 10, “MOTU SMPTE
Setup” (page 77)

AudioDesk User Guide

17

MOTU AUDIO SETUP

MOTU Audio Setup (available in the Applications
folder) gives you access to all of the settings in the
4pre, such as the clock source and sample rate. For
complete details, see chapter 5, “MOTU Audio
Setup” (page 31).

CUEMIX FX

CueMix FX (available in the Applications folder)
provides control over the 4pre’s no-latency CueMix
FX on-board mixing, an instrument tuner, a full­featured oscilloscope, and other audio analysis
tools. For details, see chapter 9, “CueMix FX”
(page 53).

MOTU SMPTE SETUP

MOTU SMPTE Setup (available in the
Applications folder) software provides a complete
set of to ols to res olve t he 4pre to SM PTE t ime co de,
and to generate time code for striping,
regenerating or slaving other devices to the
computer. For details, see chapter 10, “MOTU
SMPTE Setup” (page 77).

AUDIODESK WORKSTATION SOFTWARE

AudioDesk is an advanced workstation software
package for the 4pre that lets you record, edit, mix,
process, bounce and master multi-track digital
audio recording projects. Advanced features
include real-time 32-bit effects processing, 24-bit
recording, and much more.

AudioDesk User Guide

See the
4pre system for details.

Figure 3-1: AudioDesk for Mac OS X.

included with your

18

INSTALLING THE 4PRE SOFTWARE

CHAPTER

4

Installing the 4pre Hardware

OVERVIEW

Here’s an overview for installing the 4pre:

Important note before you begin! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Take these precautions to prevent damage to your
computer, the 4pre and other equipment.

Connect the 4pre interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Connect the 4pre to the computer.

Connect audio inputs and outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Make analog and digital connections as desired.

Connect and sync S/PDIF devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Connect a DAT deck, effects processor or other
device with digital I/O, but be sure to make the
correct clock source settings.

Power options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Choose from among several convenient options.

A typical 4pre setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

An example setup for computer-based mixing/FX.

Connect multiple MOTU interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Connect additional 4pre or other audio interfaces.

IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE YOU BEGIN!

Before you begin installing the 4pre (or any bus­powered device), take these important
precautionary measures to avoid damaging the
sensitive electrical components in your computer,
the 4pre or other devices being connected:

■ Tu rn o ff th e co mp u te r.

■ Turn off the 4pre (push and hold the phones

volume knob).

■ Turn off the power of any other devices.

■ Touch the metal casing of the 4pre to discharge

any static electricity that you may be carrying just
before the installation.

After you have made all of the necessary
connections, as described in this chapter, turn on
the devices in this sequence:

1. Turn on the computer.

2. Turn on the 4pre.

3. Turn on other devices connected to the 4pre.

19

CONNECT THE 4PRE INTERFACE

Your 4pre audio interface is equipped with both a
9-pin FireWire B (400 Mbit/sec) connector and a
hi-speed USB2 (480 Mbit/sec) connector, and you
can use either port to connect the 4pre to your
computer. This gives you maximum flexibility and
compatibility with today’s ever-expanding
universe of Mac and Windows computers.

Type B FireWire ports

The 4pre has a FireWire 9-pin Type B port, which
provides the most reliable FireWire connection
available. The port operates at 400 Mbit/s, and it
can be connected to any available FireWire port on
your computer: Type A (6-pin), Type A “mini” (4­pin), or Type B (9-pin). If your computer has
FireWire Type B ports, use the included 9-pin-to­9-pin FireWire cable. If your computer has either
standard Type A ports or miniature Type A ports,
use the appropriate 9-pin-to-6-pin or 9-pin-to­4-pin FireWire cable (sold separately).

Which should I use: FireWire or USB2?

If your computer does not have a FireWire port,
then obviously you will need to connect the 4pre to
one of its high-speed USB 2.0 ports.

If your computer has both FireWire and USB2,
then it is your choice, and your decision may
depend mostly on other peripherals you may also
have, or bus power, as explained below.

Bus-powered operation requires FireWire

There is only one significant difference between
FireWire and USB2 operation: bus power. FireWire
provides enough power on the FireWire bus that
the 4pre can be powered solely by its FireWire
connection to the computer. For complete
information, see “Bus power requirements” on
page 23.

If you use USB2, you must also use the DC power
supply included with your 4pre, as USB2 does not
supply enough power by itself.

If you are connecting via FireWire

1 Before you b egin, make sure your computer and
the 4pre are switched off.

2 Plug one end of the 4pre FireWire cable
(included) into the FireWire socket on the
computer.

3 Plug the other end of the FireWire cable into the
4pre I/O.

☛ Make absolutely sure to align the notched side

of the FireWire plug properly with the notched side
of the F ireWir e so cke t on the 4pre . If you att empt t o
force the plug into the socket the wrong way, you
can damage the 4pre.

High Speed USB 2.0 versus USB 1.1

There are primarily two types of USB host
controllers widely available on current personal
computers. USB 1.1 controllers support simple
peripherals that don’t require a high speed
connection, such as a computer keyboard, a
mouse, or a printer. USB 2.0 controllers support
high speed devices such as the 4pre. Since the 4pre
requires a high speed connection, it must be
connected to a USB 2.0 host controller or hub.

For the most reliable connection, it is
recommended that you connect the 4pre directly to
one of your computer’s USB 2.0-compatible ports.
However, since USB 2.0 hubs are compatible with
both types of devices, the 4pre can be connected to
a USB 2.0 hub along with USB 1.1 devices if
necessar y. The 4pre will not operate properly if it is
connected to a USB 1.1 hub.

Follow these instructions to determine whether
your computer supports USB 1.1 or USB 2.0:

1 In the Apple menu, choose About this Mac.

2 Click the More Info button to open System

Profiler.

20

INSTALLING THE 4PRE HARDWARE

3 In the Contents pane, select USB.

4 Look at the devices in the USB Device Tree. A

device named USB High-Speed Bus represents a
USB 2.0 root hub. A device named USB Bus
represents a USB 1.1 root hub.

If you are connecting via high-speed USB 2.0

1 Before you b egin, make sure your computer and
the 4pre are switched off.

2 Plug the flat “type A” plug of the 4pre USB cable
(included) into a USB2-equipped socket on the
computer as shown below in Figure 4-1.

3 Plug the squared “type B” plug of the USB cable
into the 4pre I/O as shown below in Figure 4-1.

automatically detected by the 4pre, and you may
need to switch the device to FireWire mode or USB
mode manually:

To switch to Press and hold this knob while turning on the 4pre

FireWire INPUT 3 knob

USB INPUT 4 knob

When the 4pre switches to FireWire operation, it
displays F on the front panel LEDs. When it
switches to USB operation, it displays U on the
front panel LEDs.

Figure 4-1: Connecting the 4pre to the computer via USB.

Switching Between FireWire and USB

Most of the time, the 4pre can detect whether a
FireWire or a USB cable is connected to it, and it
will automatically switch to FireWire operation or
USB operation accordingly. Some FireWire or USB
ports that do not provide bus power can not be

INSTALLING THE 4PRE HARDWARE

21

CONNECT AUDIO INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you are
making audio connections to other devices.

approximately 1dB increments. You can also adjust
trim in the MOTU CueMix FX software. See “Input
trim” on page 55.

Mic/instrument inputs

Connect a microphone, guitar, keyboard or other
analog input to the XLR/TRS combo jack with
either a standard mic cable or a balanced cable with
a quarter-inch plug. The quarter-inch jacks on
inputs 3-4 provide higher impedance suitable for
DI guitar input.

☛ Do not connect a +4 (line level) XLR cable to

the mic inputs (because of the preamps).

Phantom power

If you are connecting a condenser microphone or
other device that requires phantom power, enable
phantom power as follows:

1 Push the TRIM/MIX knob repeatedly until the
green trim LED is illuminated on the front panel.

2 Push and hold the corresponding TRIM/MIX
knob for a few seconds to toggle phantom power.
The red 48V LED will turn on or off accordingly.

Tr i m

The XLR mic input and the TRS instrument input
are equipped with 60 dB and 22 dB of trim control,
respectively. Use the digital trim encoders on the
front panel to adjust the input level for each input
as follows:

1 Push the MIX knob repeatedly until the green
trim LED is illuminated on the front panel.

2 Turn the TRIM/MIX knob to adjust the trim.

The ten-segment MAIN OUT meters provide
visual feedback as you turn the knob. The 4pre’s
input trims are digitally controlled, so they allow
you to make fine-tuned adjustments in

20 dB pad

Each XLR mic input is equipped with a -20 dB pad.
To toggle the pad for a mic input:

1 Push the MIX knob repeatedly until the green
trim LED is illuminated on the front panel.

2 Push the TRIM/MIX knob to toggle the pad.
The amber pad LED will turn on or off accordingly.

Combo jack summary

Use these general guidelines for the 48V phantom
power, pad and trim settings on the two combo
input jacks:

Input 48V Pad Trim

Condenser mic On As needed As needed

Dynamic mic Off As needed As needed

Guitar Off As needed As needed

Main outs

In a standard studio configuration, the main outs
are intended for a pair of studio monitors, but they
can also be used as regular outputs for any
purpose. Their reference level is +4dB. Use the
front panel MAIN knob to adjust the Main out
volume.

Outputs 3-4

The quarter-inch analog outputs (3-4) are
balanced (TRS) connectors that can also accept an
unbalanced plug. The quarter-inch outputs are
calibrated to produce a +4 dBu line level output
signal.

S/PDIF

If you make a S/PDIF digital audio connection to
another device, be sure to review the digital audio
clocking issues, as explained in “Connect and sync
S/PDIF devices” on page 23.

22

INSTALLING THE 4PRE HARDWARE

The 4pre on-board mixer also supplies 12dB of
digital trim adjustment for the S/PDIF input pair,
which can be adjusted from CueMix FX (“Input
trim” on page 55).

CONNECT AND SYNC S/PDIF DEVICES

DAT decks and other devices with S/PDIF digital
I/O will sync to the 4pre via the S/PDIF connection
itself. Just connect it to the 4pre via the S/PDIF
connectors. When the device records a digital
audio signal (from the 4pre), it will simply
synchronize to the clock provided by the digital
audio input from the 4pre.

When recording digital audio into your host audio
software via the 4pre’s S/PDIF input, you can either
resolve the external device to the 4pre, as described
above, or you can resolve the 4pre to its S/PDIF
input.

4pre

S/PDIF

If you use USB to connect to your computer, you
must also use the DC power supply included with
your 4pre.

Bus power requirements

The 4pre draws all the power it needs from the
FireWire bus connection to the computer.
However, the FireWire connection to the computer
must meet all of the requirements discussed below.

9-pin and 6-pin FireWire connectors

The 4pre can only draw power over the FireWire
bus from a 9-pin to 9-pin cable, or a 6-pin to 9-pin
cable. It cannot draw power from a FireWire cable
with a 4-pin connector, as shown below:

YES

✓

NO

✗

6-pin FireWire

Figure 4-3: 4-pin FireWire connectors cannot be used for bus power.

4-pin FireWire

S/PDIF

S/PDIF device

4pre

Clock Source setting =

S/PDIF (when resolving the 4pre to the

other device)

Figure 4-2: The setup for synchronizing a S/PDIF device with the 4pre.
Sync is achieved via the digital I/O connection itself. In this case, you
have to choose S/PDIF as the 4pre’s clock source when resolving it to
the other device.

Internal (when resolving the other

4pre

Clock Source setting =

device to the 4pre)

POWER OPTIONS

The 4pre can draw power from two possible
sources:

1. the computer via FireWire, or

2. a DC power supply.

INSTALLING THE 4PRE HARDWARE

When operating under bus power, daisy-chaining
is not recommended

The 4pre can be daisy-chained with other FireWire
devices from a single FireWire connection to the
computer. However, if the 4pre is operating under
bus power, this is not recommended. If you need to
daisy chain the 4pre with other devices on the same
FireWire bus, power the 4pre with the included
power adapter. The other devices on the chain
should also have their own power supply. In
general, bus-powered FireWire devices should not
be daisy-chained.

FireWire adapter products must be powered

If you are using a FireWire adapter (a third-party
product that supplies one or more FireWire ports
to your computer), it must have direct access to a
power supply:

23

■ PCI FireWire cards — If you plan to connect the

4pre to a PCI card and run the 4pre under bus
power, the PCI card must have a direct connection
to the power supply harness inside your computer.
Th is is the sa me p owe r su ppl y ha rne ss to w hic h yo u
connect internal hard drives, CD/DVD drives, etc.

DC power supply

If you do not want the 4pre to draw power from the
computer, and AC power is available, you can
power the 4pre from any standard 9-18 volt, 5 watt
DC power supply with any polarity (tip positive or
negative), and amperage as shown below.

■ PCMCIA or ExpressCard slot adapters — If you

plan to connect the 4pre to a PC card FireWire
adapter (inserted in the PC card slot in your
laptop), it must provide a 6-pin or 9-pin
connection and it must also have its own power
supply. Most commonly, these types of products
have a DC power adapter. As you can see, however,
this situation does not allow for remote battery
operation, as the PC card adapter requires AC.

Examples of bus-powered operation

Here are a few typical examples of bus-powered
4pre operation:

Bus power from a desktop computer

Your desktop computer is running off of its usual
AC power connection, and the 4pre draws power
from the FireWire cable connected to the
computer. There are no limits to running time.

Bus power from an AC-powered laptop

This scenario is identical to the desktop situation
described above: the laptop is powered by AC, the
4pre is powered via the FireWire bus and there are
no limits to running time.

Voltage Amperage

9 volts 1.33 amps

12 volts 1 amp

18 volts 0.66 amps

Turning off the 4pre

To turn on the 4pre, push the PHONES volume
knob. To turn it off, push and hold the PHONES
volume knob. When the 4pre is turned off, it is
really in a sort of “sleep” mode, where it still draws
just enough power to detect the power switch (a
digital encoder) when the 4pre is turned back on.
But the amount of power that the 4pre draws when
it is turned off is so small that it has very little
practical impact. If you are running a laptop under
battery power, and you are in a situation where you
are not using the 4pre and you need every last bit of
laptop batt ery powe r, unplu g th e 4pr e ent irel y from
the computer.

Bus power from a battery-powered laptop

The laptop is being powered by its own battery, and
the 4pre is being powered by its FireWire
connection to the computer. So the laptop battery
is supplying power to both the laptop and the 4pre.
This is the most compact and portable operating
scenario. Running time is determined by the
capacity of the laptop battery. For extended
recording sessions, bring extra, fully charged
laptop batteries.

24

INSTALLING THE 4PRE HARDWARE

A TYPICAL 4PRE SETUP

Here is a typical 4pre studio setup. In this example,
no external mixer is needed. All mixing and
pro cessing c an be done in the computer w ith audio

software, or you can use the 4pre’s CueMix™ no­latency mixer. You can control the 4pre’s four
separate mixes from the front panel or from the
included CueMix FX software.

4pre

rear panel

front panel

S/PDIF

DAT deck

4pre

headphones

monitors

guitars

(with or without an amp)

headphones

mics

(condenser or dynamic)

FireWire
or USB2

Mac

Figure 4-4: A typical 4pre studio setup.

INSTALLING THE 4PRE HARDWARE

quarter-inch

analog outs

synthesizer

(Alternatively, instead of mics)

25

CONNECT MULTIPLE MOTU INTERFACES

You can daisy-chain up to four MOTU FireWire
interfaces on a single FireWire bus, with the
restrictions described in the following sections.
Most computers have only one built-in FireWire
bus (even if it supplies multiple FireWire sockets).

Mac

FireWire

FireWire

FireWire

FireWire

4pre

Figure 4-5: Connecting multiple MOTU FireWire audio interfaces.

828mk3 or other

FireWire device

with multiple
FireWire por ts

Multiple interfaces cannot be bus-powered

Do not run the 4pre under bus power when
connecting it with other devices to the same
FireWire bus. See “Power options” and “Bus power
requirements” on page 23.

Multiple interfaces in MOTU Audio Setup

MOTU Audio Setup displays the settings for one
interface at a time. To view the settings for an
interface, click its tab as shown below in Figure 4-6.

Figure 4-6: To view the settings for an interface, click its tab.

Synchronizing multiple interfaces

Mac OS X provides an advanced, flexible driver
model that allows multiple Core Audio drivers to
be active at one time, accessed by multiple
applications simultaneously. For example, you can
run both FireWire and PCI audio interfaces at the
same time, accessing all of their inputs and outputs
from your host audio application — or even
multiple applications — simultaneously. You can
take advantage of Mac OS X’s aggregate device
driver feature, which allows you to create a unified
“meta device” out of several different audio
interfaces. The aggregate device presents to your
host software all of the inputs and outputs of the
included devices.

An important feature of this flexible model is that
multiple drivers can be synchronized to one
another in order to remain resolved to each other.
Without synchronization, the audio streams going
to each interface might drift with respect to one
another. For example, the audio tracks playing
back through the 4pre might drift out of sync with
the audio tracks playing back through your
2408mk3 PCI interface. Synchronizing them to
each other ensures that they remain tightly and
continuously phase-locked as if they were one
unified interface.

26

Resolving to other Core Audio drivers

The MOTU FireWire/USB driver can resolve to
other Core Audio drivers. This allows the 4pre and
other MOTU interfaces to resolve to other audio
interfaces running simultaneously on the same

INSTALLING THE 4PRE HARDWARE